Posted on September 29, 2025

Students and faculty reading Plato's Republic at UNCG.
Public Republic, the Department of Philosophy's annual reading of Plato's Republic, takes place this October.

Once the new academic year is underway, faculty and staff at UNC Greensboro waste no time organizing events to showcase their research and expertise for the campus and Greater Greensboro community.

Here’s what’s falling on the calendar in October 2025 and how you can support your colleagues or learn something new.

New Book Release: Humanity’s Ruins
Oct. 1, 12:30–1 p.m.
Curry Building, Room 231

Join the women’s, gender, and sexuality studies program in celebrating the publication of “Humanity’s Ruins,” a new book by Associate Professor Danielle Bouchard, Ph.D. Students, faculty, and staff are welcome to learn more about her work, with cake and refreshments being provided.

7th Annual Public Republic
Oct. 3, 8 a.m.–6 p.m.
College Avenue near Minerva

Public Republic is an annual, all-day, public reading of all 10 books of Plato’s “Republic.” Anyone who would like to drop by to join the Department of Philosophy throughout the day is welcome. Volunteer readers are enthusiastically welcome and can learn more and sign up ahead of time.

Who Wins and Who Loses When Tariffs Are Imposed
Oct. 6, Noon–1 p.m.
EUC Auditorium

This lecture by Distinguished Principal Lecturer of Economics Jeff Sarbaum, Ph.D. explores the role of tariffs as a trade policy tool by examining their historical significance and real-world impact. The economics department will begin with a brief explanation as to why nations trade and why there may be incentives to interfere with such trade.

Drawing Marathon Art Exhibition
Oct. 7-11
Greensboro Project Space

Engage with the work of faculty, students, and other artists who took part in a four-week intensive course about working through preconceived notions about their own image-making and artistic practices. Featured artists include SELF Design Studio Assistant Director Matt Fisher, M.Ed.

New Books in History
Oct. 7, 5–7 p.m.
MHRA, Room 1214

The Department of History will celebrate Drs. Chuck Bolton, Jamie Anderson, and Jeff Jones for their recently published books. They will hold brief book talks followed by a light reception.

Banned Books Week Read-a-Thon
Oct. 9, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Stone Building Lawn

University Libraries will hold a public reading of “Looking for Alaska,” by John Green, a book that has been placed on many banned/challenged lists since its publication in 2005. Those interested in attending or reading may sign up in advance.

A Great Conversation: What’s In It For Me? Morality’s Relation to Self-Interest
Oct. 22, 5:15–6:45 p.m.
Foust Building, Room 206

What’s the relation between morality and self-interest?  Do morality and self-interest pull us in opposite directions? Can it be in your self-interest to be a moral person, even if it requires sacrifice? Come and consider these questions in a discussion led by Philosophy Department Head Heather Gert, Ph.D. “The Great Conversation Series” features some of humanity’s most challenging questions as topics.

Better Food Futures
Oct. 28, 9:30 a.m.–7 p.m.
EUC Alexander Room

This forum offers panel sessions to engage in critical conversations with local food experts around the intersection of food and sustainability. The session “Food and the Humanities” will be led by faculty members Frances Bottenberg, Ph.D., assistant dean of Honors College, and Lauren Shook, Ph.D., coordinator of UNCG Humanities at Work.

AI, Work, and Meaning
Oct. 29, 2:30–4:30 p.m.
School of Education Building, Room 106

The College of Arts & Sciences’ Ashby Dialogues presents this lecture by Lecturer of Philosophy Zach Wrublewski, M.A. This session will focus on the ethical ramifications of the ubiquitous usage of AI and explores the ways that large-scale implementation and adoption of AI will alter important aspects of everyday human experience.

Music Performances

Chamber Singers
Oct. 6, 7:30–9 p.m.
UNCG Auditorium

In this concert, Associate Professor of Cello Alexander Ezerman, DMA, and Associate Professor of Flute Erika Boysen, DMA, will join Conductor Carol Ott in accompanying Assistant Professor of Voice Michaela Kelly.

Symphonic Band
Oct. 7, 7:30–9 p.m.
UNCG Auditorium

Conductor Jonathan Caldwell, DMA, will perform with Assistant Professor of Tuba and Euphonium Stephanie Ycaza, DMA.

Calypsus Brass
Oct. 10, 5:30–7 p.m.
Tew Recital Hall

Founded in 2021, Calypsus Brass is a professional chamber ensemble performing new works recitals, creating high-level professional recordings for composers, and working with chamber musicians at all levels. Its lineup includes Stephanie Ycaza on tuba.

