Tanya Wideman-Davis

Tanya Wideman-Davis serves as an Associate Professor at the University of South Carolina in the College of Arts and Sciences, with appointments in both the Department of Theatre and Dance and the Department of African American Studies. Additionally, she is the Co-Director of Wideman Davis Dance, a collaborative dance company. Her career spans performance, choreography, teaching, and academic research.

She earned her Master of Fine Arts from Hollins University/ADF in 2012. Her training includes prestigious institutions such as The Joffrey Ballet School and The Alvin Ailey American Dance Center.

Wideman-Davis's research critically examines race, gender, femininity, identity, and location within dance. She challenges classical ballet's traditional methodologies, focusing on the representation of Black female bodies. Her work, such as the chapter "Dance Theater of Harlem: Radical Black Female Bodies in Ballet", explores how ballet can be a site for racial and gender discourse. This interdisciplinary approach bridges dance studies, African American studies, and gender theory.

Her scholarly publications, though limited in the provided text, demonstrate a consistent focus on the intersections of race and gender in ballet. The 2021 Oxford Handbook chapter exemplifies her contribution to contemporary ballet scholarship.

Professional recognition includes:

• Best Female Dancer of 2001-2002 (Dance Europe magazine)

Wideman-Davis has developed innovative courses in Theatre and Dance, African American Studies, and Visual Art and Design, and has lectured at institutions including Duke University and Northwestern University. While specific details of student advising and grant funding are not provided, her academic engagements are extensive.

Through Wideman Davis Dance, she creates and performs works that address social themes, such as Migratuse Ataraxia (2016-2021) and Choreographers in the Commons Sipping Coffee (2019), fostering collaborative artistic exploration.