  Karen Zissoff received her degree in dance from York U. in Toronto, Canada;
she has her Teaching Certificate, Teaching Diploma & Life Membership with the international Royal
Academy of Dance. Her training has been with several prominent teachers from Canada, Europe and
the US. Ms. Zissoff has received several scholarships, such as a Banff School of Fine Arts, Canada
Council Grant, Tenn. Arts Commission Dance Award and in 2009 the Judith Woodruff Professional
Development Award. She has danced and set choreographic works with Memphis Classical Ballet,
Tennessee Ballet, Project: Motion, and mounted a dance production for nine musicians and dancers
at U of Memphis through the Tennessee Arts Commission Grant. Her choreography won in the ballet
division from the Tenn. Assoc. of Dance 1997 Choreographic Award. From 1991- 2018. Ms. Zissoff
has been a mostly summer and one winter guest teacher at the Ottawa Dance Centre-Ottawa,
Ontario, Canada. Her teachings here have been with Arts Memphis (formerly Greater Memphis Arts
Council’s) Center for Arts In Education and the Memphis City Schools/after school progams in all
levels of elementary to high school dance programs, and the Governor’s School for the Arts. Her
residencies involve collaborations in ballet, contemporary, and creative. Former students won
scholarships at a state dance conference in 1999, Interlochen Arts Academy, Juilliard School of
Arts/New York in 2002, Virginia Commonwealth University/Richmond in 2005, and Alvin Ailey
School/New York in 2008 and 2011. Karen J. Zissoff was the Founder and Executive Artistic Director
of Dance Works from 1987-2011. In 2011-2014 became CEO/Director of Dance Scholars, Inc. Dance
Scholars, Inc. received Tennessee Arts Commission grants for guest artists to do residencies at
Dance Scholars, Inc. for classes/rehearsal/ choreography for pieces in performances. Currently
Director of Dancers, Inc. students have been examined internationally through the (RAD)Royal
Academy of Dance examinations yearly with international examiners. In March 2016 Ms. Zissoff was
written up in the Women of Distinction Magazine and all students passed their RAD examinations and
were featured on
Ch 24 TV news, where Ms. Zissoff was interview about their RAD results. Ms.
Zissoff has been teaching for over 41 years: directing performances, choreographing and teaching. |
