Writing About Dance
Wendy Oliver, EdD,is a professor of dance in the department of theater, dance, and film at Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island. She has degrees in English, dance, and dance education and has taught dance at the college level for over 20 years. She believes that writing has a place in every dance course and she incorporates dance criticism, dance research, and informal dance writing into her classes on a regular basis. Oliver worked briefly as a dance critic, and later wrote her dissertation on the teaching of dance criticism at the college level. She has edited three books, and has published dance articles in a variety of books and journals, including theJournal of Dance in Education; Dance Research Journal;and theJournal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. She is an editorial board member for theJournal of Dance in Educationand has served on the board for the Congress on Research for Dance. She also served as director of publications for the National Dance Association and is co-coordinator of the Rhode Island Arts Proficiencies in Dance. Oliver was honored inWho’s Who of American Womenin 2008 to 2009 and received the National Dance Association Scholar/Artist Award in 2008. She was also listed inWho’s Who Among America’s Teachersfrom 2003 to 2006 and received the Dance Educator of the Year Award in 1998 from the Rhode Island AAHPERD.