UNT Department of Dance & Theatre presents

“Celebrating the Power of Dance”

Performance and Alumni Event, April 25-28, 2013

Daniel Lewis, Guest Artist / Speaker

DANIEL LEWIS, NWSA FOUNDING DEAN OF DANCE, RECEIVES AN 
HONORARY DOCTOR OF FINE ARTS DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

Daniel Lewis, founding dean of the dance division in Miami's New World School of the Arts received an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Florida for his leadership in dance and education in an artistic discipline.

"I have been in dance education for over 45 years and while I have received many accolades and lifetime achievement awards, I feel most privileged to have been able to help foster a new generation of dancers, choreographers and dance educators.  I am so pleased that the University of Florida has chosen to bestow upon me an honorary doctorate in the arts.  Receiving this award is the highest honor one can get in education. My main goal now, at this point in my life, is to take the time to become an artist again, and to make sure every child get introduced to the arts at an early age. This is the unique thing that separates us from all other animals:  we have the capacity, and the need, to make art," expressed Daniel Lewis as he accepted his impressive recognition earlier last week during a reception held at the University of Florida.

Internationally recognized as a dancer, educator, choreographer, and author, Lewis was integral in the development of NWSA's eight-year professional dance program, which began in 1987, bringing more than thirty years of experience in the field, and an unparalleled awareness of modern dance to South Florida. 

Daniel Lewis, internationally recognized dancer, teacher, choreographer and author, joined New World School of the Arts (NWSA) in Miami, Florida, in 1987, as founding Dean of Dance. Here, drawing from nearly three decades of experience in the field, Mr. Lewis created the dance division's eight-year professional program.

In addition to developing and managing NWSA's dance program, Mr. Lewis has heightened modern dance awareness in South Florida through Miami Dance Futures, a company he formed in 1988. Miami Dance Futures produced the highly successful Miami Balanchine Conference, the Dance History Scholars' Conference, the National High School Dance Festival and the Modern Dance Sampler. Miami Dance Futures also produces local dance companies, including Houlihan and Dancers and Rosita Segovia's Ballet Español.

Mr. Lewis is perhaps most widely known for his association with the work of Jose Limón. From 1962-74, he danced with the José Limón Dance Company, originating roles in A Choreographic Offering, Legend, Psalm, The Winged, Comedy and The Unsung. In 1975, Mr. Lewis completed the choreography of The Waldstein Sonata, an unfinished work begun by Limón just before his death.

As Mr. Limón's assistant for seven years, Mr. Lewis staged the works of Limón and Doris Humphrey for such companies as the Royal Swedish Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, American Ballet Theatre, National Ballet of Canada, the London School of Contemporary Dance, The Juilliard School, and the José Limón Company. In 1972 following the death of José Limón Mr. Lewis served as the Limón Company's acting artistic director and in 1984 became founding director of the Limón Institute. Mr. Lewis's book, The Illustrated Dance Technique of José Limón (Harper & Row Publishers, 1984), has been translated in German, Spanish and Japanese. He had two papers published, in Medical Problems of Performing Artists, in 1998 "Health Care for Dance Students at a Performing Arts Academy" and "Dancing with a Prosthesis". He was Issue Editor for Dance in Hispanic Cultures, Harwood Academic Publishers.

As a choreographer, Mr. Lewis has been commissioned to create works by the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, Dallas Civic Opera, American Opera Center at Lincoln Center, Amherst College, the University of California at Los Angeles, The Juilliard School, as well as companies in South America and England. His repertory company, Daniel Lewis Dance, has performed and taught extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Scandinavia.

From 1984-87, Mr. Lewis was Assistant to Martha Hill, the Director of the Dance Division, at The Juilliard School, where he had been a member of the dance faculty since 1967. Mr. Lewis was also an adjunct professor at New York University and a professor at Amherst College for six years while his company was in residence there.

Mr. Lewis has served on the Fulbright Screening Committee and as a dance panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts. He now serves as a dance panelist and advisor to the Canada Council, a dance panelist for the Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and a community grants panelist for the Metro-Dade Cultural Affairs Council. 

He is currently on the boards and has served as president and vice president of the National Association of School of Dance, and the Florida Dance Educators Organization.

Mr. Lewis graduated from New York's High School of Performing Arts in 1962 and The Juilliard School in 1967. In 1990, the National Society of Arts and Letters awarded Mr. Lewis the gold medal for Lifelong Achievement in Dance. In 2001 he received The Florida Arts Recognition Award recognizing his outstanding initiatives, leadership and excellence in supporting the arts in Florida. In 2002 he received two awards, he was Honorary Chairman for "dance4life", and received a Life time achievement award and was presented with the Nancy Smith Award, for consistently demonstrating outstanding leadership and excellence in dance in Florida at the Florida Dance Festival.   In October of 2010 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Dance Educators Organization,.  In February of 2011, Miami Dade County and the City of Miami declared February 5, 2011 as Daniel Lewis Day.  On April 6, 2011, he received a proclamation from the floor of the Florida State Senate for his work in the arts in Florida by Senator Anitere Flores. On November 28th He receive the 2011 Martha Hill "Lifetime Achievement Award in New York City. On December 14, 2012 Mr. Lewis received an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts Degree From the University of Florida.