Assistant Professor
Garfield Lemonius is a graduate of York University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance and a Bachelor of Education. Lemonius also holds his Master of Fine Arts in dance (choreographic theory and practice) from Southern Methodist University. Lemonius’ career includes performing as a principal dancer with the Dallas Black Dance Theatre touring in Europe, across the United States and Canada; the film Blues Brothers 2000; the Canadian Armed Forces show tour to Bosnia/Croatia; solo performances in Vienna, Austria; and guest artist performances with other companies across the U.S., Canada and Europe.
He has worked with notable choreographers including Robert Battle, Colin Connor, David Parsons, Bruce Wood, Charles “Chuck” Davis, Alonzo King, Donald McKayle, Troy Powell and Kevin Wynn, and has performed solo masterworks by renowned dance masters including Talley Beatty, Asadata Dafora, Jose Limon and Martha Graham.
Lemonius has served on numerous boards including The Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing Arts curriculum development and leadership committees, the North Texas Dance Council, and on panels at the annual International Association of Blacks in Dance Conference. He also wrote the dance curriculum and served as curriculum director for the Dallas Black Dance Academy.
As a sought-after master teacher, Lemonius has taught at The Debbie Allen Dance Institute Summer Intensive, Southern Methodist University, University of Oklahoma, Point Park University International Summer Dance, University of Texas in Austin, York University in Toronto, the Newtown Performing Arts High School in Sydney, Australia, and as a company teacher for the August Wilson Dance Ensemble. Lemonius continues to teach as a guest artist across the U.S. and Canada while continuing his research in choreographic theory and practice, curriculum development and instructional theory and practice. He was previously on faculty at the nationally acclaimed Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas where he taught numerous students who have been nationally recognized presidential scholars in the arts (dance).