Carol N. Shiffman is a well-respected member of the national arts community, with a career spanning work as a dancer, choreographer, dance company Artistic Director, arts educator, multidisciplinary arts center Executive Director, arts college Department Chair, and senior staff at a state Arts Council. While dance has always been at the heart of her work, she has also worked in music and multidisciplinary presenting and producing.

A native of New York, Ms. Shiffman’s love for dancing began at the Henry Street Settlement House and the Queens Youth Centers for the Arts. She studied dance with the Alwin Nikolais, Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, Jose Limon and Bella Lewitzky companies. She earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Rochester, studied and performed in Paris, and founded Momentum Dance Company in Los Angeles after studying in the graduate dance program at UCLA.

As Artistic Director of Momentum Dance Company, Shiffman developed a teaching and performing studio, touring company and multidisciplinary arts center. She also taught at a number of colleges throughout southern California for over 10 years before taking a senior staff position at the statewide California Arts Council.

There she developed grants programs for artists and arts organizations of all disciplines working in schools, communities and institutions; created new arts education programs; and developed an innovative artist fellowship program. Her programs were in many cases national models, and she was active with many state and national arts funding agencies.

Shiffman left the California Arts Council to spend six years as Executive Director of Centrum, a multidisciplinary arts organization in Washington State. She oversaw the growth of an artists’ residency program, a series of arts education programs, plus workshops, performances and festivals, presenting over 300 events annually.

Ms. Shiffman joined Purchase College after three years as the Chair of the Department of Music at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, where she worked closely with 140 students and 33 faculty members, curated and expanded the performing series, increased community partnerships, and provided new performance opportunities for the students.

Interdisciplinary exploration and collaboration have always been integral to Shiffman’s work. Her insistence on excellence extends from her passion for profound teaching and learning, to her aesthetics in choreography, and to all aspects of arts presenting. She has a strong personal imperative to contribute to the growth of the next generation of aspiring artists.

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