Arts Speakers Series: Melanie George

Salem State will continue its Arts Speakers Series with educator, choreographer, dramaturg and scholar, Melanie George, "Blue Notes: Considering the State of the Arts through Jazz and Dramaturgy." Event is free, registration is required. Register at https://salemstatetickets.universitytickets.com. Upon registering, you will receive a confirmation email with a secure link to the event. Melanie George is an educator, dramaturg, choreographer, and scholar. She is the founder of Jazz Is… Dance Project and an Associate Curator and Scholar-in-Residence at Jacob’s Pillow. As a dramaturg, she has contributed to projects by Urban Bush Women, Raja Feather Kelly, Susan Marshall & Company, and Ephrat Asherie Dance, among others. A highly sought after teacher and choreographer of the neo-jazz aesthetic, Melanie is a featured contributor and consultant for the documentary UpRooted: The Journey of Jazz Dance. Publications include “Jazz Dance, Pop Culture, and the Music Video Era” in Jazz Dance: A History of the Roots and Branches (University Press of Florida) and “Imbed/In Bed: Two Perspectives on Dance and Collaboration” for Working Together in Qualitative Research (Sense Publishers). Melanie also works as an arts consultant, applying her expertise in scholarship and education to assist artists and arts organizations in articulating language and facilitating the development of creative work. In addition to her work with independent choreographers and dance educators, Melanie has provided professional services to The Joyce Theatre, The Guggenheim Museum, and BAM, among others. She is the former director of the dance program at American University, and has held teaching positions at Kent State University and Wilson College. Currently, she is a Visiting Professor at Cornish College of Arts in Seattle, Washington. Arts Speakers Series Guests will speak on a range of topics including arts and identity, arts and social justice, arts and healing, and arts in the time of a pandemic. September 23 - Enzo Silon Surin October 14 - Melanie George October 28 - Ashleigh Gordon November 18 - Christopher Edwards December 2 - Vijay Gupta