Susan McFadden rejoined Willamette University Theatre faculty in August of 2006 to teach Fundamentals of Ballet.

From 1985 until 1996 Susan was a part time Assistant Professor of Dance in Willamette University’s Theatre Department teaching a variety of dance classes including ballet, jazz, modern, Introduction to Dance and Dance Composition. She directed annual dance concerts and provided the choreography for many plays in the Theatre’s annual seasons. During her eleven years she also taught several courses for the School of Education.

Originally from Canada where she danced with Spectrum Dance in Victoria B.C., Susan received her MS in Dance from the University of Oregon in Eugene.

In 1996-97 Susan joined Western Oregon University’s Theatre/Dance Department in Monmouth as a full time faculty member. Subsequently she joined the Visual and Performing Arts Program in the Vancouver, Washington school district as a dance specialist where she remained for two years until 1999 before retuning to Western Oregon University as a part time Adjunct Assistant Professor of Dance.

During her association with WOU, Susan has taught a variety of courses including Introduction to Dance, Ballet technique, Jazz technique, Modern technique, Creative Dance, Evolution of Modern Dance, Ballet History, Composition I and II, Croup Choreography, Special Studies in Baroque Dance and has choreographed several pieces for spring dance concerts and Theatre productions.

Areas of interest for Susan include dance in education and Baroque dance. In Summer 2003 she attended the Bill Evans Dance Intensive at the Centrum center in Port Townsend, Washington and in Summer 2002 she attended the Creative Dance Institute in Seattle. IN the 90’s she studied the Baroque style of dance at summer sessions both at Stanford University and at the Jarvis Conservatory. As Susan is fond of saying, “The minuet is much like life: to complete it gracefully is more difficult than it looks.”

In February 2002, at the American College Dance Festival in Missoula, Montana. Susan presented the panel “The S Word: Embracing Standards and Selling Criteria for Dance Achievement in the University setting.”