04/28/2025
04/28/2025
The Modesto Junior College Dance Program received recognition from the American College Dance Association, a national organization established 50 years ago with its sole mission to support
collegiate dance in higher education. Over the past 11 years, the MJC Dance Program
has received "Gala Status" 9 times honoring the best in choreography/performance at
the college level. MJC has been invited twice, once in 2023 and again in May 2025,
to the ACDA (American College Dance Associations) National Festival recognizing 22 colleges out of 450 throughout the nation. MJC is
the only college in the ACDA's history to receive two invitations (2017 and 2023)
to represent ACDA at the iconic Jacob's Pillow, the longest running international-dance
festival, located in Beckett MA. The festival was established by Modern Dance Pioneer
Ted Shawn.
On May 1, MJC Professor Kim T. Davis and the MJC Innovate Dance Company will travel
to Washington, DC for 5 days to represent MJC Dance performing Professor Davis's work "The Days to Come" which was selected by the ACDA
Northwest Adjudicators, George Staib, Gerald Casel and Debra Knapp who collectively
stated that the dance by Professor Davis was "Elegiac, and athletic, the magnetic
pull of this work relies on its prolific intricacy and impeccable polish". MJC dancers
will perform Friday May 2nd at 7:30 pm at the George Washington University in DC.
MJC Student Natalee Coletti will have a chance to have her dance "My Weight to Carry"
perform in an informal concert in DC as well. MJC Dance Major, Natalee Coletti is
the 2nd Annual 2025 MJC Nickerson-Rossi Choreography Scholarship recipient of $2,500
for her dance, "My Weight to Carry".
GET TICKETS FOR THE WASHINGTON D.C. PERFORMANCE HERE
In 2022 the MJC Dance Program was ranked 5th in the country by "Best Universities"
based on dance course offering's, wide range of performance opportunities for students
and recognition by ACDA.
In February 2025, the dance program hosted the ACDA Northwest Conference inviting
350 students and faculty to the MJC Campus for 4 days to take dance classes, attend
seminars, and perform in adjudicated and informal performances. These performances
were open to the public and sponsored an event that brought in 11 local vendors to
share with the participants and community at large. The dance program is continually
investing in the campus, community at large and serving all students to enrich and
provide excellence within the study of dance education. The impact the dance program
has had on college and community has been wide in its reach and proof in its recognition
and accolades.