Theatre Faculty

New York City dance artist and educator Daniel Gwirtzman is known for his blend of technically challenging choreography and charismatic performance. He celebrates twenty-seven years as a New York City choreographer and company director. He danced with the internationally-renowned companies Garth Fagan Dance and Mark Morris Dance Group before co-founding Artichoke Dance Company in 1995 and Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company (DGDC), a performing and teaching nonprofit, in 1998. His repertory has earned praise for its humor, musicality, stylistic diversity, and accessibility. “Mr. Gwirtzman does know that in dance less can be more” writes The New York Times. The New Yorker describes him as a choreographer of “high spirits and skill.” DGDC has been committed to education since its inception, operating with the philosophy and programming that everyone can join the dance. He has been awarded commissions, residencies and fellowships nationally and abroad. His most recent creation, a digital educational resource, Dance With Us, received leadership support from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. The online platform showcases his decade-long practice as a filmmaker working in the dance for camera genre. Daniel joined IC’s Department of Theatre Arts faculty in 2019, where he teaches an array of dance courses and choreographs productions. 

Courtney Young is a director/choreographer and educator who performed in multiple Broadway Shows and National Tours and as a Radio City Rockette. Her credits include such shows as “The Producers,” “The Full Monty,” “Young Frankenstein” and “Little Me.” Directing credits include “1776” at New York City Center, “Titanic,” “Avenue Q,” “The Addams Family” and “Singing in the Rain.”

She worked as resident choreographer for Susan Stroman on “The Producers” on Broadway and associate director/choreographer for Robert Longbottom on “Carnival” at the Kennedy Center, as well as on the U.S. national tour and Korean production of “Dreamgirls.”

As an actor, Young’s other Broadway and national tour credits include “Cats,” “Fosse” (U.S. and Japan tour) and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” She has worked at Carnegie Hall, the Goodspeed Opera House, the Paper Mill Playhouse, the Kennedy Center, City Center and the Old Globe Theatre. She received a B.F.A. from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and an M.F.A. from Penn State University. 

Paula Murray Cole is an associate professor of acting, voice and movement in the Department of Theatre Arts. Her professional work is centered on the development of rasaboxes, a suite of exercises devised by Richard Schechner. Based on a combination of performance theories, practices and contemporary emotion science, rasaboxes trains emotional awareness and expressivity through the use of breath, body, voice, and sensation. 

Her research interests include ongoing research and development of rasaboxes; comparative studies in emotional and psychophysical techniques in actor training practices; the study of contemporary emotion science about the brain, body, and senses relevant to the practice of acting and theatre making. She is currently pursuing teacher certification in the Alexander Technique at the Philadelphia School for the Alexander Technique.

She holds her MFA in Acting from Southern Methodist University and her BFA in Drama from Ithaca College. She is a member of Actors Equity Association, The International Society of Researchers on Emotion, Alexander Technique International and is a Licensed Massage Therapist in New York State.

Aimee Rials is a choreographer, performer and teacher.  Her choreographic work is an intersection of emotional, personal and physical ideas.  It is not only visual but a visceral exploration, organically derived from and inspired by her company of dancers, creating work that is soft and striking, simplistic and strong.  Delving into the dynamics of relationships, personal history and her own journey with her androgynous nature.  

As an educator, it is important for Aimee to create an environment that is supportive of strong technique while also encouraging exploration and collaboration.  It is essential to help develop students' ability and confidence to think critically in regards to movement.  She believes it is important for students to build strong technique in many styles of dance.  It allows the dancer more freedom in the process of exploration.  Whether their goal is to dance professionally or for the joy itself, diversity of movement leads to versatility as a performer.  Aimee wants her dancers and students to walk away from the studio feeling stronger, motivated and creatively awake.

Amy O'Brien is a teacher and an artist who is inspired by the pure quality of movement and clean lines of the ballet technique. The implementation of ballet vocabulary and responsible professionalism when taking a class is a part of my ballet curriculum for all levels. My hope for students is that they gain a better sense of who they are by their exploration in strength building, stretching, and understanding their body alignment. I feel energized by those who decide to dedicate their whole mind and spirit to an art form that has no boundaries. Creating an open space for students to take risks and travel on their own path is deeply rewarding.

             When I create movement for a piece, I work from an internal emotional state which creates a more meaningful story. I appreciate a collaborative rehearsal and learning environment and process, which invites the dancers and me to find energy in the sense of community building. My ballet training is innate in me and gives stability and value to my dance making.  Like the structure of the body, my choreography uses contemporary ballet steps but explores movement through the expansiveness of structure, organized patterns, and behaviors.

            I invite students to take on challenges and embrace changes to provide growth in their personal and artistic endeavors. The gift of movement and creating dance is to be cherished, and I find for students to begin to understand this, they must be willing to fail, and try again. Listening to ones’ authentic body creates awareness and openness to trust in the learning process both personally and in each other. I believe in developing a community of dancers who support, encourage, and listen to each other, which means I instruct depending on the needs of each student. My goal is for each student to feel that they have been recognized, given validation, and guided in a way that they have material to work and develop on their own. I encourage students to identify and celebrate the process, over the result.