Pitt Faculty Member Named Eastern District Association Teacher of the Year in Dance
PITTSBURGH-Point Breeze resident Susan Gillis Kruman, a faculty member in the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Health and Physical Activity, has been named Teacher of the Year/University Level by the Eastern District Association of the Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. Gillis Kruman was recognized during a March 1 awards ceremony held at the Newport Marriott in Newport, R.I.
The Eastern District Association includes 11 Northeastern states, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. During the association's five-day convention, Gillis Kruman presented a session on "Releasing the Inner Muse: Techniques to Facilitate Creativity in Generating Movement."
Gillis Kruman heads the Dance Minor program at the University and directs the University Dance Ensemble. She has danced professionally in New York City and with Dance Alloy, a Pittsburgh professional contemporary dance company. She was the first director of Dance Alloy and a resident choreographer for the company. Locally and internationally, she has presented dance workshops, master classes, and choreography and dance technology sessions.
Gillis Kruman's honors include being named 2007 Teacher of the Year/University Level by the Pennsylvania State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. She also has been recognized for her professional contributions, including being an honoree for the "Women in the Arts: Founders, Pioneers, and Instigators" event at the New Hazlett Theater in June 2007. In addition, she received the PA State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance Professional Honor Award in 1993, the Eastern District Honor Award in 2003, and the National Dance Association Presidential Citation in 2005. In 2000, she was recognized for teaching excellence by the University of Pittsburgh's Office of Student Affairs.
Her degrees include a BFA in dance performance from the University of Utah and an MEd from Pitt.
###
3/7/08/tmw
Media Resources
Schools of the Health Sciences Media Relations
For more information about Pitt's schools of dental medicine, health and rehabilitation sciences, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and public health, click here >
To locate stories from health science schools prior to 2013, visit the UPMC news archives »
Urgent Question?
University of Pittsburgh news reps are available to answer urgent media inquiries. Outside of regular business hours (Mon-Fri, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.), please email us at media@pitt.edu.
News reps for University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences schools can be reached outside of regular business hours through the paging operator at 1+412-647-2345.
