Nancy Dobbs Owen
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Education CV
Mission Statement
As an interdisciplinary artist and activist, working as a choreographer, dance educator, and writer, I seek to answer the following: How does exploring the creative and emotional elements of seemingly irreparable problems create pathways to solutions and enlightenment? What questions are we not yet asking? How do the answers to these inquiries illuminate the practical steps we can put in place, as arts leaders, to address the systemic and ingrained imbalances in our art form and, by extension, the society in which we live? How does the art we create move these questions into the public sphere? And finally, how can we do so while creating beautiful, lasting, and emotionally resonant work? As an arts educator, my objective is to harmonize the idealistic creator with a practical, budget-aware, and collaborative methodology for comprehensive arts education. This is achieved through a reconciliatory pedagogy that highlights often-overlooked influences in dance, paired with engaging and diverse programming, as well as passionate community participation. Throughout this process, I uphold a profound respect for all the idealists and visionaries I collaborate with, as well as for the community I serve.
University Dance Professor, Educator, and Administrator
Southern Utah University
Assistant Professor of Dance (2024-present)
Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance ( 2023-2024 academic year)
Commercial Dance Program Coordinator (2021-June 2023) and Acting Dance Dept. Chair (Feb 2023-June 2023)
AMDA College of the Performing Arts:
Adjunct Dance Faculty (2014-2021)
Dance Data Project
Special Projects Consultant (2025-present)
Marina Del Rey Symphony Orchestra
(2018, 2019)
Freelance Choreographer/Director
Award-winning choreographer and director focused on collaborative creations in small theater and film (2007-present). Theatre of Note, InkFest, 2 Cents Theatre, and SkyPilot all focus on new experimental theatre. 42nd Street Moon and The Production Company present new takes on classic works.
Commercial Choreography Reel
Floating, Falling, Flying: A Dance Film (Full Film)
Freelance Dance Educator
(2008-present) Focus on clean ballet technique, drawing from multiple schools to support strong, balanced dancers. The majority of studio classes are ballet, pointe, variations, and partnering. Students have gone on to Alvin Ailey, Codarts, SFB, Joffrey Chicago, Houston Ballet, Ballet West, ABT, and SAB, and work as commercial dancers nationwide. Popular teacher in large commercial studios, with a following of professional dancers, adult dancers, and a loyal group of former college students.
Performed across the United States as a ballet dancer, contemporary and modern dancer, and musical theater performer. After moving to Los Angeles, I continued my stage career while also making appearances in film and television.
Highlights are provided below. A full performance résumé is available upon request.
National Theatre and Opera:
Dance roles in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Veep, American Princess, Deadwood (2019), Music, and Ratched, as well as numerous music videos, independent films, and commercials
Company Performer
(1990-1995, 2000-2008)
Freelance writer (2017-present)
Freelance writer for numerous publications, most notably the Los Angeles Dance Chronicle, focused on dance and dance leaders. A series of articles from 2019 and 2020 on equity, gender, and abuse in ballet has been incorporated into numerous college curricula (e.g., Boston Conservatory). Articles include overviews of the Arts Landscape, profiles of dance leaders, including Celia Fushile and Judy Tyrus, profiles of numerous Los Angeles-based female-identified directors and choreographers, and features on Dance Data Project®. Over the last several years, most articles have been featured in the Daily Dance Edit.
