Jodie Gates, a dancer, choreographer and educator who is a former principal dancer with the Joffrey Ballet, has been named vice dean and director of the new University of Southern California Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. Ms. Gates is currently a professor of dance at the University of California, Irvine and is the founder and artistic director of the Laguna Dance Festival in Laguna Beach, Calif. In addition to the Joffrey, she has been a principal ballerina with the Frankfurt Ballet, the Pennsylvania Ballet and other major companies. Ms. Gates will begin her position in August at the school of dance. The school was established in November 2012 by a gift from Glorya Kaufman, a philanthropist and dance patron.
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