WKU News

“I knew from a very young age that I loved dance, and I couldn’t imagine my life without it. Once I found out that you could major in dance in college it was pretty much set that I was going to do just that,” said Louisville senior Jaclyn Schiess, who now researches ways for a more inclusive population of people to enjoy dance. 

“I chose WKU because even prior to being on the Hill, I could feel that the professors cared about myself and what my journey through college would be,” Schiess said.  

The summer of her freshman year at WKU, she spent much of her time with a family friend who became blind in his twenties. 

“The way he operated around his house and told stories with great detail inspired me; he always asked me about dance and loved hearing me talk about it,” Schiess explained. “Even though he couldn’t see any of the dance moves, he loved hearing about all of it. He made me realize how important words can be. He inspired me to want to do more with dance, and I started researching dance accessibility and education.” 

Schiess’ research titled, “Exploring the importance of verbiage in pedagogical methodologies through the lens of inclusion in dance” began in 2021. With this topic, she researched different ways of teaching dance to students of differing learning abilities, both cognitively and physically. 

“At its simplest, I know how positive of an impact dance has made on my life, and I want to make that impact available to everyone regardless of physical or mental ability.”

In addition to her research, Schiess stays involved in different organizations at WKU. In her first year at WKU, Schiess joined the WKU student chapter of NDEO (National Dance Education Organization). “NDEO gave me the opportunity to get involved with my department and learn to advocate for dance,” she said. “I was initiated into Alpha Psi Omega, a theatre honors society, my sophomore year and it has given me the opportunity to represent my department and again advocate for the arts as a whole.”

Apart from dance and theatre groups, Schiess joined the PCAL Dean’s Council of Students (DCS) her junior year, where she currently serves as president. “DCS has given me the opportunity to meet people outside of my department, work with the Dean’s office and learn more about the structure of higher education, and again be a voice and advocate for the arts.”

Schiess is currently studying for her Dance for PD® certification, which focuses on the intersection of dance and Parkinson’s disease. She plans to go to graduate school for dance education and become a college professor of dance.

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To learn more about the Department of Theatre and Dance at WKU, visit https://www.wku.edu/theatre-and-dance/.