Link to articles
Conference Presentations
Rise Theatre/Maestra
Data Is Revolutionary. Sept. 2025, Fall Conference
Panel Presentation with Dance Data Project®, Harriet Tubman Effect, Women Count
National Dance Educators Organization
Making Data Dance, Oct. 2025, Solo Lecture
Corps De Ballet International
Discussion with Peter Boal. June 2024, collaborated with Steven Ha
Discussion with Adam Sklute and Kevin Thomas, June 2025, collaborated with Caroline Rocher Barnes
Women in Dance Leadership National Conference
2024 Conference:
-Concieved, curated, and moderated:
Round Table Discussion: Dance in Higher Education and Professional World
-Using Quantitative Data in Dance Curriculum and Higher Education, Presentation with Dance Data Project®
Industry Involvement
Women In Dance
Planning Committee and Featured Presenter 2024 Conference
Corps De Ballet
Planning Committee member and Presenter in conference events
Dance Data Project®
Friend of the organization, contributor
Volunteer of the Year: 2024
Anthology Of Consciousness
Peer Reviewer, 2024
Dance Camera West
Screening committee member, 2023-present
Board Advisor, 2025-present
National Dance Education Organization
Member
IADMS
Member
Community Involvement
Art of Elysium
Long-time volunteer and current collaborator
School on Wheels
One-on-one tutor for unhoused youth
Honored as Volunteer of the Year
Board President: AMDA Advocates (2021-2023)
Founding board member for an advocacy group for students to address systemic issues with sexual and emotional abuse on both AMDA campus
Education
Master of Fine Arts: Goddard College (2022)
Interdisciplinary Arts with a Performance Creation Concentration
Fully funded by the Caroline Kelly Scholarship Foundation and SAG Transitions for Dancers
Master of Arts: Southern Utah University (2025)
Arts Administration
Bachelor of Arts: University of California, Irvine
Dance (Ballet Concentration)
Certificate in Arts Management:
University of California, Irvine
Claire Trevor School of the Arts/Merage Business School
Mental Health First Aid Certificate, 2023 (3-year certification)
National Council of Mental Wellbeing
Teaching Artist Training Certificate
The Music Center, Los Angeles
Training
SAG-AFTRA
Actors Equity Association
Choreographers Guild (founding member)
UT AFT
SDC (associate member)
Directors Lab West (2011)
Skills
Costuming and styling (full portfolio available upon request)
Computer skills: Canvas, Google Docs, Microsoft Office, Excel, Anthology
I am a pretty great Vegan chef
As an interdisciplinary artist and activist, working as a choreographer, dance educator, and writer, I seek to answer the following: How does exploring the creative and emotional elements of seemingly irreparable problems create pathways to solutions and enlightenment? What questions are we not yet asking? How do the answers to these inquiries illuminate the practical steps we can put in place, as arts leaders, to address the systemic and ingrained imbalances in our art form and, by extension, the society in which we live? How does the art we create move these questions into the public sphere? And finally, how can we do so while creating beautiful, lasting, and emotionally resonant work? As an arts educator, my objective is to harmonize the idealistic creator with a practical, budget-aware, and collaborative methodology for comprehensive arts education. This is achieved through a reconciliatory pedagogy that highlights often-overlooked influences in dance, paired with engaging and diverse programming, as well as passionate community participation. Throughout this process, I uphold a profound respect for all the idealists and visionaries I collaborate with, as well as for the community I serve.
