U of A Instructor Wins Best University Dance Educator of the Year

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Susan Mayes teaches Holt Middle School sixth-graders to swing dance on March 13. She and fellow faculty member Angie Smith-Nix visit the school as part of the Education Renewal Zone's Adopt-A-Classroom program at the U of A. The sixth-graders were studying the 1930s and '40s in their social studies and history classes.

A University of Arkansas dance instructor recently won an award that gives her the title of the best College/University dance educator within a 13-state region. Susan Mayes won the 2015 Dance Educator of the Year Award for SHAPE America's Southern District.

SHAPE America is the Society of Health and Physical Educators and its mission is to advance professional practice and promote research related to health and physical education, physical activity, dance, and sport. The southern district is one of six districts and represents 13 southeastern states. The College/University Dance Educator of the Year Award is given to one recipient per year and is a very prestigious award among college physical educators/dance educators.

 "It's a pinnacle award for me," Mayes said. "I've been very involved in dance and the southern district, so I feel very privileged to be honored with this award."

Dance has been a lifelong love for Mayes. Growing up in Fayetteville, she says she always knew she wanted to pursue a career doing what she loved. Mayes received both her bachelor's and master's degrees from the U of A and found a job at Woodland Junior High School, where she taught physical education and dance and coached for 10 years. She returned in 1982 to the U of A, where she has been an instructor of dance and kinesiology for the past 34 years.

 "When I was hired at the University of Arkansas, they were looking for someone with really specific skills," Mayes said. "They needed someone who was a physical educator who had a background with student teachers and also someone with a dance background."

Mayes has taught dance for nearly 50 years, so it is only natural for things to change in the profession as time goes on. She describes the world of reality television as bringing a different kind of attention to dance with television shows such as Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance. A major aspect of America's youth has changed since Mayes started teaching and that is the childhood obesity crisis. This national pandemic has led Mayes to suggest that public schools incorporate dance as a form of exercise in classroom curriculum.

 "Because of the obesity crisis, why not use dance as an opportunity to bring that into a physical education or classroom setting," Mayes said.

Mayes has put action to her words by supporting first lady Michelle Obama's anti-obesity campaign Let's Move! by promoting dance breaks in the classroom in an effort to get students' hearts racing for a healthy pause from a busy day.

Currently, Mayes is still teaching classes at the U of A where she teaches mostly kinesiology majors, but a large number of her students are all different majors because she also teaches fun and interactive electives. Mayes is highly involved at the university and plans on keeping dance in her future for years to come.

Watch a video of Mayes and Angie Smith-Nix, clinical assistant professor, teaching sixth-graders how to swing dance.