From "Prima Ballerina" to Dance Professor

From undergraduate student to new adjunct professor of dance, Griselda Dozal started teaching at Texas A&M International University in the fall of 2012. Dozal, a Laredo native, graduated in 2003 from J.W Nixon High School and was part of the dance magnet program at Vidal M. Treviño School of Communications and Fine Arts.

While in high school, aside from taking her dance curriculum classes like ballet, jazz, and other genres, Dozal was part of the school's dance drill team: "the Golden Spurs." Dozal attended TAMIU as an undergraduate student, where she obtained her bachelor's in early childhood bilingual education. Although she was not able to graduate with a minor in dance due to restrictions of her major, Dozal still took all the required courses for a minor in the dance program.

Coming from a dance background early in her life, Dozal was part of the Laredo Ballet Theatre where she was cast in choreographies such as The Nutcracker, Cinderella, and Giselle. In addition to her knowledge of dance, Dozal has attended workshops such as the American College Dance Festival, where she was exposed to modern dance, afro-jazz, contemporary ballet and other genres. She also had the opportunity to take dance classes with Dallas Black and distinguished Spanish Flamenco dancer Marco Aurelio.

Prior to her new position at TAMIU, Dozal had previously worked as a dance instructor at Dance Expressions (a private dance company), and Lollipop Day Care. In addition, Dozal had already worked as dance instructor for the Young Dance Program at TAMIU for four consecutive years.  She expressed her desire to expose the students in the dance program to a more classical technique in the ballet world and more of the contemporary lyrical, expressing their feelings through movement. She wants her student to see her classes as a way to release stress, have fun and share the passion of dance with the TAMIU community. Dozal's main focus is to have her students perform with agility and endurance while working the core and alignment. She likes to use a variety of dance techniques that vary from Martha Graham, Isadora Duncan, and others.

Dozal expressed that she has good expectations for her students stating, "trying is the key; I hope that they learn how to express their feelings through movement," just like the technique she will be teaching through the course of the year. Dozal indicated that her interest in helping the dance program at TAMIU has grown with the vision of a future bachelor's degree in dance.

(Neguif Angeles may be reached at neguif.angeles@dusty.tamiu.edu)