Concert by Carlos Castilla
Oct. 30, 7:30–9 p.m.
UNCG School of Music Organ Hall

As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, Professor of Music Composition Alejandro Rutty, Ph.D. will play electric bass with Musicology Lecturer Lorena Guillén, Ph.D. providing vocals for a performance by guest guitarist Carlos Castilla.

Conferences Hosted at UNCG

Biology Seminar Series
Oct. 1-29, 3:30–4:30 p.m.
Moore Building, Room 226 unless otherwise noted
Hosted by the Department of Biology
Dennis LaJeunesse, Ph.D., professor of nanoscience and graduate director at JSNN, will give the talk, subject to be determined, on Oct. 22.

Chemistry and Biochemistry Fall Seminar Speaker Series
Oct. 3-31, 1–1:50 p.m.
Sullivan Science Center, Room 201
Hosted by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Partial Differential Equations Conference
Oct. 10-12
Virtual only
Hosted by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics

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Posted on September 29, 2025

A woman runs on a treadmill at UNCG Kaplan Center.

October is UNCG Employee Wellness Month. HealthyUNCG is dedicated to fostering the health, balance, and overall wellbeing of our faculty and staff. Caring for yourself across the Eight Dimensions of Wellbeing not only enhances your own quality of life but also strengthens our campus community as a whole.

Research shows that wellness initiatives can lower stress, boost job satisfaction, and improve workplace relationships. When employees feel supported in their wellbeing, they are more resilient, more engaged, and better equipped to thrive both personally and professionally.

This October, HealthyUNCG invites all employees to take part in a variety of programs and events designed to educate, support, and empower them on their wellness journey. Together, we can nurture a workplace culture where every employee has the tools and resources needed to succeed.

Faculty and staff are invited to explore these opportunities to recharge, build healthy habits, and reduce stress. Whether it’s meditation, nutrition workshops, fitness opportunities, or moments of connection, there’s something for everyone.

Free Day and More at the Kaplan Center

HealthyUNCG is partnering with Recreation and Wellness to hold an Employee Wellness Day. On Oct. 14, all UNCG employees will get free access to the Kaplan Center. They can use the equipment on their own or take one of the scheduled tours, special fitness classes. Giveaways and food will also be provided.

Let’s make this October a month of wellness, balance, and community at UNCG.

Keep up with what HealthyUNCG is doing year-round by following them on Facebook, Instagram, or sign up for their listserv.

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Posted on October 01, 2025

Featured Image for Vacc Clinic Draws Future Clinicians and the Community 

The Nicholas A. Vacc Counseling and Consulting Clinic in the UNC Greensboro School of Education is a win-win. It provides mental health services to the campus community and Greensboro at large, while simultaneously giving counseling students training.  

Practical training for career preparation 

“The Vacc Clinic is unique because we can work with actual clients and be supported throughout,” says Owuraku Affum Boahen-Boaten, a graduate assistant and counseling intern. 

Boahen-Boaten focused his undergraduate work on creative arts therapy. In his native Ghana, he was a counselor and provided social services in rural areas for a nonprofit.  

“That’s where I got my inspiration to pursue counseling and mental health,” he says. At UNCG, he is studying for a master’s in counseling with a focus on couple and family counseling

“We have high-level support and supervision from doctoral students, including some who are already licensed clinicians,” he says. The sessions with clients are recorded, so the supervisor and trainee can review them together to see what could be improved. 

One of those licensed supervisors is doctoral student Victoria Giles-Vazquez. She currently works in private practice with children and families. A native of Puerto Rico, she provides bilingual services and works with the LGBTQ+ community.

“The Vacc Clinic has played a foundational role in my work here as a graduate assistant and an on-call consultant,” she says.  

Besides reviewing their counseling sessions with her, trainees can alert Giles-Vazquez if they encounter a critical situation with a client, such as suicidal or homicidal ideation so she can intervene.  

“That consultant role is a really important skill to practice,” she says, adding that the clinic provides many opportunities to grow through experiential learning. 

Leadership drives opportunity 

Boahen-Boaten has nothing but praise for Clinic Director Dr. Alex Cammarano.  

“She’s very approachable, she’s very resourceful, and she’s extremely helpful. We can come to her with any issue,” he says. “The level of support, compassion, and patience provided is helpful for my growth, particularly as a new person here from a different culture. The clinic gives me opportunities to build my skills and my professional identity as a counselor.” 

