Jamal Story ’99 moved through the lines of dance students, correcting a step here, extending an arm there. “Dance is all in the details,” he declared.
Jamal Story works with SMU students in a contemporary dance class.
When Story spoke to the students, they listened intently – he has the career they’re still imagining. He has danced in the company of influential choreographer Donald Byrd and in a Broadway hit, and he toured the world with Madonna. Now he shares a Vegas stage with Cher. Impressive accomplishments for someone who says that, as a first-year student at SMU, “I wasn’t convinced I could be a professional dancer.”
In January the dancer-choreographer spent several days at Meadows School of the Arts, teaching contemporary dance and ballet classes, as well as offering advice during résumé-building and Q-and-A sessions with students.
Another Meadows graduate, Dana Ingraham ’02, joined him one day to help teach and answer questions. Their schedules overlapped when she was touring in The Color Purple, which played in Dallas and Fort Worth during its national run. Story, an ensemble dancer and assistant dance captain during the musical’s two-and-one-half-year run on Broadway, had just finished teaching a workshop at The Hockaday School. The two contacted Myra Woodruff, chair of SMU’s Division of Dance, who encouraged them to teach and spend time with students.
“In our mission statement for the Division of Dance, our goal is to ‘develop the disciplined, versatile dance artist through a balanced study of ballet, modern dance and jazz techniques, complemented and reinforced by a broad range of theoretical studies and performance opportunities,’” Woodruff says. “Jamal’s accomplishments in the field of dance reflect the essence of our intent. He is a disciplined, versatile dance artist.”
Story, who grew up in Los Angeles and lives in New York City, was an accomplished gymnast who started dancing as part of his training. He didn’t begin serious dance instruction until he was in his mid-teens. After high school, he wasn’t sure what his day job would be, so he looked for “a university with a strong communications program and strong dance program,” he recalled. “That’s why I chose SMU.”
Dana Ingraham puts SMU students through their paces.
Having earned Bachelor’s degrees in dance and communications from SMU, he stretches his creative muscles in both disciplines. Story is also a writer. He plans to self-publish a collection of short stories and is working on a novel about the dance world.
Teaching, however, is a relatively new direction. “I’ve been bashful about teaching; furnishing students with good, useful information is a great responsibility,” he said.
He concedes that it felt a little strange “to be on the faculty side of the equation, where I was once a student,” but ultimately relished the chance to work with students. “They were very receptive and seemed to take my advice to heart.”
Bo Pressly, a sophomore dance major and a student in the contemporary class led by Story, valued the opportunity to work with a master. “I really appreciate the exposure to his style and technique. He has the successful dance career we all dream about.”
– Patricia Ward
From Meadows School of the Arts: Chrysta Brown (B.F.A. Dance ’10) provides a first-person perspective on Jamal Story’s residency with the Meadows Dance Department … Read more.