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Home › Alumni Stories › Amanda Malek-Ahmadi

Amanda Malek-Ahmadi

Wight Noise Dance Company Member & Picture Book Author
Alumni, Dance Minor, 2003

What I've Been Up To

After attending UA I became and Elementary School Teacher and danced for POWERNOW LLC, in Mesa. My second year teaching I taught dance at Higley High School. I continued to dance with POWERNOW LLC until my husband and I moved to Florida in 2006. While in Florida I taught Middle School Dance and in our final year I taught Elementary School Dance at a Magnet School.

While living in Tampa in 2008 I was a Special Events Dancer for Busch Gardens, Tampa. Special pieces were created for the opening of Jungala. We performed at Tampa Bay Ray games, a travel agents convention, the Annual Gala, and for the first month that Jungala opened we performed as guests entered the area.

Upon our return to Arizona, I taught at valley dance studios and taught at different points, Ballet, Jazz, Modern, and Zumba for Paradise Valley Community College. For 8 years I was a member of Frances Cohen's second company CDE2, dancing in Snow Queen productions and American Voices. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to dance a solo titled, "Motherdance" by Fran in 2012 which she had me reprise in 2015. Two years ago I became a member of Wight Noise Dance Company in Peoria, AZ under the direction of Rachel Wight (currently, I am on hiatus due to COVID-19). She has created an annual dance festival for the West Valley that takes place in March, and puts on one company show in October. We also perform at the Las Vegas Dance in the Desert Festival.

This year I also became a debut picture book author with "10 Ballet Dancers" release on October 13, 2020.

How UA Dance inspired and/or impacted me as an individual

UA Dance holds so many wonderful memories for me. I am grateful for the opportunities that I had there. My junior year I had the honor of getting to choreograph for the UA Dance Fest for the high school students. That year I was also an understudy for Dr. John Wilson's final piece. My senior year I participated in Bruce Taylor's doctoral project, with part of the choreography set by Sam Watson and other portions by Claire Hancock. Attending what was then "JazznAZ" as a college student was a memorable experience, learning from Mia Michaels and many other greats. In 2005 I brought my high school dance students to the program so that they could have a similar impactful experience. They loved Sam Watson's choreography to, "This is How a Heart Breaks," by Rob Thomas. In 2009 I returned after living in Florida for three years and attended the Arizona Jazz Dance Showcase. I was 8 months pregnant at the time with our first born, son. I was fortunate to get to dance with Ann Reinking that year and also had a wonderful experience in Richard Havey's class. UA Dance is a place that I will always call home. I look forward to when I can return to a Showcase weekend. We just had a daughter this year, maybe she will be a dancer and I will get to bring her someday!

The training I received at UA Dance was phenomenal. The opportunities I was given to audition for faculty pieces and for guests helped with auditions I encountered throughout my career. UA Dance is an integral part in my life long journey as a student, performer, choreographer and teacher of dance.

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    • 2024-25 Season Ticket Package – On Sale Now!
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  • People
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All photos by Ed Flores featuring UA Dance Ensemble members unless otherwise noted.

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