Thomas Moore ’13 finds his voice through dance
"My dance degree showed me that I had a voice and it also helped me discover that I had something to say.”
April 25, 2016
Thomas Moore ’13 originally attended Towson University to pursue a dual-degree in
music education and pre-med.
Little did he know, an elective in Vincent Thomas’s Movement for Men class would change the course of his life.
“I fell absolutely in love with the class. As a dance major, I learned more than just technique, I learned about life,” said Moore. “Dance taught me that, similar to life, the amount of hard work you put into something has a direct impact on your results.”
Moore is one of the featured choreographers for “Unearthed,” the Towson University Dance Company Spring 2016 concert that runs April 30, May 1, May 7 and 8 in Stephens Hall Theatre.
“Unearthed” presents a collection of dances of the human experience, including Moore’s Feed, which illuminates something that is inside all of us, whether it is just a desperate flicker or a beaming light. Additional works include Untitled by Linda-Denis Fisher-Harrell, Leavetaking by Susan Mann, Handel Suite by Runqiao Du and the Men’s Repertory Class and Baltimore County Public School Men’s Ensemble choreographed by Vincent E. Thomas.
Moore, who graduated with a BFA in dance performance and a BA in mass communication: journalism and new media, learned more than just technique.
“I learned about life. Being a dance major was not a cake walk by any means," he continued. "There were blisters, floor burns, perpetual soreness, injuries, moments of doubt and tears. Dance makes you look in the mirror and ask yourself, 'What are you willing to do to make this happen?'”
Since graduating, Moore has worked with numerous artists and choreographers, apprenticed with Dissonance Dance Theatre in Washington, D.C.; was a guest artist with Sarah Ewing & Dancers; taught master classes at colleges and universities and local dance studios intensives; choreographed and performed at international dance festivals in New York, Baltimore and D.C.; and became a company member with Christopher K. Morgan & Artists.
As an alumnus Moore considers his return to the TU Dance Company “an honor and blessing.”
“My TU dance degree showed me the beauty of being open-minded and leading with an open heart," Moore concluded. "Being physically and mentally available has allowed me to meet some many amazing people like expert teachers, international choreographers and dancers, brilliant videographers and lighting designers, world-renowned composers and the list goes on. My dance degree showed me that I had a voice and it also helped me discover that I had something to say.”
For tickets to the Towson University Dance Company performances, visit tuboxoffice.com.