Celebrating Diversity and Collaboration at the Texas Dance Improvisation Festival  

/

Portrait of Nina Martin standing outdoors in front of a forest background. She is wearing a dark, ribbed sweater.

Nina Martin, Ph.D., is a board member and co-founder of the Texas Dance Improvisation Festival. Photo credit: Ian Hunt

Nina Martin, Ph.D., professor at the School for Classical & Contemporary Dance (SCCDance), is a board member and co-founder of the Texas Dance Improvisation Festival, an annual event organized by Texas artists dedicated to fostering diverse improvisational dance communities. The festival offers dynamic classes and captivating performances, inspiring and challenging dancers at the collegiate level.  

This year, Martin, Brad Garner, director of the SCCDance, Annika Sheaff, assistant professor of dance, and Will Labossiere, instructional staff musician, will take 12 SCCDance students to the festival. There, the students will perform and connect with dancers from a variety of backgrounds across Texas.

Texas Improvisation Dance Festival at Sam Houston State University. Photo credit: Sarah Christine Photo + Film

Texas Dance Improvisation Festival at Sam Houston State University. Photo credit: Sarah Christine Photo + Film

The SCCDance has proudly hosted the festival twice, with the event also traveling across the state to cities like Houston, San Antonio and El Paso.

“It began on the suggestion of Jordan Fuchs, the chair of the department at Texas Woman’s University,” explained Martin. “We’re all collaborative artists who specialize in improvisational dance, so we launched the festival in 2009, and it’s been going strong for 15 years now.”

At the festival, SCCDance students will have the opportunity to network with peers from other dance programs and leading professionals, including this year’s featured guest artist, César Brodermann, a multidisciplinary artist, choreographer and artistic director.  

“The festival showcases a strong group of regional artists from North Texas and across the state, as well as national artists,” said Martin. “It’s a wonderful experience that celebrates diversity and provides our students with the invaluable opportunity to observe and learn from how other dance departments operate.” 

Learn more about the Texas Dance Improvisation Festival.