Careers in Dance: Best Practices and Strategies for a Fulfilling Professional Life

Ali Duffy, PhD, is a President’s Excellence in Teaching professor and associate professor of dance and honors at Texas Tech University. She is the founder and artistic director of Flatlands Dance Theatre, a professional nonprofit dance company in Texas. She holds a PhD from Texas Woman’s University, an MFA from University of North Carolina (UNC) Greensboro, a BA from UNC Charlotte, and a professional certificate in online education from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Dr. Duffy’s writing has been published in Research in Dance Education, Journal of Dance Education, Dance Education in Practice, and Journal of Emerging Dance Scholarship. Dr. Duffy has been invited for scholarly and artistic presentations and residencies at the University of South Florida, Lindenwood University, Colorado Mesa University, Virginia Tech, University of Detroit, UNC Charlotte, UNC Greensboro, Austin Dance Festival, COCO Dance Festival, and Danca Nova Dance Company. She sits on the National Dance Education Organization’s Cultivating Leadership Committee and served on the board of the Dance Critics Association. Prior to her work in academia, Dr. Duffy performed internationally on Holland America cruise ships (RWS Entertainment) and for independent contemporary choreographers on both U.S. coasts. She has also taught and adjudicated for the National Dance Alliance and worked as a dance critic for World Dance Reviews. Her career in dance is endlessly supported by her wonderful family, and she is ever grateful for her brilliant husband, Carlos, and beautiful son, Noah.