Pace University Announces COMMERCIAL DANCE Program; Applications Accepted Now

One of the most sought-after choreographers and dance lecturers from coast to coast, Rhonda Miller, has been tapped to spearhead Pace University's new Commercial Dance program, the first of its kind in the country.

The program provides specialized training for dance careers in stage, television, and commercials in a wide range of styles and forms including ballet, jazz, tap, and hip hop, to name a few. The program will also include two required dance history courses. It was developed in response to both student and industry demand and will be offered starting Fall 2011.

"As far as we know it is the only program in the country that is a university-based commercial dance training program, which means that we are training students for all media, not just the stage," said Grant Kretchik, Director of the university's BFA Acting program.

"It really complements our programs in musical theater, acting, technical theater and directing," said Nira Herrmann, Dean of Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, which houses the Performing Arts Department at Pace. "Additionally it represents our continued growth and innovation in developing arts programs in Downtown New York."

Professor Miller has been teaching dance classes at Pace University for three years as a lecturer and created the successful showcase, "Dance Out Loud!" which just wrapped its second year.
"I love working with her. She is unarguably a great addition to this department and program. What is amazing about her is that she is tough; she demands a lot from her students - and they respond to her. She really inspires them not just to have great technical form but also to believe in themselves as dancers. She just wants to constantly raise the bar and they respond. ... The dance program is hot right now," said Professor Kretchik.

Miller became a full-time dance lecturer at Pace University in 2008.

"In talking with young dancers around the U.S., I became aware that the one thing that was missing from university dance programs was training in commercially-viable dance styles that would bridge the gap between classical training and the real world of commercial dance," said Miller. "I became excited at the possibility of creating such a program right here in one of the entertainment capitols of the world, New York City. How exciting for all dancers who attend Pace! I truly look forward to the continual growth in excitement for dance at Pace University."
For information on how to Apply and Audition for Pace's new Commercial Dance program, visit www.pace.edu/performingarts or call 212-346-1352.

About Rhonda Miller
Rhonda Miller was a founder and co-owner of L.A.'s premiere dance studio, The Edge, and was the leader of its convention business, L.A. DanceForce, for many years. She has been one of the most sought-after choreographer/dance instructors in the U.S. dance convention industry, teaching for New York City Dance Alliance, Tremaine, Dance Masters of America, Dance Makers and individual studios around the U.S. and Canada.

Miller holds a BFA from the University of Utah and an MPA from Oklahoma City University. She has been a guest lecture/master teacher and choreographer for Dean College, Cornish College, Bellevue College and Oklahoma City University. Her professional choreography credits cover all aspects of dance on Broadway, Television and Film. After relocating to New York, Rhonda's work caught the eye of Broadway director-choreographer Jerry Mitchell, who included her on his team for the renowned Broadway Bares. Stage credits are Nothing Like A Dame at the Marquis Theater in New York City, ABC Daytime Salutes at Town Hall; All Shook Up, CHICAGO, City of Angels, RENT, A Christmas Carol and The Wild Party. Off Broadway credits include Have a Nice Life, Austentatious, Gemini, The Musical and Common Grounds for which she won a NYMF Outstanding Choreography Award. Television credits include General Hospital, The Boys for HBO; It's Garry Shandling's Show for HBO. Rhonda's work has also been seen in commercials and industrials for such Fortune 500 companies as Chrysler, Toys R Us, Warner Brothers, Exxon-Mobil Apple Computers. Recently she was stage director for NICKELODEON UPFRONTS, and worked with CATHERINE ZETA JONES on the AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE Awards. She is also in development for a new Broadway Dance Project, Eve's Turn.

About Performing Arts at Pace University
Pace University's Dyson College of Arts and Sciences offers Bachelor of Fine Arts Degrees in Acting and Musical Theater and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater Arts with specialized focuses in Acting, Commercial Dance, Directing or Design/Technical Theater. For more information, visit www.pace.edu/dyson/performingarts

At the graduate level, Dyson College is also home to The Actors Studio Drama School offering the only MFA theater program officially sanctioned by The Actors Studio. The entire faculty is chosen and approved - and the curriculum is designed and supervised - jointly by the leadership of The Actors Studio through its Curriculum Advisory Committee, including the Presidents of The Actors Studio, Ellen Burstyn, Harvey Keitel and Al Pacino and Dyson College. All students - actors, directors, playwrights - train side-by-side as actors. All students participate in the Craft Seminars known to the world as the Bravo Network television series, "Inside The Actors Studio," hosted by James Lipton. For further information about the program, go to www.pace.edu/actorsstudiomfa

About Pace University
For 105 years, Pace University has produced thinking professionals by providing high quality education for the professions on a firm base of liberal learning amid the advantages of the New York metropolitan area. A private university, Pace has campuses in New York City and Westchester County, New York, enrolling nearly 13,000 students in bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs in its Lubin School of Business, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, College of Health Professions, School of Education, School of Law, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.