TEACHING ARTIST SESSION
Students will explore geometric concepts and spatial reasoning through the lens of dance, using Rudolf Laban’s Space Harmony principles. Through structured movement activities, students will embody geometric shapes, lines, angles, symmetry, and transformations (translation, rotation, reflection), reinforcing their math understanding through kinesthetic learning. This lesson supports Louisiana Math Standards while fostering creative expression and body awareness.
Single session
Michael Crotty is an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the Dance Program at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Originally from Springboro, Ohio, he holds a Diploma from CODARTS Conservatory in the Netherlands and an MFA in Dance from the University of Utah.
Michael’s theater-dance works have been commissioned and produced by the Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Company, Columbia College, the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, California State University, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. He has also collaborated with the Montreal Symphony, the National Children’s Choir, and choreographer Jerome Meyer.
A dedicated educator and interdisciplinary collaborator, Michael has worked extensively in K–12 education, developing integrated curricula that empower educators to incorporate movement into the classroom. He has worked with exceptional needs and diverse populations, including creating meaningful collaborations with Focus Academy in Tampa, Florida—a school serving students with cognitive and developmental differences through arts-integrated education.
While teaching in Florida, Michael developed a graduate-level course for Communication master’s students titled Communication in Motion, exploring the intersection of embodiment, movement, and communicative practice. He also regularly presents research at the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) Conference, focusing on accessible programming, inclusive pedagogy, and arts integration in higher education.
Michael served on the boards of the Utah Dance Educators Organization (UDEO) and the Florida Dance Education Organization (FDEO), where he created and launched a statewide professional development conference for dance educators.
He has taught at the University of Dayton, the University of Southern California, the University of Tampa, Southern Utah University, Point Park University, and Columbia College. Michael is a certified Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analyst (©), a certified Pilates instructor, and an American Ballet Theatre® certified ballet teacher.
