By Daily Press staff
Santa Monica College dance professor Judith Douglas has been named the recipient of the first José Luis Nazar Chair of Excellence in the Performing Arts.
Douglas receives $5,000 annually for the next three years to be used for projects of her choice that will enhance dance curriculum. She plans to use the funds to conduct a three-year project to create an up-to-date comprehensive and diverse dance program. She plans to consult with top dance schools from throughout the nation, including UCLA and New York University, and to establish a residency program in which top artists from such esteemed companies as Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey and American Ballet Theatre would come to SMC to teach extended master courses. Commercial dancers such as Chita Rivera, Paula Abdul and Rita Moreno also would be invited to discuss dance careers in film and video.
“I cannot think of a more worthy recipient of this chair of excellence,” said SMC President Dr. Chui L. Tsang in announcing the winner at SMC’s graduation ceremony last week. Tsang was joined by Lori Sayer, Nazar’s corporate managing director, in congratulating Douglas. The award was funded by a grant from supporter José Luis Nazar.
This is the seventh chair of excellence established at SMC. The others are in physical science, biology, earth science, music, art and nursing. Such awards — considered unusual for a community college — are administered by the SMC Foundation and are named for their primary benefactors.
Douglas has taught at SMC for 32 years and has performed ballet, African, Mexican and tap dance throughout the U.S. and Mexico, both on stage and on television. She is the founder and co-director of Folklórico de SMC, the acclaimed multi-cultural SMC student dance company that has performed throughout California and Mexico. The company’s repertoire originally focused on Latin dances, but has expanded to include choreography from all over the globe, including Europe, the Middle East, Asia and American hip hop.
Douglas currently serves on the board of directors for the Association of National Groups of Mexican Dance, and she has studied and taught Mexican Dance at the University of Guadalajara, Mexico. She has completed advanced board levels for Cecchetti ballet of the Imperial Society of Dance and has performed with UCLA’s African and Mexican dance ensembles.
Douglas earned her bachelor’s degree from California State University at Northridge and her master’s from USC. At SMC, she serves as treasurer of the Academic Senate. Art shaken and stirred
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 23, 2006. Read the original PDF.