Sandra Sarrouf

Sandra Sarrouf is a Dance Lecturer at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), affiliated with the Department of Dance within the College of Liberal Arts. She holds an M.A. in Cultural Sustainability from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), with a focus on traditional arts, MENA dance, and culturally responsive pedagogy. Her work bridges cultural heritage, art, and social justice, emphasizing responsible cultural exchange.

Education:

• M.A. in Cultural Sustainability (UCSB)

Research interests center on the preservation and contemporary practice of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) dance, particularly within diasporic communities. She explores how dance reflects cultural identity and can foster cross-cultural understanding through education and performance. Her teaching includes courses like DNC 135 (International Folk Dance and Cultural Influences) and DNC 321 ('America'), integrating critical perspectives on cultural context.

She directed the Cal Poly Arab Music Ensemble’s dance performances for 11 years, specializing in Levantine and North African traditions, and leads the Cultural Creations Collaborative, which partners with schools to address diversity, equity, and inclusion through cultural frameworks. As a performer and educator, she combines ballet, jazz, tap, West African, Afro-Brazilian, and Latin dance training to enrich her pedagogical approach.

No scientific awards or grants are explicitly listed in the provided text.