1117 Main St, Cedar Falls, IA 50613(319) 234-3135
Daniel Wells

Instructor, University of Northern Iowa

Artistic director-International Dance Theatre
Classes:
Fundamentals of Dance
Dance Performance
Applied Choreography
Survey of Dance History
Composition
Dance Production
Beginning Folk Dance
Celtic Dance
Beginning/Intermediate Tap Dance
Beginning/Intermediate/Advanced Ballet
Musical Theater Dance
Jazz Dance
Beginning/Intermediate Ballroom
Clogging
Dance Repertory

Professional Accomplishments

American College Dance Festival Association

  • Member of Board of Directors for North Central Region 2007-present
  • Representative for North Central Region to National Board of Directors, 2009-2012
  • Presentations:
Teaching folk dance as part of the curriculum in K-12 education
Dancing to Balkan Rhythms
International Style Rumba
Swing dance stunt work
Educational Dances for Children
Ceilidh dancing

National Symposium on Scholarship, Research and Creative Activity

  • Thracian Sunday: A look at a typical day of dancing in southern Bulgaria
  • Teaching ballroom dance as a non-gender specific activity
  • Changing attitudes in the Balkans: A study of the generational differences in attitudes towards members of different ethnic groups

Grants

  • National Endowment for the Humanities/Humanities Iowa
Dancing Through Time and Space: a presentation of the dance, music and costuming of the cultures that settled the state of Iowa. 2010
  • Iowa Arts Council
The Giving Tree and Where the Wild Things Are. Presentations of ballet for children using modern stories.2008
  • Intercollegiate Academics Fund
Money granted to lead a group of students to Kitchener, Ontario in 2008 and 2012 to present German dances at the Kitchener/Waterloo Oktoberfest.
  • Intercollegiate Academics Fund
Money granted to bring students to American College Dance Festival to present creative activity. 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012,2013

International Dance Theatre, Artistic Director

  • Oversee the maintenance and growth of the company
  • Under my direction the company has tripled in size
  • Gained national and international reputation
  • Created over 50 choreographies in ethnic and ballroom dance styles
  • Organized workshops with regional, national and international dancers, teachers, and choreographers
  • Oversee the development of students as they choreograph within the ethnic and ballroom dance styles

Other Choreographies

  • Bat Boy: Musical Theater choreography for Strayer Wood Theater, 2012
  • Urinetown, The Musical: Musical Theater Choreography for Strayer Wood Theater, 2011
  • Spring Awakening: Musical Theater Choreography for Strayer Wood Theater, 2013
  • Please: Contemporary Choreography for Zenon Dance Company Block E program, Granted by Dayton Hudson Foundation, Minneapolis MN, 1999
  • Walking to Rio: Contemporary Choreography presented at American College Dance Festival, 2009
  • You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown: artist in residence with Roosevelt High School, Minneapolis MN, 1998
  • Grease: artist in residence with Roosevelt High School, Minneapolis MN, 1997
Other Presentations
  • Swing dance for fundraiser for Waterloo/Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra, 2004, 2005, 2006
  • Theater Jazz: Iowa Thespian Society, 2012
  • Fascinating Balkan Rhythms: Door County Folk Festival, 2012
  • Bosnian Dances: Door County Folk Festival, 2012
  • Dancing under the Stars: Waverly Symphony Orchestra, 2009-2012
  • Dances of Romania: Door County Folk Festival, 2013
  • A new generation of folk dancer: Door County Folk Festival, 2013
  • Dances of Bulgaria: Door County Folk Festival, 2013
  • Creative movement for high school theater: Iowa Thespian Society, 2013

Employment History

2004-present / Instructor / University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa
2004 / 2nd Soloist / Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Winnipeg, Manitoba
2000-2004 / Costume Designer / Third Wall Theatre Company, Ottawa, Ontario
2002-2004
1999-2001
1994-2001
1995-1998 / Dancer
2nd Soloist
1st Soloist
Dancer / Les Sortilèges,
Montreal, Quebec
National Ballet of Canada,
Toronto, Ontario
Ballet Arts Minnesota,
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Zenon Dance Company,
Minneapolis, Minnesota