Renowned choreographer to lead and innovate prestigious dance program’s semester in LA
Pace University’s Sands College of Performing Arts has named Mandy Moore as director of its Commercial Dance LA semester. The BFA Commercial Dance Program was founded in 2012 and launched its first full semester in LA in 2018. The Commercial Dance program brings 35 students to Los Angeles in the spring semester of their junior year. The renowned choreographer will teach the choreography for its camera course and direct the showcase course.
Moore’s exceptional career is marked by groundbreaking achievements and a profound impact on the dance and entertainment industry. With three Emmy Awards among her 13 nominations, she has captivated audiences worldwide through her work on iconic productions such as "So You Think You Can Dance."
Moore made history in 2017 as the first choreographer to work on the Golden Globe Awards, Academy Awards, Grammy Awards, and Emmy Awards in the same year. Some of her most recent work includes Paramount’s “Babylon” and “Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour.”
Her choreographic artistry has been showcased in acclaimed films such as Chazelle’s original "La La Land," and "American Hustle," as well as in television shows like "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist," and "Glee." Her stage work includes directing and choreographing the “Dancing with the Stars Tour,” “The Wedding Singer,” and “Nobody Loves You.”
Jennifer Holmes, who was recently named inaugural dean of the Sands, is pleased to have Moore as the program’s new LA semester director. “It is a tremendous honor to have Mandy Moore as the director of our Commercial Dance LA Semester,” said Holmes. “Her numerous awards and achievements as well as her limitless talent for teaching choreography is the ultimate compliment to our program. Our students are in the fortunate position of being able to learn from the best in the business.”
Moore is joining the Sands College of Performing Arts at an exciting time. The program is selective and only takes 30-35 students each year out of approximately 1,000 applicants. In fact, for the second year in a row, Pace has been named one of the top ten most represented colleges on the Broadway stage by Playbill, one of the leading theatre news publications.
“I am looking forward to getting in the classroom and experiencing all the wonderful light bulb moments that happen in the learning process,” said Moore. “I am also honored to be a resource for each one of these dancers as they travel along their artistic path.”
The appointment comes at an exciting time for the program. The Sands College of Performing Arts recently celebrated the graduation of its inaugural class in May. This milestone comes after the program became the seventh school and college within Pace, thanks to a $25 million gift from Pamela and Rob Sands, J.D. ’84.
The Sands donation is part of a larger campaign for the more than $200 million transformation of One Pace Plaza, its flagship building in lower Manhattan. This transformation will include new academic spaces, a modernized residence hall, and a new state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center. The Performing Arts Center will include a 450-seat proscenium theater, a 200-seat flexible theater, and a 99-seat black box theater. The new space will also feature scene and costume shops, dressing rooms, rehearsal rooms, green rooms, dance studios, and public gathering spaces.
About Pace University
Since 1906, Pace University has been transforming the lives of its diverse students—academically, professionally, and socioeconomically. With campuses in New York City and Westchester County, Pace offers bachelor, master, and doctoral degree programs to 13,600 students in its College of Health Professions, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Elisabeth Haub School of Law, Lubin School of Business, Sands College of Performing Arts, School of Education, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.
About Sands College of Performing Arts
Sands College of Performing Arts is a cutting-edge performing arts school that nurtures artistic innovation and develops future leaders and changemakers in the profession. Renowned for its diverse range of highly-ranked programs, Sands College is committed to cultivating top-talent performers, designers, and production professionals. From Hollywood to Broadway, Sands College students and alumni have appeared in major film and television productions and theater performances such as & Juliet, A Beautiful Noise, A Strange Loop, Almost Famous, Hadestown, Hamilton, Kimberly Akimbo, MJ The Musical, Moulin Rouge, Ohio State Murders, Wicked, and the 2022 Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Recognized by Playbill in 2023 as one of the 10 most represented colleges on Broadway, Sands College continues to inspire the next generation of artists on stage and screen.
