This fall, excitement is building in Goucher’s Dance Department as resident guest artist George Staib takes the stage. Every semester, the department welcomes a new artist to mentor students, teach, and craft an original piece for the highly anticipated repertory dance concerts.
Born in Tehran, Iran, and moving to the U.S. at age ten, George Staib discovered his passion for dance at Dickinson College, where he was drawn to the rhythms and creativity of the art form. Encouraged by a professor, he pursued an MFA in Dance at Temple University. However, after facing emotional and physical challenges, George left the program to study law. Yet, his love for dance never faded, and one day, during legal research, he realized he needed to return to Temple to finish his MFA. In 2001, Staib joined Emory University’s dance faculty, teaching contemporary and ballet techniques, choreography, and a seminar on the creation and consumption of art. He served on the American College Dance Association’s executive committee for 18 years and is currently on Dance/USA’s Board of Trustees. He was recognized as one of the top five dance educators by Dance Teacher Magazine in 2014, so his work has been commissioned nationwide. Staib also contributes to ArtsATL and has received several grants for his company, staibdance, from organizations such as The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, NEA, and others.
You’re probably wondering, “But why George Staib?” I sat down with Elizabeth Ahearn, the guest artist’s rehearsal director and tenured faculty of the Goucher Dance Department. She explained that the decision to bring in a guest artist is often months, or even years, in the making. Many factors are considered when choosing a choreographer for the residency, including location, experience, diverse background, teaching style, the artist’s company, and their role in current dance trends. Before the new school year, Goucher’s Dance faculty collaborates to select the right fit. This year, George Staib stood out for his thoughtfulness, dynamic personality, highly expressive physical teaching style, as well as the insightful feedback he offers to students and cast members.
During our chat, Ahearn conveyed a sense of excitement when I asked what she looked forward to seeing from George and the student. She explained that one of the major reasons she advocated for George to come to Goucher was because of his choreographing process. Ahearn believes that if you want to pursue a career in dance or choreographing, you should be able to think about what would fit best in a piece or what would be the most comfortable for you or another dancer which is what George is proficient at.
Dancers Phoebe Harrison and Jocelyn Odom will be performing in George’s piece for the winter dance concert. I asked them to share their thoughts on working with him. Odom explains “It’s more like waiting to see where the dance takes him. I think he comes into rehearsals with some things already set, but a lot of it he kind of discovers in the process with us.” When asked what they are excited to learn from George, how his teaching style influences them, and what they have already gained from his instruction, they offered valuable insights into his unique approach to dance and mentorship. His choreographing style is described by the dancers as working on a “group project.” “He’s very interested in what the dancers bring to the choreography, not just what the dancers bring, but how they execute it. He’s going to give you a little glimpse [of what] he wants, like a little prompt, and then we’re going to create something out of it. Afterward, he’s going to shake that into what he wants the piece to be like. And whenever we’re creating, it is no more than either solo work or two or three people but what he’s been doing a lot is using those phrases that we’re making and pouring from, into a vocabulary” Harrison said.
I was able to connect with George recently and ask questions about his experience, specifically about how his teaching styles changed over time before coming to Goucher. “Teaching at Emory has shaped my work. In the classroom, I’m constantly challenged by students who bring new perspectives, and that keeps me on my toes. They ask questions that make me reconsider the choices I make as a choreographer.” Next, I asked about how it is working with his Goucher cast and if he is learning anything from them. “So much, because I learned that they are so explosive in the best way and it’s been really terrific to try to funnel that explosion into a leg or just the open torso and they’re game to go along for the ride. They’re doing stuff like I don’t normally see so they’re really taking many risks, which is fantastic”
My final question to George was “What should the people watching in the crowd expect from the piece entitled Ugly Ducklings?” He responded, “I often find even in my students, when they try to assemble a narrative I think it’s great, it helps them get through a dance, but then it also kind of puts a cap on it and then there is nothing else to do with it. Try not to figure out a storyline, try not to figure out what a dancer is doing, and why, and just let the images come by, and that’s all”.
This piece will be comprised of Aaliyah Hatcher ‘24, Sam Koseff ‘25, Tess Seibert ‘25, Nalani Brown ‘26, Lily Hickey ‘26, Brooke Goodwin ‘26, Yvonne Nguyen ‘27, Phoebe Harrison ‘27, Jocelyn Odom ‘27, Paige Fried ‘27, Tovah Oslovich ‘27, Lydia DeWitt ‘28, and Lily Perron ‘28, and they are preparing bring George’s vision to life for the winter dance concert.
While rehearsals are still in progress, there’s already a feeling of anticipation surrounding the piece. George’s presence has energized the department even more, with students eagerly embracing his approach to movement and storytelling. As the winter concert approaches, enthusiasm builds for how the performance will unfold on stage—transforming the dancers and offering the Goucher community a thought-provoking and visually captivating performance.
By Joshua Haynes, ‘27