His sentiment is shared by second-year master’s student Whitney Rutter, a North Carolina native who came to UNCG after earning her bachelor’s degree in math and a high school teaching certificate. Counseling felt natural for her, so she changed direction and enrolled in the program. 

“We have a wonderful director. I could talk about her all day long,” Rutter says. “She has worked tirelessly to get our name out in the community and to make sure that we, as staff, are supported.” 

Rutter chose UNCG because of its top ranking nationally for counseling programs and because of the Vacc Clinic on campus. 

“The chance to get clinical hours on campus in such a structured way has been super helpful,” she said. Rutter started an off-campus internship at a private practice in nearby Burlington and feels well-prepared. 

A community model that works 

During the 2024-25 academic year, the clinic served 333 adult clients, an increase of 23 percent from the previous year. This fall, the clinic expanded services to provide resources for children and adolescents. Children can receive services beginning at age five.  

The clinic operates on a sliding-scale payment schedule to be affordable to all. Outreach includes tabling at community events to make attendees aware of the clinic and its work. 

“Our goal is to include more community members in our client list, in addition to UNCG students,” Rutter says. 

With more than 30 and 35 counselors-in-training at the master’s and doctoral level available for client services, the Vacc Clinic is primed to meet community needs.  

“I’m proud to be in the UNCG counseling program,” Boahen-Boaten says. “I’m readily skilled to meet the needs of the community and the world outside the University.”  

Story by Mary Daily 

Photography courtesy of Alex Cammarano

Wellness matters

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Posted on September 29, 2025

Students in UNCG Professor Mitch Croatt's lab gather around a sample in a beaker.

How do I write an eye-catching cover letter or an abstract?

How do I break through imposter syndrome?

The Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creativity Office (URSCO) is holding workshops to tackle the issues most likely to impact students, whether they’re in their first year at UNCG or getting ready for graduate or professional degrees.

Some workshops emphasize best research practices, but other sessions are applicable to all students, helping them develop skills that will benefit them at UNCG and well into whatever career they pursue.

Topics include: 

  • How to write an abstract 
  • The difference between a CV and a resume 
  • Understanding imposter syndrome and how to combat it 
  • Crafting the perfect elevator pitch 

The workshops run through November. URSCO asks all faculty and staff to help get the word out to students who would benefit. Times and dates are easy to find on its events page. Each topic has two sessions, so that students can find a time that works with their schedule.

For those students specifically interested in engaging in undergraduate research, URSCO Director and Marie Foscue Rourk Distinguished Professor Mitch Croatt, Ph.D. recently shared this blog post on why students benefit from undergraduate research experiences and how they can get started.

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Posted on September 24, 2025

UNCG students draw UNO cards.

A game of UNO cycles through thrills, frustration, and cutthroat competition. Friends turn against friends to get ahead. One bad draw can send the frontrunner to last place.

But it really is all fun and games for one of UNC Greensboro’s most popular student clubs. Like a deck stuffed with “Pick 4” cards, The UNO Club constantly draws people in. Co-founder America Lopez-Montoya was blown away by the enthusiasm.

“It just exploded,” she says. “We weren’t expecting so many people to come in.”

UNCG students sit in a circle playing UNO.

Stack the Deck 

Lopez-Montoya started The UNO Club with her friend Mauricio Villatoro-Blanco in 2021. Since campus was still under COVID-19 restrictions, they invited friends to play over Zoom. “It was just a handful of us on computers, trying to play and trash talk, while Zoom was glitching a lot,” she recalls.

Once they could gather in person, they began reserving rooms around campus. It took off in 2022, once they signed up for a table to promote themselves at the annual Fall Kickoff.

“Our first meeting after that, I think we had 80 people and not enough seats,” she says.

At any given meeting of the club, multiple games go on at once. A winner gets a prize at the end of each night. They also hold themed games. “We have so many different types of games. I’ve learned so many different rules,” says human health sciences major Charlize Portlock, The UNO Club co-president. “We played the ‘Barbie’-themed UNO. It has one card called ‘Weird Barbie.’ Whoever puts the card down says a color, and everyone else puts down a card that color.”

“One week we did a ‘Twilight’ theme,” says Michael Linares, a mathematics major and club treasurer. “And we watched the second movie in the ‘Twilight’ series. We’ve planned a ‘glow in the dark’ meet, where we make the room as dark as possible and bring a bunch stuff that glows in the dark while we play.”

