Kari Williams

Kari Williams has had the privilege of a thriving career in dance education for more than 25 years. She holds a Master of Arts in Dance Education from New York University (NYU) Steinhardt, and a second Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Sacred Heart University. She has also completed extensive doctoral coursework toward an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and is currently engaged in scholarly writing exploring The Choreography of Human Flourishing, Embodied Leadership in Dance Education, and Cultivating Artistic Identity in Dance Education.

Her teaching experience spans K–12, higher education, recreational and pre-professional training programs, national dance conventions, and professional dance settings. As a guest artist and master teacher, she has taught throughout the United States and abroad, including in Italy, the United Kingdom, and Denmark.

From 2016 to 2025, Ms. Williams served as Director of Dance at Sacred Heart University (SHU), where she established and developed the SHU Performing Arts Dance Program from the ground up. Under her leadership, the program gained national and international recognition, becoming one of the largest collegiate dance programs in the nation, serving over 450 students annually and attracting more than 100 new students to the program each year.

As Adjunct Faculty of Dance at both Sacred Heart University, and Wagner College, Ms. Williams has created and delivered courses in Dance History, Social Issues Through Dance, Ballet, Jazz, Musical Theatre Dance, Dance Composition, Somatic Practices in Dance Pedagogy, Modern, Contemporary Dance, and World Jazz Dance Culture, Composition, and Pedagogy.

An award-winning choreographer, Ms. Williams has earned multiple international honors at the World Dance Movement International Dance Competition in Italy, where her work competed against submissions representing more than 30 countries from 2022–2024. These accolades include a First-Place Choreography Award in the Senior Contemporary Solo category for You'll Never Walk Alone, a Second-Place Choreography Award in the Senior Contemporary Duet category for Lucid, and a First-Place Choreography Award in the Senior Dance Film category for Catharsis. Her choreography has also been presented in concert, film, and interdisciplinary performance settings.

Ms. Williams' creative practice is rooted in collaboration, innovation, and the belief that dance has the power to inspire connection, growth, and transformation. Her work is driven by a commitment to inspiring students, artists, communities, and colleagues alike to engage deeply in the creative process while cultivating the support systems that empower individuals to pursue their unique goals.