Betty Skeen

Betty Skeen serves as Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance and Director of the Helen McGehee Visiting Artist Program at Randolph College. A South Carolina native trained at the Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, she holds an MFA from the University of Maryland and brings nearly two decades of professional dance experience spanning New York City, the Hudson Valley, and international stages.

Her research interests center on contemporary dance practices, emphasizing embodied learning and creative adaptation. Skeen's teaching philosophy champions "rigorous play" – blending discipline with effortlessness through somatic practices like her "Stretch, Strengthen, and Recover" methodology. She investigates how natural environments influence movement, drawing from childhood experiences in South Carolina's coastal ecosystems.

Skeen has received significant recognition including American College Dance Association honors and two Metro-DC Dance Awards. Her choreographic works have been presented across the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, and Italy, often exploring themes of resilience and environmental connection.

• American College Dance Association Honoree
• Metro-DC Dance Award (2023)
• Metro-DC Dance Award (2021)

As an educator, Skeen mentors dance students through technique courses and historical studies while directing Randolph's Visiting Artist Program. Her current projects include developing interdisciplinary collaborations between dance and environmental studies programs. Outside academia, she maintains an active performance career as an extended company member with Pearson Widrig Dance Theater.

Skeen leads the Helen McGehee Visiting Artist Program, facilitating residencies that connect students with professional choreographers. Her recent initiatives include cross-departmental workshops examining the intersection of movement studies and climate science.