Lopez-Montoya says they’ve accumulated enough decks to fill two shopping bags. “People are always recommending new things,” she says. “They’re like, ‘We should get UNO Flip. We should get ‘Minecraft’-themed UNO.'”

All Fun and Games 

The club has its share of regulars and casual drop-ins. Sometimes, they partner with another club that wants to hold their own UNO night. “You can just come to the club and play with your friends, or you can meet new people,” says Linares. 

But even with its popularity, sometimes students raise their eyebrows when they first learn it exists. It’s not unusual, Lopez-Montoya says, for students to walk right past their information table and then double back. “My pitch is usually, ‘Hi, we’re the UNO club. All we do is play UNO,’ and then they usually start laughing. Then I say, ‘We meet at this time. We’d love to see you there.'”

“I’ll tell people that I’m a part of the e-board for a club,” says Portlock. “They’re like, ‘Oh, cool. What club?’ I go, ‘UNO,’ and they’re like, ‘What? Why does UNO need a secretary?'” 

At The UNO Club, fun is the priority. The game’s reputation is built upon twists, turns (and reverses), and swift changes of fortune. So long as everyone is onboard, the club allows ribbing among players and even a little trash talk. But if that jocularity ever turns negative, the leaders can step in and remind people not to take it too seriously.

“Our main mission is to come in and make friends in a safe environment,” says Lopez-Montoya. 

Taking it to the Street 

A service project also boosts the group’s positivity. If you drive past campus along Spring Garden Street, you might notice an “Adopt a Street” sign with The UNO Club’s name.

“It seemed a really manageable project for a club,” says Lopez-Montoya. “We made a contract with the city, and we go out twice a semester or more, and clean up Spring Garden from the MHRA building to the Nathanael Greene statue downtown.”

Portlock agrees, “It’s really cool that we still have community service opportunities like that, that people might not expect.” 

They hope this spirit of fun and positivity keeps it thriving for years. Lopez-Montoya will graduate this spring. “We have people tell us we’re an unserious club,” she says. “A lot of our clubs are about adding to your résumé, getting volunteer hours, and becoming a well-rounded student. We’re here just to help students relax and forget their stress.”

Follow the club Instagram page for a schedule of games. 

Story by Janet Imrick, University Communications 
Photography by Sean Norona, University Communications

UNCG students paint together.

Join in the fun with new and old friends.

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Posted on September 24, 2025

Featured Image for UNC Greensboro Ranked No. 1 in NC for Social and Economic Advancement

For the seventh consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report has named UNC Greensboro the top university in North Carolina for social mobility—recognizing its impact on improving the socioeconomic status of students and their families. 

Nationally, UNCG climbed to No. 13 in the publication’s Top Performers on Social Mobility category, up two spots from last year’s ranking of No. 15. 

In its 2026 rankings, U.S. News & World Report recognized UNCG in nine categories: 

  • Top National Universities (No. 198) 
  • Top Public Schools (No. 109) 
  • Best Value Schools (No. 204) 
  • Best Undergraduate Nursing Programs (No. 74) 
  • Best Colleges for Veterans 
  • Business and computer science programs also earned national recognition. 

So far this year, UNCG has received 80 accolades from eight ranking organizations, including: 

Washington Monthly: 

  • Best Bang for the Buck (No. 3 in North Carolina, No. 12 in the Southeast) 

Money Magazine: 

  • Best Nursing Graduate Schools for Your Money 

Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression: 

  • No. 1 in North Carolina and No. 6 nationally for College Free Speech Rankings 

Princeton Review included UNCG on six unranked lists: 

  • Best Business Schools 
  • Top 50 Online MBA Programs 
  • Best Colleges 
  • Best in the South 
  • Green Colleges 
  • Mental Health Honor Roll  

Niche featured UNCG in 50 College Rankings, including: 

  • Best Colleges in America 
  • Best Online Colleges 
  • Top Public Universities 
  • Best Value 
  • Best College Campuses 
  • Best Student Life 
  • Best College Locations 
  • Best College Dorms 

Academic programs honored by Niche include: 

  • Education 
  • Public Health 
  • Art 
  • Psychology 
  • Public Policy 
  • Accounting 
  • Business 
  • Communications 

University Magazine, a Canadian outlet, ranked UNCG 

  • No. 1 in North Carolina on its Best Online Colleges list. 

QS World University Rankings recognized UNCG in three categories, including: 

  • World University Rankings 
  • Sustainability 

“Our No. 1 rankings in social mobility and free speech reflect the core values that define our mission,” said UNCG Chancellor Franklin D. Gilliam Jr. “The many other accolades highlight the University’s upward trajectory—a product of careful planning and deliberate strategy.”

