UNC Charlotte Dance

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UNC Charlotte Dance

The UNC Charlotte Department of Dance offers students a diverse and eclectic dance experience, in st

Dance study is enhanced by the interdisciplinary nature of our College of the Arts + Architecture, study abroad opportunities, and the activities of a vibrant campus and the bustling, arts-minded city of Charlotte. Our mission is to contribute innovation and leadership to the field through creative/scholarly research, teaching, service, and community engagement. Through comprehensive, innovative c

ourses we provide our diverse student body with an exemplary liberal arts education grounded in dance as a cultural practice, art form, and interdisciplinary subject. We embrace and celebrate dance as a way of learning about ourselves and the world around us. Committed to access, equity, and inclusion, our program develops artists, educators, scholars, and arts-literate citizens who can thrive in an increasingly complex global environment and make sustained contributions to their communities.

09/10/2026

Dance alumnus Hunter Foster '17 was an assistant choreographer for the recent hit Marvel film, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" 🕸️

If you've seen it, you know the moment. A mysterious force moves through New York City by "energy-jumping" from one person to the next, taking control over their body and behaviors.

The presence turns out to be Jean Grey, played by Sadie Sink, whose power is to travel mind to mind, causing a ripple effect as she takes over each person just long enough to reach the next. Spider-Man, played by Tom Holland, spends much of the film chasing something he can only see in the way other people move.

And none of that movement was created by special effects. Director Destin Daniel Cretton wanted the jumps performed rather than rendered. As choreographer Nathan Kim told TODAY.com, the sequences are the work of more than 125 dancers and movement artists in Los Angeles and London, built through careful planning and focusing on timing and unique shapes.

Foster was an assistant choreographer for the LA team. "Words can't even begin to describe my love for this incredible opportunity! Nathan Kim is a one of a kind leader. To have his trust and to work on this project alongside him was such an incredible honor! " He was also grateful for the level of talent and commitment in the LA Skeleton Crew, saying "Every day I left feeling so inspired."

Since Kim started posting rehearsal footage, the clips have gone viral with audiences who assumed the whole thing was made in post production.

“We’re sort of becoming oversaturated at times by AI content and computer content and I think this, to me, feels like a little bit of a pushback,” Kim tells TODAY.com. “Humans are still amazing and our abilities are amazing and let’s celebrate that.”

We are so proud of you, Hunter!! 🌟

UNC Charlotte Alumni

09/08/2026

Christian Bryant, who graduated in May, spent three consecutive summers in paid internships at the Joffrey Ballet School, serving as a resident advisor for the company’s summer training programs.

When his Summer 2026 contract ended a few weeks ago, he was offered a job for the full academic year, to serve as both a resident advisor in the school’s dorm and also an administrative assistant at the company’s studios in Manhattan and Long Island!

The students who come to The Joffrey Ballet School to train full-time range in age from 13 to 25 and are from across the U.S. and abroad.

“It’s nice to work with young dancers who are growing and have that thirst,” said Christian. “I can share my knowledge.”

Bryant earned a B.A. in Dance with a concentration in Performance, Choreography and Theory. Working at Joffrey allows him to take classes there for free. And he’s developing his administrative skills, “gaining knowledge about how a ballet company works – the little parts that a dancer doesn’t always see.”

The dorm where he lives is in midtown Manhattan, so Christian, who was born and raised in Charlotte, is getting a full taste of the Big Apple.

🏙️ What he loves: “Running by the Hudson River. It’s so pretty! How you can get anywhere on the subway. How New York really appreciates the arts. Seeing different people and their creativity and how they express themselves walking down the street.”

🩰 What he’s experiencing: “Over the summer I was able to see a lot of Broadway shows and American Ballet Theatre. It was amazing.”

🚕 What he’s getting used to: “The noise – the sirens and traffic and music on the streets.”

❄️ What he’s anticipating: “The winter. In New York it’s no joke!”

