Photo Credit: Mike Esperanza
Tisch Dance Alumni, Daniel Padierna, MFA Class of 2020, has been appointed Assistant Professor of Dance at Adelphi University in Garden City, NY. He will join the Department of Dance (@audancedept) in the Fall of 2025. This new phase represents an exciting transition into a historically significant institution dedicated to dance education and artistic excellence. Padierna is honored to be a part of a legacy that has shaped generations of performers and educators, and he is eager to contribute to the university's thriving culture of innovation, rigor, and creative exploration.
This appointment comes after five transformative years at Shenandoah Conservatory (@shencodance), where Padierna served as a professor of dance and played an active role in student wellness, interdisciplinary collaboration, and curriculum development. During his time there, Padierna served as the Programs Director for Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance (@earlmosley_diversityofdance), where he championed inclusive programming and access to quality dance education. He represented Shenandoah on the Board of Directors for the American College Dance Association, fostering national dialogue around student engagement and equity in the field. Internationally, Padierna has taught in several cities across Japan as part of the Dance International Program led by Keiko Voltaire, further deepening his commitment to global exchange in dance education. He continues to choreograph and teach at several schools and institutions, advocating for choreographic diversity and cultivating new voices in the field.
Shenandoah has impacted Padierna not only as an educator, but also as a community builder, instilling the value of empathy and mentorship. In this next phase, Padierna looks forward to continuing the teachings and connections made at Shenandoah and is appreciative to the students, colleagues, and experiences that helped prepare him for this next chapter.
Follow: Instagram @danielpadierna_