Jeanne Palmer-Fornarola

MA

Jeanne Palmer-Fornarola.

Jeanne Palmer-Fornarola

MA

Jeanne Palmer-Fornarola

MA

Director of Undergraduate Studies
Teaching Professor

Research Topics

Ballet, Dance History, Pedagogy

Education

  • MA, University at Buffalo
  • New York State Teaching Certificate in Dance K-12
  • BA, Mercyhurst University
  • Certificate of Museum Studies, Northwestern University

Bio

Jeanne Fornarola is Clinical Professor at The State University of New York at Buffalo where she teaches courses in ballet, dance history, and dance pedagogy and served as the undergraduate Director of Dance for ten years.  She holds NYS certification in Dance K-12 and created the UB dance community engagement program, Bridging Communities Through Dance, which brings the dance experience to children in the Buffalo City Schools.  She coordinates the weekly Friday Forum Series that programs a wide variety of master classes and related workshops to UB Dance, augmenting the curriculum, and connecting students with professionals in the field. She has directed UB’s Zodiaque Dance Ensemble and Back to Buffalo Alumni Dance concerts. She has choreographed works for UB’s resident dance companies, UB Art Galleries, Starring Buffalo and NYC staged readings for new musicals in development.

Jeanne has been a Teaching Artist for Southern Tier Arts in Education, and was the Founder and Director of Binghamton University’s Summer Dance Program and Danceworks of Rochester, Inc. She has been on faculty at the SUNY Buffalo State, Buffalo Academy of Visual and Performing Arts, Broome Community College, Dance Masters of America Teachers Training Program and Student Honors Intensive Program, and adjunct faculty in Graduate School of Education at UB.

Jeanne’s research interests center around blended learning in dance that considers the learning styles of the emerging Digital Natives generation.  Her dance education initiative, Personalized Learning in Dance Education connects dance and arts professionals in the field with  K-12 dance educators, and private sector arts organizations. www.pldance.com. She has been published in the Journal of Dance Education, The Encyclopedia of Appalachia, Dance Studio Life, and Dance Teacher/Spirit. She has served as an Arts Auditor for NYS, and Secretary on the Board of Directors for New York State Dance Educator Association, the state affiliate of the National Dance Educators Organization.

Jeanne is the 2018 recipient of the University at Buffalo’s Zodiaque Dance Company’s Directors Award and has received UB Recognition for The Positive Influence on Students.