Celebrating 10 years of excellence in dance

A decade of setting a legacy in motion. Check back for more updates and information about our 10th anniversary year celebration.

The impact of USC Kaufman over the last ten years has been felt here in Los Angeles and in communities across the country and the world. Our 10th anniversary year celebration is an opportunity for us to look at the next ten years and ask ourselves who we want to be. It’s also a chance to celebrate Glorya Kaufman, our founder, who has been instrumental in shaping the landscape of the dance field. It will be a moment to look back and also look ahead.

From Dean Julia M. Ritter

Dr. Julia M. Ritter

How Our Mission Has Grown

Since 2015, USC Kaufman has transformed the lives of hundreds of Dance majors and minors and introduced thousands of students to dance as a discipline for cultivating artistry, knowledge, health, and wellness. Kaufman graduates are transforming the field; BFA alumni perform with renowned national and international dance companies, share the stage with superstars like Beyonce and Lady Gaga, win prestigious honors like the Princess Grace Award, and choreograph for multi-million-dollar advertising campaigns. Other graduates leverage their dance literacy to lead successful careers as filmmakers, entrepreneurs, engineers, and health professionals.

As we approach our tenth-anniversary celebration in 2025, we are mindful that the dance landscape here in Los Angeles and beyond is changing in fast and exciting ways.

Kaufman trains the next generation of artists through our distinct model of conservatory-style training focusing on hybridity and the invention of new paradigms for experimentation and discovery. Artists-in-Residence regularly join the faculty and enrich the dimensions of our creative community committed to the highest levels of artistic accomplishment and new knowledge creation through embodied practices. Paired with the academic excellence at the University of Southern California—a powerhouse for interdisciplinary research—the Kaufman School delivers exceptional and unparalleled dance education to all students.

Kaufman stands poised at the cusp of an incredible trajectory of growth. We could not be more excited for what is to come and to share this next phase of our journey with our community and supporters.