Franklin, born and bred in live jazz music and jazz dance, is a New York-based professional dancer, choreographer, and producer, as well as artistic director for the live urban jazz music and dance production, JAZZ AIN’T DEAD®, and also for Cumbe RISE, an open community dance company and performance workshop series produced by Cumbe Center for African and Diaspora Dance. Franklin received her conservatory training at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center and has continued her studies with the Ballroom Dance Teachers College of New Mexico. She is currently an IDTC certification candidate in Katherine Dunham technique. A 2024 NYSCA grant winner, Franklin’s choreography has been presented by Jazzmobile, Lincoln Center “Summer in the City,” Yale University, Joyce SoHo, Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, Harlem Arts Festival, Harlem Summerstage, BAMcafé Live, New York City Department of Education DECC, Webster Hall, and MTV/Viacom, as well as at several casinos, including Turning Stone, Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun, Borgata, and Caesar’s. She has also choreographed for Bollywood recording artist SHAKTI, singer Art Auré, and Grammy award-winning recording artist MACY GRAY. Currently, Miss Franklin is earning her MBA with a concentration in Music Business at Berklee College of Music/SNHU’s joint business program and is on the faculty and audition tour team of Joffrey Ballet School. She continues to teach throughout the US and abroad. SLC, 2024–
Undergraduate Courses 2025-2026
Dance
Jazz I: Exploration In American Jazz Through the Lens of Katherine Dunham
Open, Component—Fall
DNCE 5525
Inspired by the groundbreaking work of scholar, activist, and dance pioneer Katherine Dunham, this high-energy, informative course will take students on an immersive journey through notable moments of her life, theories, and signature movements to ultimately draw connections to social, theatrical, commercial, and concert jazz dance styles found today. Through experiential units integrating technique with her research, life story, and the history of American dance and culture, students will explore Dunham’s lasting contributions to film, cabaret, and theatrical concert dance while also cultivating the students’ own performance quality and artistic expression. This joyful course will encourage freedom of expression through musicality, power, and passion regardless of ability, making this course an excellent choice for students who love to dance as well as for non-dancers who love to move and are interested in theatre, film, and culture. This course will include practice in vernacular jazz/swing, theatre, commercial, and studio jazz styles, alongside Dunham’s classic technique that fuses modern, ballet, and African Caribbean folkloric dance. Each session will include a classic Dunham warm-up, a brief lecture, and vibrant Dunham and Dunham-inspired jazz progressions, culminating in a choreographed combination. Come join us!
Faculty
Jazz II: Exploration In American Jazz Through the Lens of Katherine Dunham
Open, Component—Fall
DNCE 5565
Elevate your jazz dance technique with power and passion! From cabaret performances to concert stages, Broadway productions, and Hollywood films, Katherine Dunham had a brilliant career shaping the look, style, and formal training of jazz dance. This high-energy course builds upon the Dunham fundamentals introduced in Jazz I (DNCE 5525), refining movement quality and versatility while integrating classical jazz studio technique progressions. Utilizing Dunham’s dynamic expression of dance, theories, and teaching with grace, students will be empowered to find the joy in every step, “tell the story,” and take more risks while developing technical confidence and growth as an artist. That being said, students will find that this class will not only strengthen and train the body but also equip them with resilience and the performance skills needed to captivate audiences with power and passion. Each session will include a classic Dunham warmup, isolations, center and/or barre work, formal studio jazz dance exercises, and vibrant Dunham and Dunham-inspired Jazz progressions, culminating in a choreographed combination. Choreography combinations will be inspired by styles Dunham explored in her shows or influenced through her work, including vernacular jazz/swing, theatre, commercial, and studio Jazz styles in addition to Dunham’s signature technique that fuses modern, ballet, and African Caribbean folkloric dance. Come join us!
Faculty
Graduate Courses 2024-2025
MFA Dance
Exploration in American Jazz Dance
Component—Fall
5525
Inspired by the work of Katherine Dunham, you will be invited to explore her movement vocabulary, often used in jazz dance, and then find the interconnections between Dunham’s contributions to film and concert stage with the current techniques used in commercial and concert dance, as well as learn vernacular Jazz movement. Open to all levels, this high-energy class inspires fun and freedom of expression through artistry, improvisation, and embellishment of choreography—regardless of skill and dance experience, yet challenging enough for more experienced dancers. For each meeting, a classic Dunham warm-up will be given, followed by lively, Dunham-inspired jazz progressions and a combo. Join us for a transformative exploration of jazz dance, honoring tradition while embracing innovation!
Faculty
Previous Courses
Dance
Exploration in American Jazz Dance
Component—Fall
DNCE 5525
Inspired by the work of Katherine Dunham, you will be invited to explore her movement vocabulary, often used in jazz dance, and then find the interconnections between Dunham’s contributions to film and concert stage with the current techniques used in commercial and concert dance, as well as learn vernacular Jazz movement. Open to all levels, this high-energy class inspires fun and freedom of expression through artistry, improvisation, and embellishment of choreography—regardless of skill and dance experience, yet challenging enough for more experienced dancers. For each meeting, a classic Dunham warm-up will be given, followed by lively, Dunham-inspired jazz progressions and a combo. Join us for a transformative exploration of jazz dance, honoring tradition while embracing innovation!