Photo by Adam Emperor Southard
HEATHER VAUGHAN-SOUTHARD is a choreographer, dance educator, and performer based in Michigan. She currently directs the dance program at the Pleasant View Magnet School in Lansing. With the philosophy of teaching dance as a liberal art, Ms. Vaughan-Southard collaborates with numerous arts and education organizations throughout the state. She has danced professionally in Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, and New York and has performed works by Mia Michaels, Lar Lubovitch, Donald McKayle, Billy Siegenfeld, Alexandra Beller, Debra Levasseur-Lottman, and Bob Fosse. As a choreographer, her work has been credited by the Los Angeles Times for “creating heat.” She regularly sets choreography for college dance programs and is the former director of the dance minor program at Albion College. Heather is a monthly contributor for Dance Advantage and has guest written for Maria’s Movers. Heather received her MFA in Dance from the University of Michigan, BFA in Dance from Western Michigan University and K-12 certification in Dance from Wayne State University.
In other words:
I am Heather Vaughan-Southard and I am a thinking dancer. I have created this blog to catalog my writings on dance and to share my personal twists and turns within this incredible discipline. I am primarily a dance educator, with rich experiences in higher education, K-12, and private studio, who also freelances in choreography and performance, all while mothering two kids with my wonderful and creative husband, Scott D. Southard. Whew! I am as interested in authentically educating dancers as I am introducing the masses to all the field of dance has to offer. Through this agenda, I have enjoyed quite a journey in dance and have arrived at, what I think, are some interesting landmarks. Hopefully you’ll think the same. Thanks for reading and please consider sharing some twists and turns of your own.
Please do not use my words or my pictures without my written permission. As for the ideas, feel free to borrow and adapt. I simply request that you give me appropriate credit for what is truly my own and let me know how things go. Join me in conversation.
