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Oklahoma City University

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Saturday, Oct. 19th, 2024
11:00am-1:00pm
MICHAEL McCARTHY, Jazz

photo courtesy Oklahoma City University

Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma City, OK

Oklahoma City University’s Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment has been consistently rated by dance media as among the top dance programs in North America and has shared #1 and #2 ratings with Juilliard. OnStage, an internet media outlet, declared “In our opinion, no other college in the country is doing a better job of preparing versatile dancers for this industry than the Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment at Oklahoma City University.”

The Oklahoma City University Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment, established in 1981 by recently retired Dance Chair Jo Rowan and Dean John Bedford, has a long history as the premier musical theatre dance program in the nation.  

In addition to musical theatre, we are preparing dancers for the world of entertainment. You will find our dance alums working in all areas of the entertainment industry: movies, television, commercials, backup dancers for musical artists, cruise lines, theme parks, and more. 

We are committed to educating our dance majors to be employable by offering courses in management and production, costumes, choreography, and teaching in addition to dance technique.The Ann Lacy School offers four-degrees: Bachelor of Performing Arts in Dance Performance (for those who cannot live without being on stage), Bachelor of Science in Dance Management (for those who want to maximize show business opportunities both onstage or off), Bachelor of Science in American Dance Pedagogy (for those who want to own and operate dance studios or manage dance academies), and Entertainment Business (for those who may or may not be dancers but want a wide range of career options in the entertainment industry).

The Ann Lacy School provides ten levels of instruction in Ballet (as used in musical theatre), Tap, and Jazz with students placed in levels appropriate to their accomplishment. Additional instruction is available in musical theatre dance and Broadway styles, commercial dance, rhythm tap, pointe, men’s technical studies, dance for film, choreography, partnering, acting, and voice.

Dance academic courses include Musicals for Dancers, Dance Health, Dance History (general), American Dance History (focused on theatrical dance), multiple courses in Production and Management, Contracts and Management for Performers, multiple courses in Choreography, and multiple courses in Dance Pedagogy (teaching dance).

In addition to dance technique and academic courses, there is an extensive hands-on co-curricular program emphasizing preparation for competitive employability in a wide range of performing arts career options and resume-building experiences.

Performing opportunities include Star Dance Company with Broadway-style shows, a subset to the Star Dance Company the Rep Company which performs throughout the community, The Spirit of Grace Liturgical Dancers for those who want to bring their dance artistry to worship services both on and off-campus, Pep Dancersoffering both choreographic and performance opportunities at home basketball games, Project 21 offering choreographic and performance opportunities in conjunction with the school of music, and The Student Choreography Showcase offering advanced choreography students to create a show from beginning to final performance. Over the years, students have experienced both domestic and international tours, as either performers or tour company staff members.

Oklahoma City University female dancer in a deep lunge reaching skyward - on a brown background

Alumni have appeared on Broadway and National Tours including Hamilton, Disney’s Newsies, Cinderella, Cats, Rent, 42nd Street, Frozen, Bandstand, Beetlejuice, My Fair Lady, Wicked, White Christmas, On The Twentieth Century, Hello Dolly, Oklahoma!, Motown: The Musical , Rocky, Memphis, West Side Story, Bubbling Brown Sugar, A Chorus Line, 9 to 5 the Musical, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Amazing Grace, American Dance Machine, Annie Get Your Gun, Anything Goes, Bullets Over Broadway, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Chicago, Civil War, Crazy for You, Dance of the Vampires, Dracula the Musical, Dreams, Epic Proportions, Face the Music, Fascinating Rhythm, Follies, Fossie, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Good Vibrations, Grease, Great American Musical, Guys and Dolls, Gypsy, Hairspray, Holiday Inn, If/Then, In the Heights, Jekyll & Hyde, Jerome Robbins Broadway, Kinky Boots, Kiss of the Spiderwoman, La Cage aux Folles, Mama Mia!, Matilda, Nice Work If You Can Get It, On the Town, Peter Pan, Phantom of the Opera, Promises Promises, Ring of Fire, Rock of Ages, Rocky, Saturday Night Fever, Show Boat, Shuffle Along, Smokey Joe’s Café, South Pacific, Spamalot, Steel Pier, Sunset Boulevard, Sweet Smell of Success, Taboo, The Addams Family, The Apple Tree, The Boy from Oz, The Bridges of Madison County, The Light in the Piazza, The Little Mermaid, The Music Man, The Pajama Game, The Producers, Tommy, Will Rogers Follies, Young Frankenstein, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, and Disney’s Aladdin.

Oklahoma City University female dancer in a curtsey lunge reaching skyward and wearing a fedora, on a brown background

Many Ann Lacy School students have aspired to become Radio City Rockettes, with fifty succeeding in achieving their goal. Joining them have been eighteen men performing in Radio City shows, and two women performing in Radio City Spectacularsin the song and dance ensemble. Four graduates have held top positions in the artistic administration of the Rockettes, and two have served in tour management and education.

Many alumni can be found performing and managing all over the world at sea with Norwegian Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Holland America Cruise Line, and Princess Cruises. Others can be found managing and performing at every Disney park including Walt Disney World in Orlando, Disneyland in California, Disneyland Paris, Disneyland Hong Kong, Disneyland Shanghai, Disneyland Tokyo, and in featured films like Disney’s Newsies: The Broadway Musical.

For more information about OKCU Dance and Entertainment please visit our website at www.okcu.edu/dance or email <a ” href=”mailto:Dance@okcu.edu” >Dance@okcu.edu.

Instagram: @okcudance_
Facebook: @okcudance

Michael McCarthy
Michael McCarthy

MICHAEL McCARTHY

Michael McCarthy, a native of Worcester, Mass., holds a Bachelor of Performing Arts degree in Dance from Oklahoma City University and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance from Montclair State University. McCarthy performed as a dancer, dance captain and aerialist onboard Royal Caribbean Cruises before shifting his focus to dance education. He continues to develop his educational practices with certifications in American Ballet Theatre’s National Teaching Curriculum, Acrobatic Arts and the Nan Giordano Certification Program. He is a member of Dance Masters of America and the National Dance Education Organization. McCarthy has taught for studios and conventions across the country and has staged choreography for local theaters in shows such as Evita, Elf the Musical, Anything Goes and Legally Blonde.