Kelly Alvarez

Kelly Alvarez is a Lecturer in Ballet, Contemporary, and Pilates at the University of Southern California's Kaufman School of Dance, Glendale Community College, and the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School. With over 25 years of teaching experience, she is certified in the ABT® National Training Curriculum and as a Pilates instructor.

Her educational background includes:

• Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with honors from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia
• Master of Fine Arts in Dance from The University of California, Irvine

Alvarez's research bridges modern dance's historical past with contemporary practice, focusing on artistic ancestry through Denishawn's legacy in Los Angeles. She examines how celebrity culture influenced Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn's company, integrating injury prevention knowledge from her Pilates expertise developed during work with physical therapists and Michael Jackson's dance team.

Her scholarly contributions include presentations at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), recognized by:

• Medici Scholar Award
• Elizabeth and Thomas Tierney Scholarship
• Claire Trevor School of the Arts Travel and Research Grant

As an educator, Alvarez has taught at Loyola Marymount University, Cypress College, and UC Irvine while maintaining professional performance work in commercials (Diet Coke) and music videos (The Smashing Pumpkins, Depeche Mode). Her choreographic output spans nationwide presentations, and she contributes to fitness media through Balanced Body webisodes and Richard Simmons' Workout Wednesdays.