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Dean College

Schedule
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Sunday, 11/23
2:30-4:30pm
Todd Shanks, Int/Adv Jazz 

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Dean College dance students performing on stage
photo courtesy Dean College

Dean College
Franklin, MA

Raise the barre. Dance offers a powerful path to creative expression and artistic fulfillment.

A Bachelor of Arts in Dance from the Schools of Performing Arts at Dean College provides an ideal blend of purposeful liberal arts studies and conservatory-level training needed to prepare you for success, both on and off the stage.

For more than 50 years, Dean has been a nationally recognized educational center for dance. We also offer a minor and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. Our dedicated faculty and staff foster creativity, broaden perspectives, expand knowledge, develop proficiency, and prepare you for excellence in the field of dance.

Combining our rigorous, well-rounded technical training with a purposeful liberal arts curriculum, our dance program is ideal for those pursuing performance, choreography, teaching, studio management or other fields. The program combines academic courses in dance history, dance composition, Laban Movement Analysis, dance pedagogy, writing for the arts, anatomy and kinesiology with conservatory-level training in all techniques. Starting year one, you’ll have the opportunity to perform, create and engage in real-world experiences.

Todd Shanks in a black t-shirt teaching a dance class
Todd Shanks

Todd Shanks

Todd Shanks is a highly experienced and accomplished dance educator based in Franklin, MA. He’s been recognized in renowned publications like Dance, Dance Spirit, Dance Studio Life, Dance Teacher, and Dancer Magazines. Todd’s performed in various mediums, including music videos, commercials, industrials, and TV programs. He is an assistant professor of dance and serves as Program Coordinator for the Joan Phelps Palladino School of Dance at Dean College. Todd is also the Education Director of Dance Educators of America. Before his move to Massachusetts, Todd was on faculty at Steps on Broadway in NYC for over a decade. He has also shared his expertise as a guest teacher at esteemed institutions such as the University of Florida, SUNY Brockport, Boston University, Skidmore College, ACDA, UMass Lowell, HSDF, the Ailey Extension, Ballet Hispanico, Jeannette Neill Dance Studio, Dance Masters of America, Dance New Amsterdam, Florida Dance Masters, and numerous private dance studios across the United States. Todd is also teaching on tour with Manhattan Dance Project and Dance Educators of America. Todd is the Jazz Faculty for the Dance Education Training Course presented by Dance Teacher’s Club of Boston.