University Dance Professor, Educator, and Administrator
Southern Utah University
Assistant Professor of Dance (2024-present)
Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance ( 2023-2024 academic year)
- Teaching
- Ballet Technique; All levels
- Cross-Cultural Dance
- Culturally Relevant/De-Colonized Dance History
- Inside the Art of Dance
- Musical Theater Dance
- Jazz; lower levels
- Choreography and Directing
- Choreograph for the Faculty Dance Concert (2023, 2024,2025)
- Director for Spring Student Choreographed Concert (2024, 2025)
- Choreograph Carmen, in collaboration with the Music Department, Spring 2024
- Choreograph The Secret Garden, Spring 2025
- Curriculum Development
- Developed Musical Theater Minor for Implementation: Fall of 2025
- Rewrote Dance Capstone for Implementation: Fall of 2025
- Creating a business class for arts majors
- Committee Member
- Privacy (College Level)
- Department Policies and Bylaws
- Hiring committees: Dance: Visiting Lecturer, Visiting Professor, Musical Director
- University IRB committee (Beginning Fall 2025)
- Mentor students
- Career mentorship
- Program mentorship
- Outreach and Recruitment
- Teach master classes
- Teach workshops
Commercial Dance Program Coordinator (2021-June 2023) and Acting Dance Dept. Chair (Feb 2023-June 2023)
- As Acting Dance Dept. Chair:
- Supervise and provide advice to the dance faculty
- Oversee and develop program curriculum
- Produce Senior Choreography Showcase
- Produce Industry Showcase
- Hire guest choreographers
- Hire master-class faculty
- Collaborate with the Production Coordinator on department and production budget
- Lead bi-annual PAC meetings with Industry Leaders
- Program Coordinator Responsibilities
- Evaluate prospective students’ applications, creating each entering class
- Increased representation of all underserved communities
- Create student schedules
- Track and ensure student success
- Support student well-being
- Closely collaborate with the chair on the overall well-being of the program
- Advise students on career paths and assist in the transition to becoming working dancers
- Act as a community liaison with Dance Agents and other industry professionals
- Mentor Student-Led Productions (in both roles)
- Dance Faculty (in both roles)
- Create a holistic and dynamic ballet department curriculum
- Teach technique classes
- Teach assorted General Education and Health and Wellness classes
AMDA College of the Performing Arts:
Adjunct Dance Faculty (2014-2021)
- Taught Ballet, Dance, and Movement for Actors, Musical Theatre Dance, Yoga-Based Workout
- Choreographed and directed numerous productions
- Conducted faculty evaluations
- Instituted weekend open classes for current students and alumni to increase engagement
Dance Data Project
Special Projects Consultant (2025-present)
- Grant and proposal writing
- Presentations
- Communications oversight
- Report oversight
Marina Del Rey Symphony Orchestra
(2018, 2019)
- Created and stayed on a set budget.
- Cast all dancers with a focus on diversity and inclusion.
- Designed and created all costumes.
- Choreographed four new ballets:
- Original versions of On The Town, West Side Story Suites, American in Paris
- Served as company manager, conducting all communication between dancers and management
- 2018 Review, 2019 Review
- American in Paris Sizzle Reel
Freelance Choreographer/Director
Award-winning choreographer and director focused on collaborative creations in small theater and film (2007-present). Theatre of Note, InkFest, 2 Cents Theatre, and SkyPilot all focus on new experimental theatre. 42nd Street Moon and The Production Company present new takes on classic works.
- Director/Choreographer (Stage)
- Rewind, A New 80s Pop Musical 2019 Hollywood Fringe Festival
- Inhale/Exhale 2019 InkFest Theatre Festival
- I Can Speak. The Does 2018 InkFest Theatre Festival
- Curve of the Earth 2017 InkFest Theatre Festival
- We Believe (a 10-minute live trailer) 2016 Short and Sweet Theatre Fest
- Whatever Will Happen To Daisy 2016 InkFest Theatre Festival
- Skanky Me From Kankakee 2015 Hollywood Fringe Festival
- War Bride 2012 SkyPilot Theatre
- Choreographer (Stage)
- Welcome To The White Room 2017 Theatre of Note
- Niblog, The Musical 2016 2 Cents Theatre Co.
