National Center for Choreography-Akron offers unique opportunities for students

Guzzetta Hall at The University of Akron (UA) is home to some of the region’s finest performing arts and artists, with offices, studios and performance facilities for musicians, dancers and more.

It also houses the National Center for Choreography-Akron (NCCAkron), one of only two U.S. organizations that focuses on research and development in dance. In addition to offering residencies for the creation of new works of dance, NCCAkron’s activities focus on sparking dialogue and experimentation, bringing together artists and thinkers, and gathering resources around dance and choreography.

NCCAkron is independent from the University but provides around 26 opportunities each year for UA students to learn from working artists about the creation of new works in dance, the professional landscape and how to network.

Larry White ’24, who earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, said guest artists are a given in college-level dance programs, but those relationships usually do not extend beyond the studio. NCCAkron’s collaborators, however, offers students something unique.

“NCCAkron brings in choreographers and artists who specialize in research, and this helps students have more of a collaborative experience and feel more like equals. It’s much more engaging,” said White, who is from Howland, Ohio.

NCCAkron, which is supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, brings in many of its guest professionals through its Ideas in Motion program, a partnership with UA and The Foundation’s Mary Schiller Myers Lecture Series in the Arts that challenges students to be versatile and open to new ideas in dance. In the fall, the Community Commissioning Residency engages students and the community with a nationally recognized contemporary dance artist for two weeks. In the spring, the 21st Century Dance Practices program offers a capsule series of classes that are guest-taught by professionals from around the country who work outside the traditional modern dance and ballet worlds.

“An urban research university environment like UA enables NCCAkron to expose students to the broader world of dance and center the creative process and experimentation for American choreographers almost unlike anywhere else,” said Christy Bolingbroke, NCCAkron’s founding executive/artistic director. “Working with more than 100 artists a year from 15-20 states, I really believe all roads can dance through Akron.”

NCCAkron brings in many of its guest professionals through its Ideas in Motion program, a partnership with UA and the Foundation’s Mary Schiller Myers Lecture Series in the Arts that challenges students to be versatile and open to new ideas in dance. In the fall, the Community Commissioning Residency engages students and the community with a nationally recognized contemporary dance artist for two weeks. In the spring, the 21st Century Dance Practices program offers a capsule series of classes that are guest-taught by professionals from around the country who work outside the traditional modern dance and ballet worlds.

White found his experience at UA and with NCCAkron to be especially impactful. For example, he said, when nationally known choreographer Kimberly Bartosik visited Akron to create “The Encounter: Akron” in 2023, White was impressed that Bartosik got to know each cast member and made it clear she wanted to stay in touch. 

“This was a lifeline for me after I graduated,” said White, who performs with the dance company MooreDunson Co. “We have plans for lunch soon. To know you are supported by any means necessary is what makes a lifelong career. NCCAkron has opened a plethora of doors for me, and I am forever grateful.”

NCCAkron also has a nationally recognized creative administration research program. The book “Artists on Creative Administration: A Workbook from the National Center for Choreography,” featuring 30 artist contributors, was published in 2024 by the University of Akron Press.

Story by Jessica Whitehill