Todd Shanks

Todd Shanks is a dance educator, choreographer, and academic leader whose work bridges the worlds of professional dance and higher education. With more than two decades of experience in the field, his career spans concert and commercial performance, choreography, teaching, and the development of educational programs that prepare dancers for sustainable professional careers. Shanks currently serves as Associate Professor of Dance and Program Coordinator for the Palladino School of Dance at Dean College in Franklin, Massachusetts, where he develops curriculum focused on career readiness, entrepreneurship, and professional practice in the dance industry. His teaching and mentorship emphasize the transition from student to professional artist, helping dancers cultivate the technical, creative, and professional skills required for success. Before entering higher education, Shanks built a multifaceted career as a performer and choreographer working across television, commercial media, and live performance. His performance credits include appearances on The Electric Company, The View, and Good Day NY, as well as national campaigns and industrial projects for companies including Ford Motors, Volvo, Wrigley’s, Kimberly Clark, and Paramount Pictures. His choreographic work has been featured in commercial media, including a BIC Soleil Razors campaign and the opening number for Stars, Stripes and Skates starring three-time U.S. national champion Johnny Weir. His work has also appeared on major broadcast outlets including ABC Nightly News, MSG Network, NY1, and CW11. Shanks spent more than a decade on faculty at Steps on Broadway in New York City and has taught master classes and residencies at universities and institutions including the University of Florida, SUNY Brockport, Boston University, Skidmore College, the Ailey Extension, Ballet Hispanico, and UMass Lowell. Through this work he has become a nationally recognized educator in jazz and tap pedagogy, mentoring dancers and teachers across the United States. In addition to his academic work, Shanks plays an active role in shaping dance education nationally. He serves as Education Director and for Dance Educators of America and as Jazz faculty for Dance Teachers Club of Boston’s Dance Education Training Course, where he develops teacher training initiatives and educational programming that supports dance educators and studio communities across the country. His scholarly and professional engagement includes presenting research at the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science annual conference and serving as an adjudicator for the American College Dance Association. Across his work as an artist, educator, and administrator, Shanks is committed to building meaningful connections between academic training and the professional dance field. His teaching, choreography, and leadership focus on preparing the next generation of dancers, educators, and creative leaders.

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