A reflective exploration of how dance serves as a powerful tool for leadership, connection, and community engagement. This article traces a career dedicated to mentorship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and creating transformative artistic experiences beyond traditional performance spaces.
Influential Woman · Higher Ed Performing Arts
Christa Oliver
Associate Teaching Professor, Director of the Panoramic Dance Project, NC State University
Raleigh, NC
2026Years experience
1Article published
2Awards received
Her Story
About Christa
Christa Oliver serves as Associate Teaching Professor and Director of the Panoramic Dance Project at NC State University, a role she has held for three years following eleven years teaching in the Department of Theater and Dance and musical theater program at Texas State University. With well over twenty years in the field of higher education performing arts, she focuses on choreography and creating works that tell stories reflecting society, including pieces addressing issues at the Texas-Mexico border and collaborations with poets and composers on themes of social justice. Oliver began her training at the University of Akron, where she received the Freshman of the Year award, then studied at Trinity Laban Conservatory of Music and Dance in London, earning a master's degree and touring Europe with Transitions Dance Company. She later danced with the Lula Washington Dance Company in Los Angeles, performed in Avatar, and served as dance captain for the national tour of The Color Purple. Her honors include the Provost High Impact Experiential Learning Award, and she attributes her success to her faith, hard work, upbringing, parents, and support system. Oliver advises staying focused on one's own assignment and remaining open-minded to diverse dance styles.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Christa
01What do you attribute your success to?
My success is tied to how I was brought up to always put God first, hard work, my faith, my parents, and a good support system that keeps me grounded and disciplined.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Stay focused on your assignment and what you are called to do. Do not compete with someone else's assignment because they are called to do something different. Remember your assignment and do not get caught up in the noise.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Stay as open-minded as possible and take as many styles as possible. Be inclusive of different techniques like hip-hop, jazz, and others in auditions and training, not just ballet and modern, because that represents more people.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Challenges include typecasting of Black dancers, limited exposure to dance history in the U.S., lack of representation, and biases like flat feet or body type comments. Opportunities are improving with more diverse styles and artists being included.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Christa
Leading Through Movement: How Dance Creates Connection, Community, and Opportunity
Discovering Leadership, Connection, and Artistic Growth Through a Career in Dance and Community Engagement
The Power of Movement: Leadership, Connection, and Creating Pathways Through Dance
When I reflect on my journey in dance, I often return to one belief that has guided me throughout my career: movement has the power to connect people. Dance is not only about performance; it is about communication, storytelling, collaboration, and creating opportunities for people to see themselves and one another in new ways.
I have been blessed to experience dance from many perspectives throughout my career as a performer, choreographer, and educator. Each chapter has shaped my understanding of leadership and reinforced my belief that true leadership is about creating spaces where others can discover their voices, develop their talents, and recognize their own potential.
My Professional Journey as a Performer
My professional journey as a performer taught me the value of discipline, adaptability, and collaboration. I have had the opportunity to work with accomplished choreographers, perform in professional settings, serve as dance captain for the national tour of The Color Purple, and be cast in films including Avatar and Crazy on the Outside.
These experiences strengthened my understanding of the artistic process and showed me that meaningful work is built through preparation, trust, commitment, and the ability to contribute to a shared vision.
Education and Mentorship
Those experiences continue to influence my work as an educator and choreographer. Before joining North Carolina State University, I spent eleven years as a faculty member at Texas State University. During that time, I developed my approach to teaching and mentorship, learning that education is about much more than technical training. The greatest reward is helping students discover their confidence, creativity, and the unique perspectives they bring to the world.
Today, I serve as an Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Performing Arts and Technology at NC State and as the Director of the Panoramic Dance Project. Through this program, I have the opportunity to mentor students while creating experiences that connect artistic practice with professional preparation, collaboration, and community engagement.
The impact of this work was recognized through NC State's Provost's Award for High-Impact Experiential Learning. This recognition was especially meaningful because it affirmed the importance of providing students with transformative experiences that extend beyond the classroom and rehearsal space.
Through the Panoramic Dance Project, students learn not only how to perform, but also how to collaborate, lead, communicate, and contribute as artists within their communities.
Dance Beyond Traditional Performance Spaces
One of the most rewarding parts of my work at NC State has been creating opportunities for dance to engage with audiences beyond traditional performance spaces. I believe the arts become more powerful when they are accessible, collaborative, and connected to the world around us.
Through collaborations with the North Carolina Museum of Art, I have explored the relationship between movement and visual art. Creating work inspired by the museum's exhibitions and collections has allowed dance to enter into conversation with other forms of artistic expression.
My collaboration connected to Paul Cocksedge's Please Be Seated—North Carolina installation invited audiences to experience movement within a public artwork designed to encourage gathering and connection. My work inspired by the Rodin collection explored the relationship between sculpture and the human body, examining how stillness, form, and movement can speak to one another.
My collaborations with organizations such as the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and the North Carolina Dance Festival have further expanded my understanding of how dance can reach diverse audiences and create meaningful community experiences. These partnerships demonstrate that the arts have the ability to connect disciplines, institutions, and people.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Interdisciplinary collaboration has become a defining part of my artistic practice. At NC State, I have been grateful for opportunities to collaborate across fields, including projects that connect dance with design, textiles, poetry, and other creative disciplines.
These experiences continue to remind me that some of the most innovative ideas emerge when different perspectives come together.
My artistic work has also created opportunities for broader cultural conversations. I was blessed to present at Duke University's Center for African and African American Diaspora (CADD) alongside North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green and Dr. Kristi Johnson.
This experience allowed me to engage in meaningful conversations about creativity, identity, storytelling, and the role of the arts in understanding our shared human experiences.
I have also been honored to participate as a Mellon Fellow with the Mellon School of Theater and Performance Research at Harvard University. This experience allowed me to connect with artists and practitioners exploring the many ways performance can create dialogue, inspire reflection, and engage communities.
Choreographic Work and Publication
My choreographic work has also been shared through publication. Several of my works have been featured in The Dancer-Citizen, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to socially engaged dance.
Through these publications, I have been able to share my creative process and explore how choreography can address meaningful human experiences. Works such as Posture of the Heart and From the Pulpit to the Theatre: Dance as Ministry reflect my commitment to exploring themes of resilience, faith, identity, community, and human connection through movement.
My work as a choreographer continues to expand across concert dance, education, and theatre. Most recently, I choreographed the regional premiere of Sally & Tom at ZACH Theatre, a play by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks.
This experience allowed me to continue exploring how movement can support storytelling and deepen the connection between performers and audiences.
Leadership and Creating Pathways for Others
Throughout my career, I have learned that leadership is not measured only by individual accomplishments. It is measured by the opportunities we create for others. It is reflected in the students we mentor, the communities we serve, and the collaborations we build.
I have been blessed by mentors, colleagues, collaborators, and students who have shaped my journey and encouraged me along the way. Their support has influenced how I approach my own role as a mentor and leader.
I believe it is our responsibility to create pathways for others and help the next generation discover what is possible.
As women leaders, we have the ability to influence our communities through creativity, collaboration, and vision. The impact we make extends beyond ourselves. It lives in the people we inspire, the ideas we share, and the spaces we create for others to grow.
Dance has given me a lifelong opportunity to learn, create, and connect. I remain grateful for every person who has been part of this journey, and I look forward to continuing to build bridges through movement, creativity, and community.
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