About Jill Guyton Nee

Jill Guyton Nee is the Head of Dance and an Associate Professor for the University of Memphis Department of Theatre & Dance. She earned her BA in dance and BS in business management from Meredith College. After graduating, she joined the full time staff at American Dance Festival, was a collaborative member of the former company Even Exchange Dance Theatre, and served on the Board of Directors for Code f.a.d. Company before attending The Ohio State University Department of Dance for her MFA. Her work has been presented in Thailand and throughout the United States. Creatively, she has worked with several distinguished choreographers including Mark Dendy, David Dorfman, Bebe Miller, Susan Hadley, Gaspard Louis, Shane O’Hara, Erin Carlisle Norton, and Carol Finley. She is a free-lance choreographer.

Her musical theatre choreographies include Pippin, Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party, Spring Awakening, Oklahoma!, The Wedding Singer, Chicago, West Side Story, The Robber Bride-Groom, Seussical, and Guys and Dolls.  
Jill’s teaching specialties include jazz, tap, ballet, contemporary, musical theatre, modern, choreography and pedagogy.

“Students in my classes build mental and physical agility; awareness of self and space; and rhythmic capability in which I find to be vital in the artistic athleticism and virtuosity across all genres of dance. My teaching methods of the physical practice include core stability and muscular strength; propulsion through space; and line, design and form of the body through clarity of movement. I promote socio-eco-cultural knowledge as context, and it is through accessible instruction, and an empowering learning environment that I train dance artists.”

Education

Master of Fine Arts, The Ohio State University, 2014, Dance
Bachelor of Arts, Meredith College, 2008, Dance
Bachelor of Science, Meredith College, 2008, Business Management

Experience

Professional

• Associate Professor of Dance, 2020-present
• Assistant Professor of Dance, 2014-2020
• Research Assistant, Professor Rodney A. Brown, The Ohio State University, 2013-2014
• Graduate Teaching Associate, The Ohio State University, 2012-2014
• Company Choreographer, Academy for the Performing Arts, 2006-2016
• Full-time Staff, American Dance Festival 2008-2010

Honors and Awards

• Selected Choreographer for Women in Dance International Conference 2019
• Presenter for National Dance Education Organization 2018, 2022
• American College Dance Association's Gala Selection 2017, 2018
• Memphis Ostrander Theatre Award for Best Choreography 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

Research and Scholarly Activities

Research Interests

Choreography, Performance, Pedagogy
Teaching Interests: Contemporary, Modern, Jazz, Tap, Musical Theatre, Stage Movement, Pedagogy, Composition, Improvisation
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