Recent News

Mason Headshot by Enoch Chan

UT Austin Associate Professor of Dance Gesel Mason Awarded NEH Grant For Digital Archiving Project to Document Work of Black Choreographers

January 27, 2021

In December, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) awarded just under $100,000 for a project spearheaded by University of Texas at Austin Associate Professor of Dance Gesel Mason to support her ongoing project to archive the work of Black choreographers. 

Mason Headshot by Enoch Chan

UT Austin Associate Professor of Dance Gesel Mason Awarded NEH Grant For Digital Archiving Project to Document Work of Black Choreographers

January 27, 2021

In December, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) awarded just under $100,000 for a project spearheaded by University of Texas at Austin Associate Professor of Dance Gesel Mason to support her ongoing project to archive the work of Black choreographers. 

a man with blue eyes and graying hair speaks using his hands, with a computer screen and other integrated media elements behind him

Sven Ortel and Alumni Featured in Stage Directions

January 26, 2021 | Stage Directions

Faculty member Sven Ortel recently spoke with Stage Directions about developing the integrated media for live performance area as part of UT Live Design, his teaching methods and what inspires him as an artist and educator. Alumni Kate Ducey (M.F.A. 2017) and Jesse Easdon (M.F.A. 2020) also feature in the February 2021 issue.

an old, yellow fire hose lays twisted and tangled on the ground

Score for 7 Solos Incorporates Students' Improvisational Movements

January 20, 2021 | Visual Arts Center

The Department of Art and Art History's Visual Arts Center will feature an exhibit by Madeline Hollander that, through a collaboration with faculty member Erica Gionfriddo, will incorporate improvisational responses by a group of dance students. The exhibit, available from January 30-March 27, 2021, utilizes a selection of retired fire hoses as reminders of the environmental catastrophes we have witnessed.

man with dark hair and a beard wearing brown framed glasses and smiling

Alum Michael J. Love Creates Studio and Livestream Performances

January 15, 2021 | Sightlines

Left without a studio to rehearse in, Michael J. Love (M.F.A. 2020) took matters into his own hands, purchasing and creating his own rehearsal space. He now produces monthly performances in collaborations with various multi-disciplinary artists from The BEATBOX. 

Dawn Davis Loring co-writes a Dance Appreciation textbook to be published this month

January 12, 2021

Dawn Davis Loring (B.A., Dance, 1992) co-wrote a Dance Appreciation textbook, along with Julie Pentz, to be published by Human Kinetics this month. Their book comes from an inclusive point of view, discussing differently-abled bodies, highlighting creative and geographical diversity, and it contains a thread of discussion throughout regarding the importance of social media, YouTube, and streaming services on creating, learning, and disseminating dances including a multiplicity of voices. 

 
 
actor performing as Hades on an outdoor stage, spotlighted in bright, warm light with cars and blue lighting in the background

Alumni and Faculty Featured in Texas Monthly's 2020 Theatre Recap

January 8, 2021 | Texas Monthly

Texas Monthly recounts the awe-inspiring levels of creativity that allowed theatres across Texas, including our friends at Rude Mechs, The Vortex and Shrewd Productions, to continue presenting performance art during the pandemic, featuring work by faculty member Kirk Lynn and several alumni. 

four images of four playwrights: a woman with dark hair and earrings, a man with dark hair and a mustache, a bald man with a beard and a bald woman with dangling earrings

Isaac Gómez's Wally World Reviewed by The New York Times

December 30, 2020 | The New York Times

Alumnus Isaac Gómez's play Wally World, presented by Steppenwolf Theatre Company, landed among a list of four audio-plays from across the nation reviewed by The New York Times. The production is still available through their Steppenwolf NOW virtual programming until August 31, 2021.

an image of dancers in full body suits moving in a group, washed in blue light next to a black and white image of Rudy Ramirez with glasses, dark hair and a beard

Alumni Discuss Texas Performing Arts/Fusebox Festival Residency Projects

December 28, 2020 | KUT 90.5

KUT 90.5 recently checked in with Rudy Ramirez (M.A. 2012) and Frank Wo/Men Collective co-producers Chris Conard (current student), Kelsey Oliver (B.F.A. 2015), Roberto Di Donato (B.A. 2016) and Alexa Capareda about the creative development taking place through their residencies with Texas Performing Arts and Fusebox Festival.

dance ensemble members wearing white hoodies and black masks pose, one on their knees, one with their arms in the air, two looking down.

(Re)current Unrest Tops List of Most Impactful Productions of 2020

December 18, 2020 | The Austin Chronicle

Charles O. Anderson's (Re)current Unrest landed on the top of Robert Faire's list of timely and impactful work in and about the year 2020. Also on the list is Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet, directed by Anderson and department chair Robert Ramirez, which kicked off our spring 2020 semester prior to closures.