Professor Emeritus, School of Dance, CVPA
Biography
Retired since 2021, Buffy Price, Professor Emeritus, earned her Masters from New York University and taught for the George Mason University School of Dance from 1991 till 2021. She served as Associate Chair from 2002-2003 and Chair of the Dance Department, then Director of the School of Dance from 2003-2013. During her time as head of the program the School of Dance was recognized by the Board of Visitors as one of the universities’ first “Spires of Excellence” and in 2013 the School of Dance was awarded, “Excellence in Academic Program Review” in recognition of excellence in curriculum development. She collaborated on the design of the 2011 national award winning addition to the School which included two 2600 sq. ft. studios, a dance conditioning lab and support facilities for dance majors. She advocated for and implemented the addition of a fulltime Performing Arts Athletic Trainer to assure the health and safety of the majors; at the time, one of only 6 college programs in the country to have full time medical support.
She expanded the long standing guest artist residency program arranging for majors to perform the work of an impressive array of choreographers including: Robert Battle, Jacqulyn Buglisi, Martha Graham, Lar Lubovitch, Susan Marshall, Elisa Monte, Mark Morris, David Parsons, Stephen Petronio, Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp, Doug Varone, and others.
Buffy began studying ballet at the age of three, receiving her early ballet training from her aunt Ellen Price Kearney Eckhardt. She continued her study with Frederick Franklin, at the National Ballet School and with Oleg Tupine, Igor Schwezoff, and Igor Youskevitch. While attending Randolph Macon Woman’s College she earned a degree in modern dance studying under Eija Celli and Dena Madole. Upon graduation she headed to NYC and joined Nancy Meehan Dance Company and had her choreography at Dance Theater Workshop. Following her NYC career she established a company in Washington D.C. touring and winning critical praise for her choreography.
At Mason she continued choreographing and teaching at the undergraduate and graduate level. Courses taught included improvisation, dance composition and choreography, teaching methods, anatomy and kinesiology and all levels of modern technique. She also had a profound love for introducing general education students to the joy of dance.
Degrees
- MA, Dance Education, New York University