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University of Hartford

Schedule
University of Hartford logo, white text on a red background

Saturday, 10/25
2:30-4:30pm
Stephen Pier, Ballet

Tuesday, 12/2 
2:30-4:30pm
Katie Stevinson-Nollet, Contemporary

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University of Hartford dancers in white on a black background with archery bows and wearing toga-like dresses

University of Hartford
Hartford, CT

The Hartt Dance Division is dedicated to preparing students for meaningful lifelong professional careers in the demanding and evolving field of Dance. Through rigorous, innovative, and integrated learning experiences our students develop their abilities to successfully navigate unique career journeys. Our culture of deeply supported learning engages students in professionally relevant and diverse performing, teaching, and creative opportunities that have an international scope and real world significance. Our graduates emerge with a substantial set of skills which allow them to thrive in the changing world they are entering.

In order to do this effectively, we have created a unique curriculum which integrates skill sets with broad applications and exposure to the larger field of dance related occupations. Our curriculum supports the performer, the teacher, and the creator.

We offer Bachelor of Fine Arts degree programs in Dance Performance. Hartt dancers develop their skills through many performance opportunities, teaching internships, and participation in a rigorous conservatory-style curriculum with expert instruction from world-renowned faculty and guest artists. Performance opportunities begin in the first year of study and are available to all majors. Students train in classical ballet, modern dance, and contemporary techniques with additional coursework in music, dance composition, pedagogy, performance techniques, kinesiology, repertory, technology in dance, and dance history. It is our goal to graduate technically competent, knowledgeable artists who are capable of adapting to the varied demands of a lifelong career in dance and prepared to lead the field into the future.

The University of Hartford is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Dance.

stephen pier
Stephen Pier

Stephen Pier

Stephen Pier has performed throughout the world with the Royal Danish Ballet, the Hamburg Ballet, the José Limón Company and as a guest artist. His repertoire includes the works of Petipa, Bournonville, Balanchine, Cranko, Kylian, Limón, Neumeier and an array of contemporary dance makers. He created roles in original works for choreographers John Neumeier, Maurice Béjart, Kim Brandstrup, Laura Dean, and others earning critical acclaim as, “a dancer of tremendous taste and insight”, “highly defined, a tour de force”, and “one of the most gifted dancers on the modern dance scene today.” Mr. Pier is internationally respected as a teacher and coach of both Limón work and Ballet. He taught for the Royal Danish Ballet’s company and school while serving as ballet master and dancer from 1990 -1996 and was a full-time faculty member of the Juilliard School from 1996-2010.There he helped establish the innovative Mentoring Program and served as its Artistic Director. In addition to directing The Hartt School Dance Division at the University of Hartford, Pier teaches for notable companies and schools in Europe, America and Asia including Company Wayne McGregor, Dance Theater of Harlem, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Rambert Contemporary Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, Introdans, Scapino Ballet, Philadanco, and The New National Theater Tokyo. His students have joined leading companies including, The Royal Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Forsythe Company, Netherlands Dance Theater, Martha Graham Company, Lar Lubovitch, José Limón Dance Co., Mark Morris Dance Group, Doug Varone and Dancers, Cullberg Ballet, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Company, and Bat Sheva. Mr Pier is on the board of directors of the National Association of Schools of Dance, Ballet Hartford, and New Dialect.

Mr Pier is featured in the recently released book by renowned photographer Mark Mann, Movement at the Stillpoint, an Ode to Dance (https://movementatthestillpoint.com/).

Katie Stevinson-Nollet
Katie Stevinson-Nollet

Katie Stevinson-Nollet

Katie Stevinson-Nollet currently serves as a Professor in the Hartt School, Dance Division specializing in Contemporary Dance Forms, Composition, Dance for Camera, and Repertory. She served as Artistic Director for Full Force Dance Theatre for over twenty years. Katie’s professional experiences as performer, choreographer and teacher, have taken her throughout the US and abroad, performed with San Diego Dance Theater; Carolyn Dorfman and Dancers; Full Force Dance Theatre, and has enjoyed performing the work of multiple choreographers including David Dorfman, Lisa Race, Adam Baruch, Kate Weare, Monica Bill Barnes, and Jean Isaacs to name a few. Her class is an eclectic mix of classic and contemporary styles, utilizing floor work, focusing on technique, range of motion, weight transference, transitions and self-awareness.