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Biography
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Serving as Visiting Assistant Professor and Adjunct Assistant Professor in the University of Iowa Department of Dance, Jason Schadt taught ballet classes at a wide range of levels, from Beginning Ballet for non-majors to Majors Ballet 1, 2, and 3. He earned his MFA in Dance from the University of Iowa in 2008, and shortly after began working as Artistic Director of the UI Youth Ballet and Community Dance School. Jason teaches concert dance technique with a pedagogical approach rooted in anatomy, sensory awareness, imagery, and rhythm. His research focuses on the mechanics of movement and injury prevention, and these emphases are central to the courses he designs, which have included ballet and modern for adult learners, floor barre, yoga, experiential anatomy, and ballet pedagogy.
In the 12 years since being promoted to the program's Artistic Director, Jason has directed 17 concerts and choreographed 27 pieces for the University of Iowa Youth Ballet and Community Dance School. There, in addition to teaching upper-level ballet for teens and beginning ballet for adults, he mentors UIYB teachers.
Just as importantly, Jason seeks out opportunities to connect with mentors of his own. Since shifting his focus from performing to teaching, he has sought out the teachers of his teachers. The last four years, Jason has studied with Finis Jhung, exploring the moving body's dynamic mechanics in his teachers workshops in New York then countless classes on Zoom. Stephanie Saland is a close advisor to Jason for mechanics coaching, and an influence for her inclusive, engaging methods of teaching refined movement. Philip Beamish was another mentor, whose technique Jason studied during graduate school, and with whom Jason later trained in floor barre and ballet techniques at the Northwest Dance Intensive teachers workshops. Willy Burmann regularly welcomed Jason to observe his teaching at Steps on Broadway.
Jason has also studied curriculum and teaching methods under Marcia Dale Weary and Darla Hoover at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet teachers workshop, and completed the 40-hour pedagogy seminar on the Vaganova syllabus with John White, former Soloist and Ballet Master of Ballet Nacional de Cuba.
Jason was an Instructor in the Department of Kinesiology, Allied Health and Human Services at the University of Northern Iowa 2010-2015, where he taught modern, ballet, floor barre, choreography and dance history. Jason supervised over 100 student choreography projects at UNI for presentation both locally and at academic conferences. In Cedar Falls he directed seven fully-produced concerts and co-directed five concerts. As the Director of UNI Young People's Dance Theatre from 2011 to 2014 he led three informal children’s concerts. In addition to venues throughout Iowa, Jason has presented his choreography in regional festivals in Minnesota and Utah.
Early in his teaching career, Jason leads company class for the UI Youth Ballet ensemble.
Education
Higher Education
The University of Iowa, 2005-2008
M.F.A., Dance, conferred 2008
明治大学大学院、文学研究科
(Meiji University, Graduate School of Letters), Tokyo, Japan, 2004–2005
Graduate Study Abroad
The University of Iowa, 1998-2004
M.A.T., Secondary Foreign Language Education, transferred
B.A., Asian Language and Literature: Japanese, conferred 2003
Professional Study
Ongoing practice with:
- Finis Jhung, ballet
- Stephanie Saland, ballet blend
- Alexandra Beller, Bartenieff Fundamentals
2020 Body-Mind Centering Fall Series, Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, November-December
2019 Finis Jhung Teacher Workshop, New York, August
2019 Teaching observations with Willy Burmann, New York, August
2018 Alexander Technique workshop for teachers, Robyn Avalon, Iowa City, November
2018 Finis Jhung Teacher Workshop, New York, August
2018 Teaching observation with Willy Burmann, New York, August
2017 Finis Jhung Teacher Workshop, New York, August
2015 Vaganova Syllabus Seminar with John White, author of the acclaimed Teaching Classical Ballet, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, July
2015 Northwest Dance Intensive Teachers Workshop with Philip Beamish, Olympia, Washington, June-July
2014 Northwest Dance Intensive Teachers Workshop with Philip Beamish, Olympia, Washington, July
2011 Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet Teachers Workshop with Marcia Dale Weary and Darla Hoover, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, August
Teaching Experience
University of Iowa Youth Ballet and Community Dance School
Artistic Director, 2009-PRESENT
Instructor, Summer Intensive, summers 2011-2014, 2016-2017
Classes: Dance Appreciation (classroom) and Modern Dance (studio)
Instructor, 2007-2009
Assistant Instructor, 2006
University of Iowa Department of Dance
Guest Teacher, 2021
Adjunct Assistant Professor, 2020
Visiting Assistant Professor, 2019
Adjunct Assistant Professor, 2017-2019
Graduate Teaching Assistant, 2007-2008
Graduate Research Assistant: Dance Marketing, 2006-2007
University of Northern Iowa
Instructor, 2010-2015
Grinnell Area Arts Council
Co-creator (with Monica Chavez-Silva) and Instructor, 2012-2013
Six-week summer outreach programs in dance co sponsored by Grinnell College Office of Community Enhancement & Engagement and The University of Iowa Division of Performing Arts
Travelers Dance Company
Instructor, 2008-2009
Weekly company classes in modern dance technique
The University of Iowa Upward Bound Project
Instructor, 2002-2004, 2006-2007
Teaching Japanese to college-bound high school students with a focus on preparing first-generation college students
The University of Iowa Department of Asian Language and Literature
Graduate Research Assistant, 2005, Tokyo, Japan
Graduate Teaching Assistant, 2003-2004, Iowa City, Iowa
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