Story by Brian Clarey, University Communications
Photo by Sean Norona, University Communications
Graphic by Michael A. Ream III, University Communications

Kim Vogt graduates with a PhD for School of Nursing.

Raise Your Family’s Social Mobility with a UNCG Degree

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Posted on September 25, 2025

National Guard

Maj. SaQuang Lam, along with other Spartans, helped drive the hurricane recovery work by leading missions, delivering supplies, and answering the need in communities across Western North Carolina.

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Posted on October 03, 2025

New EnerFusion charging station at UNCG.

UNC Greensboro has installed solar-powered charging stations at two locations for students to recharge their micromobility devices. It’s a partnership between several University departments: UNCG Parking Operations and Campus Access Management, Campus Enterprises, Housing & Residential Life, and the UNCG Green Fund administered by the Office of Sustainability.

They can be found on Grey Drive near Coit Hall and in Spartan Village near the Lofts on Lee.

The outdoor charging stations, manufactured and installed by EnerFusion, are completely self-contained, powered only by sunlight, and exist entirely off the electrical grid. They will provide lockable storage for up to four e-bikes, e-scooters, e-skateboards, or e-hoverboards at a time, with ambient lighting activated after sunset. Users need to provide their own locks and charging cables. It should take approximately two hours to charge the average e-bike battery.

New EnerFusion charging station at UNCG.

EnerFusion specializes in sustainable, green charging stations and outdoor furniture for public spaces. The University previously worked with the company in 2023, when Middle College student Neil Kapileshwariu spearheaded the addition of their solar-powered picnic tables outside Moran Commons, also underwritten by the Green Fund.

“For safety reasons, we do not allow people to charge their electric vehicles inside campus buildings” says Sean MacInnes, sustainability specialist at the University. “We had great success with the solar-powered picnic tables and are thankful to EnerFusion for helping us with another sustainable solution that will help us meet a growing student need.”

Micromobility conveyances, such as scooters, e-bikes, and hoverboards, are increasingly popular among UNCG students. Eco-friendly bikes and scooters have been available for short-term rental on campus since April 2024 through the Bird company, with discounts on hourly rates available for students.

“Students and employees can get a discount if they register with their UNCG email,” MacInnes says. “Students who are Pell Grant eligible can get a deeper discount. More information is available on the POCAM website.”

The charging stations underscore UNCG’s commitment to sustainability, and the imperative to provide for the needs and preferences of its students.

The Green Fund, created in 2016 by the Student Government Association and supported by student activity fees, operates as a campus-based grant program to help meet the goals of UNCG’s sustainability mission. Through the Green Fund, students have invested more than $500,000 in various sustainability projects that have supported education, research, and professional development opportunities for students, and which will save UNCG $76,000 over the lifetime (nine years) of various energy efficiency projects.

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Posted on September 29, 2025

Close-up on a family's hands holding a purple ribbon.

Every October, partner offices across UNCG participate in Relationship Violence Awareness Month (RVAM), which is a national campaign focused on raising awareness about relationship violence.

The Campus Violence Response Center will be holding multiple events on campus throughout the month of October, and invite students, staff, and faculty to join us in supporting survivors and ending relationship harm. Details about these events can be found in Spartan Connect and on Instagram throughout the month.

20-30% of college students report experiencing dating violence. CVRC and the RVAM Committee understand the significance of this month and the impact violence can have on college campuses.

Any student who has experienced violence can contact campus partners such as CVRC, Dean of Students, Title IX, UNCG Police, or Counseling and Psychological Services for support.

Learn more about the Campus Violence Response Center and all resources within Student Health Services.

Poster with a calendar of events for Relationship Violence Awareness Month.

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Posted on September 22, 2025

Folklorico dancers spin their skirts at Folk Fest.

Dance is continuous motion. Whether the practice begins in childhood or well into adulthood, dancers live for the rhythm, the fine-tuning of technique, and the connection with an audience.

Dance is also broken into moments. One step leads to another. Each show matters as much as the last. Every moment reminds dancers of why they do what they do.

Jan van Dyke shakes hands at UNCG.
Van Dyke (center)

One of those moments for Anne Morris ’11 M.F.A. was in 2001, a week into her first semester as an undergrad, still trying to grasp the recent Sept. 11 terror attacks. “I was far away from home, didn’t know a lot of people at my college yet, and the only thing that made sense in that moment was dance class,” she says. “I didn’t know what place dance was going to have in my life, but I knew it needed to be central.”