- Where’s Charley? 2015 42nd St. Moon
- Enron 2015 The Production Company
- The Mikado 2013 Pacific Opera Project
- The Snow Queen 2012 Fremont Theatre
- Working 2012 The Production Company
- Have You Seen Alice? 2011 Theatre of Note
- Dolls! Not Your Usual Love Story 2011 Santa Monica Playhouse
- Skeleton Stories 2010 Theatre of Note
- Sweeney Todd 2009 The Production Company
- M Butterfly 2008 The Production Company
- I’d Rather Be Right (additional Choreography) 2007 The Hudson Theatre
- Assassins 2007 Sight Unseen Theatre
- Choreographer (Film/Video/Web)
- Ghostlight (Feature) 2023 Ghostlight Film, Dan Spurgeon
- Fragmentary Evidence: Detritus 2022 Self-Produced and Directed
- Floating Falling, Flying 2021 Self-Produced and Directed
- Blue Couch Ballet 2021 Self-produced and Directed
- No Dominion 2020 Producer: AutoDealer
- Hollywood Fringe (feature) 2018 Sleeper Cell Films
- Too Many Bodies 2018 Presented by NORA
- F*** Your Politics 2018 Elwakal Global
- Lullaby, A Zombie Musical 2015 BlackBox TV
- My Life on the F List 2014 Aiden Park-Producer
- The Dancer and The Boy 2014 Wildheart Entertainment
- Nevada Line 2014 Weyward Sisters
- Surrender to the Mystery 2012 Weyward Sisters
- Squad 85 2012 YOMYOMF Network
- “Yo Sé’” music video 2011 The Band Pie
Commercial Choreography Reel
Floating, Falling, Flying: A Dance Film (Full Film)
Freelance Dance Educator
(2008-present) Focus on clean ballet technique, drawing from multiple schools to support strong, balanced dancers. The majority of studio classes are ballet, pointe, variations, and partnering. Students have gone on to Alvin Ailey, Codarts, SFB, Joffrey Chicago, Houston Ballet, Ballet West, ABT, and SAB, and work as commercial dancers nationwide. Popular teacher in large commercial studios, with a following of professional dancers, adult dancers, and a loyal group of former college students.
- Private Studios
- The Performing Arts Center, Degas Dance Studio, Centre Stage Dance, Millennium, The Edge, Hamas, Anna Cheselka Dance Center.
- Duties have included curriculum development, technique classes, bi-annual recitals, private coaching, and a yearly production of The Nutcracker.
- Elementary Schools: Gabriella Charter School and Everybody Dance LA (2010-2018, 2023)
- Dance Faculty Member: Taught Ballet, Modern, and Creative Movement daily to students K-8.
- Collaborated with their academic teachers to create a progressive school environment focused on integrating arts education into their daily lives.
- Led numerous master classes throughout the Los Angeles School District.
- Rejoined the organization to teach upper-level ballet conservatory classes in 2023
- Chaminade College Preparatory: (2014-present)
- Worked closely with the Drama Department at Chaminade Preparatory High School and Middle School since 2010, as both a choreographer and dance teacher.
- Choreographed: Sweeney Todd, Pippin, Once on this Island, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, Alice in Wonderland, Macbeth, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, The Skin of Our Teeth, High School Musical, Seussical.
- COVID: Created an ongoing Instagram Live ballet class that was open to all and averaged 200+ participants each day. Taught three classes per week, Summer 2020-Summer 2021. Continue to teach over Zoom
Performed across the United States as a ballet dancer, contemporary and modern dancer, and musical theater performer. After moving to Los Angeles, I continued my stage career while also making appearances in film and television.
Highlights are provided below. A full performance résumé is available upon request.
National Theatre and Opera:
- The Phantom of the Opera (1995-2000) Ballet Corps, Meg Cover 1st National/Hal Prince
- Nixon In China (Adams at 70) (2017) Ballet Dancer LA Phil/Elkhanah Pulitzer
- Chrysalis (2006) Vocalist Berkeley Opera/ Mark Streshinsky
- Favorite shows include Sweeney Todd (Lucy, ensemble), Silk Stockings, Can Can, The Wizard of Oz, Phantom (Yeston), and Boys From Syracuse.
- Served as dance captain in all shows.
- Active in the creation of new work; performed in numerous developmental projects with various theater companies in both San Francisco and Los Angeles and at Kayenta Arts Center in Utah.
Dance roles in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Veep, American Princess, Deadwood (2019), Music, and Ratched, as well as numerous music videos, independent films, and commercials
Company Performer
(1990-1995, 2000-2008)
- After an apprenticeship with the Joffrey Ballet (under Robert Joffrey), danced in several regional companies: Nevada Dance Theatre, Ballet Theatre Pennsylvania, Dance Through Time, and Fascinating Rhythm.