Congrats, Christian!

UNC Charlotte Alumni

09/06/2026

Last Thursday, alumna Sara Veale '09 visited our dance history class to speak about her book, "Wild Grace: The Untamed Women of Modern Dance" ⭐️

Published in 2025 by Faber & Faber, "Wild Grace" traces the extraordinary women who drove the modern dance movement and challenged cultural narratives about s*x and power along the way. Among the nine pioneering dancers Veale highlights are Isadora Duncan, Loie Fuller, Katherine Dunham and Pearl Primus.

Students read passages from the book in advance to prepare for a discussion on how these women helped shape dance history.

Veale is a London-based writer and editor focusing on dance, feminism and design. She studied literature and dance as an undergraduate at UNC Charlotte and holds an M.A. in English with a concentration in Issues in Modern Culture from University College London.

Veale has worked as a freelance dance critic since 2013, reviewing major international dance companies, covering arts festivals across the UK and Europe and interviewing industry giants. She has written regularly for the Observer, the Spectator, Fjord Review and DanceTabs.

We were grateful to Veale for joining us on campus and for sharing her knowledge with our students! She was accompanied by her mentor Sybil Huskey, professor emerita of dance.

09/04/2026

The Department of Dance presents a one-night-only Faculty Dance Concert on Saturday, Sept. 12 in the Anne R. Belk Theater! 🌟

The festival-style program features seven diverse pieces, with choreography and performances by dance faculty and special guest artists.

The program includes:

"Not Foreign to the Moon," choreographed and performed by E.E. Balcos, Kim Jones and Tamara Williams with Claudio Olivera on piano.

"Janus (excerpt)," choreographed by Eric Mullis with Joy Davis and Madeline Badgett, performed by Madeline Badgett.

"Narcissus and Echo," choreographed by Maya Kulkarni
and performed by Kaustavi Sarkar and alumna Cecilia Whalen '21.

"Z.O.I.D.S.," choreographed and performed by Joshua Carr and Ashley L. Tate.

"silent scream," choreographed and performed by alumna Anna Edwards '18.

"Terra Nova," choreographed and performed by Tadej Brdnik and Kim Jones.

"Sisters of the Sword," choreographed by Maria Caruso, staged by Lauren Skrabalak, and performed by Sydney Gondringer and Marie-Amelle Thenoz.

09/03/2026

SEVEN WORKS. ONE NIGHT.

The Department of Dance presents a one-night-only Faculty Dance Concert: a festival-style program featuring seven diverse pieces, with choreography and performances by dance faculty and special guest artists.

Participating full-time and adjunct faculty: E.E. Balcos, Joshua Carr, Anna Edwards, Kim Jones, Eric Mullis, Kaustavi Sarkar, Lauren Skrabalak, Ashley L. Tate, and Tamara Williams.

Saturday, September 12th at 7:30 p.m.
Belk Theater, Robinson Hall

Ticket Link is in our bio!!! 😊

09/02/2026

🎉 Please join us in congratulating Kim Jones on her promotion to Full Professor in the Department of Dance!

A choreographer, dancer, scholar, and educator, Jones is a régisseur for the Martha Graham Resource Center and the founder and artistic director of Movement Migration. A former member of the Martha Graham Dance Company, her creative and scholarly work spans performance, historical reconstruction, international research, and dance education.

Jones has reconstructed significant works by Martha Graham and Paul Taylor, bringing important masterworks to both professional stages and UNC Charlotte students. Through Movement Migration, she continues to create and present work centered on access, inclusion, community, and the rich traditions of ballet and modern dance.

Her current research explores the life and choreography of Korean modern dance pioneer Choi Seung-Hee. Most recently, Jones received a 2026 Creative Renewal Fellowship from the Arts & Science Council to continue this research. This fall, she will study traditional dance at Seoul’s National Gugak Center before returning to London’s National Maritime Museum to curate and choreograph a new project.

