Amanda Whitworth is a teaching artist residing in central New Hampshire, USA, with a passion for interdisciplinary collaboration and networking. Named one of the state’s “40 Under 40” most impactful people in 2019, she continues to work as a performer of dance and physical theatre with choreographers and organizations both nationally and internationally. Ms. Whitworth is committed to diversifying her work and collaborates with partners on large-scale projects. Work samples and links are available on her website: www.tributarydance.com
As the Director of Dance at Plymouth State University, Ms. Whitworth has moved the curriculum toward interdisciplinary thinking and collaborative performances. Highly unique in academia, the “Dance Entrepreneurship” degree concentration/track has spearheaded networks of growth, service and advocacy across New England through innovative partnerships with on and off campus constituents including Canterbury Shaker Village, Art Front- Manchester, Pemi Arts Region Community Group, Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire and Voices Against Violence to name a few.
Deeply passionate about the visibility and equity of dance across northern New England, Whitworth and a team of dance professionals founded the New Hampshire Dance Alliance, 501(c)(3) in 2015. In her term as President, the NHDA played instrumental roles in revising the NH State Curricular Standards for Dance Education with the Department of Education, raised a voice for dance in the creative economy at the State House and Legislative round table sessions, and provided networking and professional development opportunities for dance educators and artists across private and public sectors. NHDA unveiled a public website with a statewide community calendar and a free repository of resources for dance educators, performers and enthusiasts at: www.newhampshiredancealliance.com.
Whitworth sustains a deep artistic practice and feels that the rigor embedded in the process of creating and performing art is at the core of all her endeavors. A sought after master teacher, choreographer and performer, she continues to work locally and abroad in works of dance, theatre, film and physical theatre. In the past decade, Whitworth, under the alias of Tributary Dance, has focused on collaborative and innovative projects that bring together thinkers from opposing disciplines. Projects have infused dance into technology, design, 2D and 3D visual art, science, business, and public schools and beyond.
In the upcoming year, Whitworth along with colleague C. Robin Marcotte, MFA (actor) and partner Bobby Kelly, MD will pilot a “healing arts” program in New Hampshire’s seacoast region. Bringing doctors and artists together to build healing curriculum and client services, the budding company, ARTicine, will be the first of its kind in New England, USA, to put medical providers and artists side-by-side in a room to facilitate group visits for the aging community.