B.A. Florida State University

M.F.A. Florida State University

Jan Woodward received her M.F.A. degree in Dance from Florida State University and her B.A. from Florida State University in English with a minor in Dance. Additional training includes the premiere modern dance summer program, the American Dance Festival at Duke University; Manhattanville Summer Dance Program in Purchase, NY; Southeastern Dance Festival in Columbia, SC; the American Dance Legacy Institute in Saratoga Springs, NY; and the Limón Institute in NYC. She has also taken classes at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Peridance in NYC and in St. Mark's Church (Summer MELT Danspace Project). She is a certified Pilates Mat instructor through the Kane School of Core Integration based in NYC and is also Stott trained in Pilates mat.

Ms. Woodward has taught as adjunct faculty at Furman University teaching ballet and modern dance and at Converse College teaching ballet; she was the head of the dance program at the Fine Arts Center from 1977-1986 and again from 2002-present and on the dance faculty from 1992-2002; she has been guest faculty with SC Governor's School for the Arts; and has served as the head teacher in Laurens County School District 55 in their gifted and talented program for the arts. She has taught master classes and given dance residencies in public schools, and has taught modern dance and ballet in private studios. International Ballet based in Greenville, South Carolina performed her choreography "Casting Contours" in Kiev, Ukraine. She established the dance program at Stone Academy of Communication Arts where she taught for six years and founded the Stone Academy Dance Ensemble. She has also taught workshops for teachers through Greenville Schools, the Peace Center for the Performing Arts and the SC Department of Education.

Her awards include: Greenville County Schools 2nd Runner-Up Teacher of the Year 2005-2006; SCDA (South Carolina Dance Association) South Carolina State Dance Educator of the Year 2005; Fine Arts Center Teacher of the Year 2005-2006; Surdna Arts Teacher Fellowship to study in NYC 2005 and served on the Teacher Forum of the school district for two years. She has also received choreographic grant awards from the SC Arts Commission and is currently on their Approved Artist Roster. She is a current board member of SCDA and lead dance teacher in Greenville County Schools where she is also the coordinator of the District Dance Showcase and Greenville Dance Festival.