Congratulations, Professor Jones, on this well-deserved achievement! 👏🏾

📷: Jeff Cravotta

09/01/2026

It was amazing to welcome alumnus Davian “DJ” Robinson ’20 back to the Department of Dance last week for the 2026 College of Arts + Architecture Distinguished Alumni Awards! 🌟

Current dance student Josie Perdue introduced DJ and presented him with the award at Friday's ceremony. DJ will return to the department later in the fall semester to teach a masterclass to dance students. Stay tuned for details.

Congratulations, again, to DJ!

08/26/2026

// “The most meaningful part of the internship was getting to connect with the [dance] students. For a lot of them, it was their first time in the city, so we got to take them to some of the fun tourist spots and see a lot of Broadway shows. It was so fun to connect with them and make it a positive experience."

This summer, Aliyah March (who is earning a B.A. in Dance with a concentration in Performance, Choreography and Theory and B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources Management), completed an internship as Resident Community Advisor Lead with Joffrey Ballet School in New York City!

Aliyah learned about the Joffrey Ballet School internship from fellow dance majors Amaree Ratliff and Christian Bryant, who had worked with the Joffrey in the past.

Founded in 1953, the school offers renowned summer intensive programs in the United States and abroad.

After a rigorous application process that included three interviews, Aliyah was offered the lead resident community advisor position in New York City. Over 12 weeks, she oversaw daily residence hall operations, led staff meetings, coordinated student programming and worked tirelessly to foster a positive living experience for students at the summer ballet school.

"It was amazing to meet all of the other interns who go to school all over the world and talk to them about what their pathway has been leading up to the internship," she shared. "I made some lifelong connections.”

Follow our series all year for more internship spotlights!

08/25/2026

UNC Charlotte Dance faculty, staff, and students are moving, connecting and building community together.

The Fall 2026 semester is underway!! 💚

08/23/2026

This summer, dance alumna Marideth [Batchelor] Telenko ‘18, and her husband and dance partner Austin Telenko, were featured on the cover of Dance Magazine AND named to TIME100 Creators!! 🌟

Marideth graduated from UNC Charlotte in 2018 with a B.A. in Dance with a concentration in Performance, Choreography and Theory.

Shortly after graduation, so moved to New York City to start auditioning, and met Austin through a gig at Six Flags in New Jersey. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the two moved to North Carolina to stay with Marideth's parents and started posting TikTok videos (under the name Cost N' Mayor) which started their journey to the incredible dance careers they have today.

Dance Magazine wrote that Austin and Marideth are natural storytellers, describing their "idiosyncratic mix of street styles and musical theater dance" as "eloquent as it is magnetic."

Their cover story features how the two found their path in the industry, their TikTok evolution, and their recent off-Broadway work, "11 to Midnight," which co-stars Glee’s Heather Morris, Dance Moms’ Nia Sioux and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Conner Leavitt.

“TikTok is awesome, and we share choreography on there that we work hard on and are proud of,” Marideth shared with Dance Magazine. “We can drop the stigma around being a dancer on the internet.”

A month after their cover story, the pair was named to TIME's 2026 TIME100 Creators, a list recognizing 100 of the most influential digital voices.

Time100 features creators across entertainment, gaming, fashion, beauty, lifestyle, comedy, sports, educators, travel and more. Cost N' Mayor were featured in the "Entertainers" Category.

"We didn’t know it then, but the little brave step to post our choreography online would change the trajectory of our lives," Marideth wrote in their announcement post on Instagram. "It’s been the adventure of a lifetime and we’re still just getting started."

We are SO proud of Marideth and so thankful to have her as part of our COAA family 💚 Her positivity, excitement and dedication to dance have always been inspiring.

Address

Robinson Hall-9201 University City Boulevard
Charlotte, NC
28223

Telephone

+17046870225

Website

https://dance.charlotte.edu/

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