UNCSA announces 1st Visiting Distinguished Artist

Choreographer, performer and educator Helen Pickett returns to the School of Dance this year as UNCSA’s first Visiting Distinguished Artist, bringing specialized training that will give students a competitive edge as they begin their careers. Pickett will train dancers in Forsythe Improvisation Technologies (FIT).

“It is highly coveted training,” says Dean Susan Jaffe. “Developed by internationally acclaimed choreographer William Forsythe, FIT changed the dance world. It changed the way we do contemporary dance,” she added.

FIT changed the dance world. It changed the way we do contemporary dance.

Susan Jaffe, Dean of Dance

Pickett, who danced for more than a decade with Forsythe’s Ballet Frankfurt, was a guest artist in the School of Dance last year, and set her colorful work “Petal” on UNCSA students for Winter Dance 2016. She returned as High School Commencement speaker in May 2016, when she received an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts and was announced as Visiting Distinguished Artist. 

“We’re very excited to explore this new role with Helen,” says Dean Jaffe. “Her continued association is a tremendous benefit to our students.”

by Lauren Whitaker