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RESUME + cURRICULUM VITAE

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As a movement facilitator, I specialize in serving both the youngest dance learners and adults exploring their abilities.  I believe in an holistic approach to dance education which is inclusive and nurturing while remaining structured and grounded in technique. In an academic dance setting, I strive to form cross-disciplinary connections to dance, foster innate talents and self-discovery while passing-down a codified technical lineage. I also believe in facilitating an environment where students can find moments of creativity, discovery, and self-applied knowledge in every class.

INSTRUCTOR
PHILOSOPHY
Additional Skills

PHOTOSHOP

ILLUSTRATOR

INDESIGN

SERIGRAPHY

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​TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

 

EMPOWERED STEPS: DANCING WITH APHASIA AND BRAIN INJURY- SUMMER 2023

  • Facilitation of and assistance with community dance classes designed for dancers of all abilities with a focus on the needs of participants with Aphasia

  • Held at the University of Texas at El Paso with the support of El Paso Aphasia Connection Center

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STUDIO METROPOLIS- FALL 2022-PRESENT

  • Instructional Design and Facilitation of community modern dance classes for beginning to intermediate adult students through an Evans/LBF framework

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UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO- FALL 2019- 2021

  • Instructor for Dance Appreciation

  • Co-coordinator for American College Dance Association South-Central Conference 2020

  • Lisa Smith (Program Director); Melissa Melpignano (Interim Program Director); Cristina Goletti (Chair)

 

BORDERLAND RAINBOW CENTER SPRING 2021-FALL 2021

  • Curriculum development and instruction for remote synchronous dance-based enrichment courses designed for movers over 60

  • Lorena Silva-Edwards, director of Senior Services at BRC

 

D'ANSA JAZZ STAGE- FALL 2017-SUMMER 2019

  • Ballet Instructor

  • Instruction for Ballet levels Baby Ballet, Pre-Ballet, Ballet I, III, and IV; development of pedagogy for students under my instruction; choreography and preparation for bi-annual recitals 

  • Daniella Caballero (director)
     

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO- FALL 2016

  • Teaching Assistant for Ballet I and II

  • Assisted Professor Daralyn Scurlock prior to, during, and after her maternity leave by demonstrating, assistant teaching, filming assessments, and other duties which assisted in the fulfillment of the semester's curriculum

  • Professors Daralyn Scurlock and Lisa Smith (supervisors)
     

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO- 2013-2018

  • Workshop Instructor for World Dance and Dance Appreciation

  • Taught periodic workshops in Middle Eastern dance styles (dabke, kochari, and raqs)

  • Professors Lisa Smith, Paola Lopez, and Daralyn Scurlock (supervisors)
     

SOUND+VISION STUDIOS- 2014-2016

  • Co-owner/instructor

  • Instructor for adult ballet, aerobics, and calisthenics classes; development of pedagogy
     

HALLMARK DANCE ESSENTIALS- 8/2009-8/2011

  • Ballet/Technique Instructor

  • Instruction for Ballet levels Pre-Ballet, I, III, PreTap, and conditioning; development of pedagogy for students under my instruction; choreography and preparation for bi-annual recitals

  • Karen Herrera (owner)
     

PUBLICATIONS:

WHAT’S UP MAGAZINE/ EL PASO INC. 2004-2018

  • Features, arts, and entertainment; Secret Wherrett (Editor 2004-2005); Victoria Molinar (Editor 2017-18)

 

NEWSPAPERTREE 2005-2009

  • Weekly columnist,  features writer; Sito Negron (Editor)

 

STANTON STREET MEDIA GROUP-2001-2002

  • Writer/columnist; Sito Negron (Editor); Beto O'Rourke (Publisher)
     

EL PASO TIMES (GANNETT)9/1999-11/2000

  • Intern


 

NON-PROFIT:

NEW BALLET

  • Fund Development Associate: 2022- PRESENT

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PROJECT IN MOTION

  • Board Member: 2023-PRESENT

 

EL PASO BORDER YOUTH ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

  • Development and Community Outreach Coordinator: 2021-2022

  • Assistant for Development and Community Outreach: 2019-2021

  • Executive Assistant to the Board President: 2018-2019

 

LIBERAL ARTS HONORS PROGRAM (LAHP)

  • Member/Volunteer: Fundraising assistance: 2014, 2015

 

BOARD OF PASO DEL NORTE CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT (PDNCRP)

  •  Board member/Volunteer: 2008-2013 

 

EPISD’S CENTER FOR CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION (CCTE) ADVERTISING/DESIGN ADVISORY BOARD

  • Volunteer 2003-2007

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RECENT PERFORMANCE:

FUSEBOX LIVE IN AMERICA FESTIVAL AT THE MOMENTARY- 2022

  • Choreographer & Performer

  • BORDADO X TATREEZ (Burton, 2022) in association with El Puente

  • Produced and Directed by Edgar Picazo Merino & Amalia Mondragón

  • Music by David Delgado & Julio Mena

 

BILL EVANS TEACHER’S INSTITUTE- 2017, 2022, & 2023

  • Performer

  • Roles: Before Time/Beyond Space: A creation story (Evans, 2017- NMSU); The Future of Memory (Weeks, 2022- Hobart & William Smith Colleges); Lost Stories Two (Porter, 2023- JFK Center, Port Townsend, WA)

  • Under the direction of Bill Evans, Edisa Weeks, and Claire Porter

 

NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY- 2018-2019

  • Performer

  • Roles: Scatter (Knapp, 2018, 2019); On a Sunday (Gavit, 2018-2019)

  • Under the direction of Dr. Debra Knapp and Ann Gavit
     

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO- LAYALI AL-SHAM 2013-2020

  • Dabke coordinator, Performer

  • Dr. Andrea Shaheen (Director)
     

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO- 2013-2017

  • Performer

  • Roles: La Llorona, La Llorona (2013); Desdemona, The Moor’s Pavane (2013); Viola Polare, Schwan Break (performance and writing credit) (Nadel, 2015); Soldadera, Pobrero El Campesino (Smith, 2014); Various, O, My Mozart (Nadel, 2016); Princess, The Firebird (Smith, 2016); Various; Bare Bones (2016); Floreador, Sugar Plum (Smith, 2016); Various, Carnival de Danzas (Nadel, Rinelli, & Smith, 2017)

  • Under the Direction of Lisa Smith and Myron Nadel
     

THE BORDER THEATRE-2013

  • Performer

  • Role: Mother Vulture, Vultures at the Well

  • Austin Savage (Director)
     

EL PASO YOUTH BALLET- 2011-2015

  • Performer

  • Roles: Cousin to the Stahlbaums, The Nutcracker (2011-2015 seasons); Courtier, Giselle (2012 season); Mother Ginger, Nutcracker (2012, 2014 seasons); Wicked Stepmother, Cinderella (2013)

  • Under the direction of Marta Katz​

experience
DANCE FOCUS

BALLET (CECCHETTI)

MODERN (LABAN/BARTENIEFF)

DABKEH

RAQS AL-ARABIYEH (FELAHI)

KOCHARI

MULTI-DISCIPLINARY EXPERIENCE
Education + additional training
POST GRADUATE TRAINING:
 
NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY
2017-2019
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DEGREE: Masters of Arts in Teaching-Dance
  • Concentration: Modern/Contemporary Dance Practice and Pedagogy
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AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS:
  • Outstanding Academic Achievement- NMSU Kinesiology
  • Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society
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UNDERGRADUATE TRAINING:
 
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO

​2012-2017

 

DEGREE: Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance, Magna cum Laude

  • Major:  Dance with Lisa Smith, Myron Nadel, Andree Harper, Andrea Vasquez-Aguirre, Ila Conoley, and Leanne Rinelli

  • Minor:  Liberal Arts Honors Program with Dr. Michael Topp

 

UNDERGRADUATE AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS:

  • Outstanding Dance Major (Fall 2016)

  • Liberal Arts Honors Program Award (Fall 2016)

  • Alpha Chi Honors Society (Inducted 2/2017)

 

CONFERENCE AND SYMPOSIUM PRESENTATIONS:

  • Burton, J. (2018) Studio Dance And Young Learners: Considerations For Developing Age-Appropriate Movement Curriculum- Presented 7/2019 at Hobart and William Smith College as part of the Bill Evans Somatic Dance Conference).

  • Burton, J. (2016, Dec. 16). Al-Atlal. Liberal Arts Honors Program Symposium.

  • Senior Capstone; Al-Atlal Sections 1 and 2; presented at UTEP Fall Senior Capstone 12/1-3/2016

 

WORKSHOP TRAINING:

  • Bill Evans Teacher’s Institute: Year 2 Certification Training; 7/2023 Fort Worden, WA with Bill Evans, et. AL. 

  • Bill Evans Teacher's Institute: Year 1 Certification Training; 7/2022  Hobart and William Smith Colleges (Geneva, NY) with Bill Evans, et. Al. 

  • Bill Evans Somatic Dance Institute Conference: 7/2019 Hobart and William Smith Colleges (Geneva, NY) with Bill Evans, et. Al. 

  • Bill Evans Teachers Institute Workshop and Conference: 7/2017 New Mexico State University (Las Cruces, NM) with Bill Evans, Peggy Hackney, Kitty Daniels, et. Al.

  • American College Dance Festival: 3/2017 (Collins College); 3/2019 (Texas A&M University).

  • Florence Summer Dance Festival: 6/2016-7/2016 Florence, IT with Liliana Candotti, et. Al.

  • UTEP Workshops/Master Classes: (7/29/2013-8/2/2013) Contemporary with Lina Puodziukaite-Lanauskiene; (12/2016) Ballet with Adam McKinney; (4/2016) Contemporary with Stephanie Martinez; (7/29/2016-7/302016) Ballet with Steve Brule; (8/5/2016-8/6/2016) Dunham Technique with Leslie Arbogast; (11/2016) Contemporary with Bill Evans 

 

THEATRE: 

  • UTEP: 2015 under the direction of Jay Stratton

  • Franklin HS:1995-1997 under the direction of Joanne Todar

  • Kids and Company:1994-1995 under the direction of Jan Wolfe

 

MUSIC: 

  • Violin:1988-1991: Ida Steadman 

  • Clarinet:1991-1994: Jorge Avendaño 

  • Piano:1986-1998: Arda Babigian-Burton, Mary Wade, Krystal Oddo

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GRAPHIC DESIGN TRAINING/CERTIFICATIONS:

  • Design and Printmaking Apprenticeship with Bonnie Lyons-Cohen: 2000-2003

  • Graphic Design Internship at The El Paso Times: 1999 

  • Illustrator/Quark Xpress certification at School for Educational Enrichment:1997-98

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