Richard Oaxaca

Richard Oaxaca serves as Assistant Professor of Dance in the Department of Dance, College of Arts and Sciences at Case Western Reserve University, having joined as Visiting Assistant Professor in 2023 before promotion in 2024. His role encompasses performance, choreography, and pedagogy within the university's dance program.

His educational background includes:

• Master of Fine Arts in Contemporary Dance from Case Western Reserve University (2016), recipient of the Edna Raphael Award for Excellence in Performance
• Additional training at the Martha Graham School of Dance in New York City

Oaxaca's artistic practice integrates Contemporary Dance with Aerial Dance and Circus Arts traditions, reflecting his background in gymnastics, cheerleading, and circus performance. His choreographic works explore narrative storytelling through athletic movement, with recent creations like "Ebb and Flow" and "Until Death Do Us Part" demonstrating fusion of theatrical dance and aerial techniques. This interdisciplinary approach bridges athletic spectacle with emotional depth, informed by his extensive professional performance history across commercial, theatrical, and festival contexts.

His notable honors include:

• Edna Raphael Award for Excellence in Performance (2016)
• Broadway World Award nomination for Best Choreography

Professional activities span teaching engagements at the Brazos Contemporary Dance Festival (2023-2024), choreographic commissions for regional theater productions, and directorial roles including Assistant Director of Dance Studies at Notre Dame College. His performance career features international engagements with cruise lines, television productions, and festivals, though no formal graduate student advising or research grants are documented in available materials.