Barbara Selinger, choreographer, performer and artist/educator, is the Artistic Director of DDCdances, a company she co-founded in 1980. She has been choreographing and performing since 1973, and has created more than 100 major works for DDCdances and other dance companies. Barbara is the only Michigan dance artist awarded six Creative Artist Grants from the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs to create, perform and produce both her solo works and group pieces. Her choreography, celebrated for its humanity and ability to stimulate the senses through visually striking images, has been presented in concerts and performance demonstrations throughout the state of Michigan and in Detroit, Chicago, New York City. Her highly acclaimed multi-media choreography was premiered in the Toronto Fringe Festival. Barbara has more than 25 years experience in higher education where she mentors many young students pursuing a career in the arts. She also conducts numerous classes and workshops in schools K-12, specializing in interdisciplinary arts projects. Her academic achievements include a Masters in Education in Dance from Wayne State University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Anna Maria College. She has been awarded the prestigious Arts Achievement and Dance Alumni Awards from Wayne State University and Teacher of the Year Award from the Michigan Dance Association, Youth Arts Festival, and in 2005 was selected as one of 3 artists for the Governor’s People’s Choice Award for outstanding MI artist. She has been honored by the cities of Farmington/Farmington Hills and Dearborn for her artistry and commitment to community arts programming. Class for students runs from 12:10-2 PM. Public welcome to observe the class. Each session features a different guest artist who teaches a master class and sections from their repertory—this panorama of the contemporary dance field is presented to broaden the student’s awareness of what career possibilities are out there. The guest artist conducts a 30-minute technique class/warm-up and then teaches repertory that is performed by the class. In the final 15-20 minutes faculty coordinator Bill De Young conducts a Q and A interviewing each guest artist about their career and what recommendations they have about the transition from student to professional and what they look for when they audition dancers for their projects.