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Jessica Erin Ray is an Instructional Associate Professor of History at Texas A&M University, where she joined in 2020. Her teaching and research focus on cultural history, particularly popular culture and dance. With extensive experience in performing, choreographing, and teaching dance, she explores how embodied practices can both reveal long-established cultural traditions and hold the potential for immediate change. Ray's recent work includes contributions to literary works such as 'Voice Wings: Ann Barzel Twentieth Century Dance Writing' and a chapter in 'Dance Popular Culture' published by Routledge in 2023. She has upcoming publications exploring the legacies of dance at Chicago's 1893 World's Fair, the interplay between dance and settlement houses in Chicago from 1889 to 1939, and a redesign of the U.S. History survey course at Texas A&M University aimed at enhancing student success. In addition to her academic responsibilities, she serves as the Associate Director of the Melbern G. Glasscock Center for Humanities Research, where she oversees undergraduate humanities research initiatives, and acts as an artistic advisor for the Houston-based Social Movement Contemporary Dance Theater.
Department: Department of Communication and Journalism. Ph.D. program only currently admitting. GRE is test-optional.