- Signature roles include Mythra (Giselle), Kitri, Snow Queen, Spanish, Gypsy Doll, Mirliton (Nutcracker), and Peasant Dancer (Every single ballet).
- Original Works by Donlin Foreman, Mary Hepner, Richard Gibson, Carlos Carvajal, Vasili Sulich, others
Freelance writer (2017-present)
Freelance writer for numerous publications, most notably the Los Angeles Dance Chronicle, focused on dance and dance leaders. A series of articles from 2019 and 2020 on equity, gender, and abuse in ballet has been incorporated into numerous college curricula (e.g., Boston Conservatory). Articles include overviews of the Arts Landscape, profiles of dance leaders, including Celia Fushile and Judy Tyrus, profiles of numerous Los Angeles-based female-identified directors and choreographers, and features on Dance Data Project®. Over the last several years, most articles have been featured in the Daily Dance Edit.
Link to articles
Conference Presentations
Rise Theatre/Maestra
Data Is Revolutionary. Sept. 2025, Fall Conference
Panel Presentation with Dance Data Project®, Harriet Tubman Effect, Women Count
National Dance Educators Organization
Making Data Dance, Oct. 2025, Solo Lecture
Corps De Ballet International
Discussion with Peter Boal. June 2024, collaborated with Steven Ha
Discussion with Adam Sklute and Kevin Thomas, June 2025, collaborated with Caroline Rocher Barnes
Women in Dance Leadership National Conference
2024 Conference:
-Concieved, curated, and moderated:
Round Table Discussion: Dance in Higher Education and Professional World
-Using Quantitative Data in Dance Curriculum and Higher Education, Presentation with Dance Data Project®
Industry Involvement
Women In Dance
Planning Committee and Featured Presenter 2024 Conference
Corps De Ballet
Planning Committee member and Presenter in conference events
Dance Data Project®
Friend of the organization, contributor
Volunteer of the Year: 2024
Anthology Of Consciousness
Peer Reviewer, 2024
Dance Camera West
Screening committee member, 2023-present
Board Advisor, 2025-present
National Dance Education Organization
Member
IADMS
Member
Community Involvement
Art of Elysium
Long-time volunteer and current collaborator
School on Wheels
One-on-one tutor for unhoused youth
Honored as Volunteer of the Year
Board President: AMDA Advocates (2021-2023)
Founding board member for an advocacy group for students to address systemic issues with sexual and emotional abuse on both AMDA campus
Education
Master of Fine Arts: Goddard College (2022)
Interdisciplinary Arts with a Performance Creation Concentration
Fully funded by the Caroline Kelly Scholarship Foundation and SAG Transitions for Dancers
Master of Arts: Southern Utah University (2025)
Arts Administration
Bachelor of Arts: University of California, Irvine
Dance (Ballet Concentration)
Certificate in Arts Management:
University of California, Irvine
Claire Trevor School of the Arts/Merage Business School
Mental Health First Aid Certificate, 2023 (3-year certification)
National Council of Mental Wellbeing
Teaching Artist Training Certificate
The Music Center, Los Angeles
Training
- Received the majority of ballet training on scholarship with the following schools: Joffrey Ballet, Lines Ballet (Alonzo King, Arturo Fernandez), Academy of Ballet (Richard Gibson), and Dance Arts Center (Jayne Zaban).
- Additional training at Dancer’s Stage (Kristine Elliot, Yehuda Maor), Steps on Broadway, and with Nancy Bielski and Tina Bernal.
- Heavily supplemented with jazz, modern, and tap throughout.
- Important influences: Claude Thompson, Michael Owens, Malaya, Lulu Washington, Berle Davis, Luigi, Horton, Graham
- Summer Programs: Marin Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Jacob’s Pillow
SAG-AFTRA
Actors Equity Association
Choreographers Guild (founding member)
UT AFT
SDC (associate member)
Directors Lab West (2011)
Skills
Costuming and styling (full portfolio available upon request)
Computer skills: Canvas, Google Docs, Microsoft Office, Excel, Anthology
I am a pretty great Vegan chef
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