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2016 graduate hired as teacher at prestigious Chinese dance academy

Lindsay Brents '16 teaches students in one of her classes at the Duncan Dance Academy in Shenzhen, China.

Lindsay Brents ’16 teaches students in one of her classes at the Duncan Dance Academy in Shenzhen, China.

As a dance and English double major at Randolph, Lindsay Brents ’16 took full advantage of the opportunities the College provided to expand her creative talents. Now she’s using those skills to teach students at a world-renowned dance academy in China.

Brents teaches dance fundamentals to students between 3 and 14 years old at Duncan Dance Academy in Shenzhen, China. The academy is an affiliate of the YMM Art Education organization, and is named after Isadora Duncan, a famed American dancer and champion for women’s rights in the early 1900s.

“My classes at Randolph, especially my dance history classes and senior seminar, helped me form and articulate a clear opinion on dance and dance education,” Brents said. “Being prepared to discuss these issues really helped me in the job interview process, as I was able to explain a basic teaching philosophy and learning goals for my students. Recently, I even gave a presentation on the benefits of dance classes to the parents of students at YMM.”

Brents found out about the job from Lori Belilove, a visiting artist for Randolph’s dance department sponsored by the Helen McGehee Visiting Artist Program. Belilove was appointed as the Duncan Dance Academy’s artistic director when it opened last year, and because of her passion for and skill in dancing, recommended Brents apply for the teaching position this summer.

“The liberal arts culture at Randolph really encourages cross-disciplinary discussion, and I came out of my college years with an intense respect for the value of such interactions,” Brents said. “I think at many larger schools it’s easier to get lost in one’s respective major, simply because there are so many fellow majors. As the dance department was going through a thin period, most of my peers were in other majors, so I got a chance to interact with people of all different specialties.”

At Randolph, Brents excelled in both of her majors, as well as her Asian studies minor. She graduated with honors and was a recipient of the Maude Huff Fife Award for highest GPA in her class. She also earned the Genia Melikova Award in Dance, the Effective Writing and Speaking Board’s Best Senior Paper Award, the Marilyn Sue Murray Award in Asian Studies, the Eleanor Struppa Department Award in Dance, and the Helen McGehee Award in Dance.

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