One place where dance led her was UNC Greensboro, where she earned her master of fine arts in dance choreography. That’s where she met Jan van Dyke, an icon of Greensboro’s cultural scene until her untimely death from cancer in 2015. “She was director of the program at the time, and I danced with her group,” she explains. 

Creating a dancing hub

Van Dyke founded the non-profit Dance Project, and Morris, its current executive director, continues her former mentor’s legacy of building the Gate City’s arts scene.

“Jan brought the organization to Greensboro when she came to teach at UNCG in 1989,” she says. “One of its primary missions is to help contribute to a really vibrant dance community.”

Dance Project workshops at NC Folk Fest.

Dance Project has a big presence at Folk Fest, but they are active all year. They promote dance through community classes, workshops, pop-up events, and by partnering with schools, hosting the NC Dance Festival, and inviting professionals to host programming.

Just as she realized dance should be central in her life, Morris wants North Carolina to become central to the dance profession. 

“We want dance artists to feel like they can stay here. They don’t have to go to New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago for a career,” she says. 

Journey from student to teacher 

Its mission and countless activities have attracted UNCG alumni to work there. Lauren Joyner ’05 BFA was co-executive director with Morris for many years before moving into the role of director of strategic programs. Magalli Morana ’20 B.F.A. is the new school director.

Like Morris, Morana has been dancing since she was young. “I was really especially inspired by my high school dance teacher, Angie Greene ’97, ’08 M.A., who is also an UNCG alumni. And I had two student teachers, Danielle Kinne and Lauren Parker, who were from UNCG doing their student teaching. I was inspired by them to get a BFA for dance with K-12 licensure.”

As with Morris, a difficult event impacted Morana’s perspective on dance. For her, it was COVID-19.”I wasn’t able to physically be in a dance space as much as I wanted,” she says. “And I was juggling multiple jobs, trying to figure out my place, what I wanted. But I just kept coming back to dance.”

Despite this dramatic change, Morana says faculty like Mila Parrish, Ph.D. and Melinda Waegerle, M.A. brought the same enthusiasm as Van Dyke brought to Morris, feeding her love of dance. “I loved that I had a place that fit all my interests,” she says, “To not only explore dance, but how to become a dance teacher, how to be that person in someone else’s life who inspires them.”

Morana joined Dance Project as an intern shortly after graduation. “It all just felt so right,” she says. “I use the word ‘community’ a lot because that is so important to me. I felt invited and welcomed in a really great community.”

Fill the dance floor 

Folk Fest is one of those places where community takes shape. Morris hopes that other people experienced their own moments of inspiration at the NC Folk Festival, Greensboro’s biggest downtown event of the year. There, visitors got to learn various styles of dance in workshops led by Dance Project.

“We’ve had a relationship with the Folk Festival for many years,” says Morris. “You can’t separate folk music from dance. It’s important to us to make sure that dance is a primary part of the festival. Plus, it’s really fun!”

This year’s workshops included samba, Bhangra Indian, and West African, the latter taught by Wesley Williams, a former assistant professor of dance at UNCG. 

It’s an exciting time, Morana says, to expose more people to dance who wouldn’t otherwise come to the classes. “It’s common, as a dance teacher, to interact with people who are intimidated by dance. But you don’t have to have any kind of training. Just have an openness. Be willing to have a good time.” 

Encore!

Poster promoting celebration of Jan Van Dyke on September 28, 2-4 p.m. at the UNCG Dance Theatre.

For those who missed them at Folk Fest, Dance Project brings more chances to learn this fall at its location in the Greensboro Cultural Center. Registration for youth classes runs through the end of September. Adults can drop in for classes anytime. They will hold the NC Dance Festival on Oct. 18 at the Van Dyke Performance Space. 

On Sept. 28, the group returns to their alma mater, UNCG, to co-host a tribute to Jan Van Dyke. The event will mark 10 years since her passing with testimonies and a screening of her choreography from 2-4 p.m. at the School of Dance in the Coleman Building. 

The Dance Project T-shirt has the phrase “Find your people.” Morana says, “You might find your people in a place you wouldn’t expect in a beginning ballet, hip hop, modern, or contemporary dance class. You’re able to connect and find a place that you can call home.”

Story by Janet Imrick, University Communications
Photography by Sean Norona, University Communications

Find your moment of inspiration here.

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