SHARON, Pa. — 2024-25 Penn State Laureate Michele Dunleavy, professor of dance at the University Park campus, will give a presentation/performance, “Improvising a Life,” at Penn State Shenango in the Shenango Auditorium at 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18.
“Improvising a Life” is about how saying “yes, and” shaped Dunleavy’s artistic journey and defined her career. For the last 20 years, improvisation has played a central role in her creative processes. In “Improvising a Life,” she draws on her experiences as an educator, choreographer and performer to illustrate how she uses improvisation in her work. This event includes live and recorded performance, storytelling, and the potential for audience participation.
The Penn State Laureate, an honor established in 2008, is bestowed annually on a full-time faculty member in the arts or humanities. The laureate dedicates half of their time during the academic year to enhancing the University's visibility in the arts and humanities, showcasing their work and engaging with various communities across Pennsylvania.
Dunleavy has been a faculty member in the School of Theatre, which is part of the College of Arts and Architecture, since 2004. Her work spans tap, jazz and modern dance. One of Dunleavy’s hallmark projects, “Steel Valley Rhythms,” explores the intertwining narratives of place, memory and the physical embodiment of generations of Pennsylvania iron and steelworkers through percussive dance.
Her commitment to exploring social themes through dance is also evident in her collaborative efforts with Krista Wilkinson, distinguished professor of communication sciences and disorders in the College of Health and Human Development, with whom she has developed innovative programs that leverage the performing arts to support communication and social skills in individuals with and without disabilities. Those programs include “Let’s Dance” workshops for all ages and abilities, which have been presented at the University Park campus with the For Good Performance Troupe, a program offered by the Centre Region Down Syndrome Society and directed by Wilkinson.
Dunleavy’s tenure as Penn State Laureate will focus on further bridging the gap between the arts and community engagement, emphasizing inclusivity and accessibility. Her work with the For Good Performance Troupe, alongside her contributions to disability-affirmative theatre and dance, showcases her belief in the transformative power of the arts for individuals of all abilities.