Stephanie Tooman

Stephanie Tooman is an Associate Professor of Dance at the Conservatory of Dance, State University of New York at Purchase, where she is a tenured faculty member and internationally renowned teacher of the Martha Graham Technique. She has taught at leading institutions including the Martha Graham School, Alvin Ailey School, Juilliard, Beijing Dance Academy, Rotterdam Dance Academy, and the Netherlands Dance Theater. Her global teaching extends to programs in Spain, Denmark, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, and Alaska, and she has conducted master classes at Yale University.

Educational Background:

• BFA, The Juilliard School
• MFA, Purchase College, SUNY

Stephanie Tooman is a celebrated performer and educator with deep expertise in modern dance and the Graham technique. Her research and artistic interests center on dance performance, choreographic interpretation, rehearsal direction, and pedagogical methods in modern dance. She has played a pivotal role in disseminating the Graham technique across international stages and academic institutions.

Her artistic work has been recognized with a Bessie Award in 2001 for Sustained Achievement in her performance with Reggie Wilson. She has served as rehearsal director for prominent choreographers and companies, including Kazuko Hirabayashi and Neta Pulvermacher.

Stephanie is actively involved in the dance community through leadership roles, serving as a founding board member of VIM VIGOR/Shannon Gillen Dance Company and holding advisory positions with 360 Dance Company, The Coleman Collective, and The Martha Hill Dance Foundation. Though no formal graduate students are listed, her mentorship extends widely through master classes, intensives, and institutional leadership.

She maintains an active presence in both academic and professional dance circles, contributing to the advancement of modern dance education and performance globally.