Dance Faculty

Duane Lee Holland Jr. began his professional dance career at the age of 17, dancing for Hip-Hop theater dance company, Rennie Harris Puremovement (RHPM); he was later named Assistant Artistic Director of the company. He received his Master of Fine Arts in Dance (Magna Cum Laude), with a focus in Choreography, from the University of Iowa.

Ann Biddle has been a dance educator, staff developer, curriculum consultant, writer, and choreographer for the past 30 years. In addition to teaching with UMass Amherst’s Dance Program, she is currently the Director of the Dance Education Laboratory (DEL) Institute for Professional Learning and Advancement and the Director of DEL at Jacob’s Pillow.

Michele Byrd-McPhee is a tenure-track Assistant Professor for the Dance Program of the UMass Amherst Department of Music and Dance, beginning in January, 2025.

Lauren Cox spent most of her adolescence as a highly competitive Rhythmic Gymnast, eventually achieving 20th in the nation. Her training is the sum of her travels ranging from Jazz to Haitian Cultural Dances, Hip-Hop and Social Dances, Samba, Modern, Contemporary, Improvisation, Singing and Acting. She is a published poet and storyteller who delivered a TEDx talk in 2018.

Molly Fletcher Lynch-Clark is a professional choreographer, performer and professor of dance based in Western Massachusetts. She is currently on faculty at UMass Amherst and Keene State College where she teaches modern dance technique, experiential anatomy, composition and research studies.

Mary Ann Mayer (MFA ‘22, The University of Oklahoma) teaches ballet and related courses as well as composition, ballet history and a personally designed course titled Accessing Creativity through Collaboration.

Thomas Vacanti (BS in Dance, Skidmore College ‘02. MFA in Dance, Smith College ’04) is Professor of Ballet and Director of the Dance Program at UMass Amherst. In 2012, Tom received one of UMass Amherst’s highest honors, The Distinguished Teaching Award.