Three faculty members from the Department of Theatre and Dance are among those selected to present at the 2026 North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Comprehensive Arts Education Conference in Greensboro on September 26, 2026. Dr. Gina Grandi, Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts, Dr. Paulette Marty, Professor of Theatre Arts, and Professor Kevin Warner, Professor of Dance Studies, will each share their work as part of the conference.
Gina's session is "It's a Metaphor! Exploring Language with Image and Object." In the session, attendees explore ways to use image work and everyday objects to support metaphorical and critical thinking while building understanding of word meanings and nuances.
Dr. Gina Grandi
Paulette will present the session "Establishing Physical Boundaries in Rehearsal and the Classroom." This workshop introduces teachers to methods for helping students articulate and maintain their physical boundaries in rehearsal. They cover boundary setting and how to teach it, and practice applying established boundaries in scene work.
Dr. Paulette Marty
Kevin's session, "Navigating Choreography in Musical Theatre: Tools for Empowering Directors," answers questions including: Where does the language of dance naturally align with theatrical storytelling? What shared processes connect directing and choreography? Participants uncover practical strategies for staging, teaching, and refining movement, while developing a shared vocabulary that bridges theatre and dance.
Kevin Warner
This NCDPI conference serves as a statewide professional development opportunity for dance, music, theatre, and visual arts educators, district arts education leaders, teaching artists, arts integration specialists, and pre-service teachers from across North Carolina working in K-12 programs, independent studios, performing arts organizations, and higher education institutions.
The mission of this conference is to support the three essential components of the North Carolina Comprehensive Arts Education Model: Arts Education, Arts Integration, and Arts Exposure. Sessions are centered on the four K-12 Arts Education Standards core strands of Connect, Create, Present, and Respond in Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts. Registration can be found on the conference event page.
NCCAE 2026 thumb v2
NCCAE 2026 thumb v2