The UW–Madison Dance Department, housed in the School of Education, announces the creation of the Arnhold Directorship in Dance Education, a position made possible by a transformational gift from dance advocate, educator, and founder of the Dance Education Laboratory Jody Gottfried Arnhold (BA 1965) and her husband John Arnhold that was matched by the School of Education’s Impact 2030 initiative.
With this gift, the Dance Department, the nation’s first degree program in dance, will create a position that continues its legacy in the field of dance education research, teaching, and outreach.
“With this hire of a visionary leader in dance education,” says Andrea Harris, an associate professor and chair of the Dance Department, “our department aims to realize Jody Gottfried Arnhold’s vision of making dance education foundational in public schools.”
In Wisconsin public schools, dance offerings are nearly non-existent. Harris believes, however, this is an opportune time to bring this person on board. “New curricular standards have been adopted for dance in our public schools recently, and though youth opportunities for dance in our state occur primarily in local dance studios, we see this person bridging that gap.”
The new hire will be an advocate for dance education statewide and regionally; design and implement a dance education curriculum in the UW–Madison School of Education; teach courses, network, and collaborate with school districts; create partnerships and pathways for future dance teachers; and lead K-12 dance programming locally and beyond.
Applications for the position are currently being accepted until April 7, 2022. The Dance Department plans to bring the new hire on board July 1, 2022.