Lawrence M. Jackson

Lawrence M. Jackson holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance from The University of Southern Mississippi and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance from Florida State University. He currently serves as Professor of Dance in the School of Dance and Assistant Dean for Faculty Affairs in the College of Visual and Performing Arts at George Mason University. 

Lawrence’s extensive career in academia includes leadership roles such as Associate Chair of Dance and Director of Graduate Studies in Dance at the University of Alabama. During his tenure at UA, he assumed artistic directorship roles for the Alabama Repertory Dance Theatre, Dance Alabama, The MFA Dance Concert, and Dance Collection within the Department of Theatre and Dance. 

Professionally, Lawrence has a rich background with the renowned modern dance company, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble. He has further showcased his artistry as a guest artist in various concert dance venues, notably presenting I Walk with Spirit at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. As a prolific choreographer, he has created over 95 original works, including the off-Broadway production Separate and Equal, which earned a nomination for an AUDELCO Award for Best Choreography. 

He has contributed significantly as a guest artist, choreographer, and master teacher across numerous institutions and dance organizations, including The International Ballet Competition, Rhode Island College, Alabama State University, The University of Southern Mississippi, University of Michigan, California State University Northridge, University of Nevada Las Vegas, University of Florida, University of Northern Colorado, and West Virginia University, among many others. His impact extends to major events and festivals such as the American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive, The International Ballet Competition Dance School, National High School Dance Festival, the Alabama Dance Festival, and the International Association of Blacks in Dance. 

In the realm of scholarship, Lawrence has made notable contributions to the study of Black Dance. His achievements include authoring, co-editing, and publishing a special edition on Black Dance in the Journal of Pan African Studies, a milestone in the academic recognition of this area of dance scholarship. He currently serves on the editorial board of Siyabonana: The Journal of Africana Studies and was honored with The University of Alabama’s President’s Faculty Research Award for a Mid-Career Scholar, recognizing his impact on scholarly discourse in dance.

Degrees:

• MFA, Dance, Florida State University
• BFA, Dance, The University of Southern Mississippi