University of Southern California
In 2012, Glorya collaborated with USC’s Dean Rob Cutietta and President Max Nikias to establish the Glorya Kaufman International School of Dance, in order to provide the highest caliber of young dancers from around the world with an artistic education that will help them to achieve their fullest potential. It is housed within the state-of-the-art, 54,000-square-foot gothic building with a modern interior. Glorya worked on the interior design herself and even donated her art deco chandeliers that she purchased from a nightclub called Moonlight Tango. These beautiful chandeliers were originally a brass color, but with Glorya’s artistic vision she had them recolored to silver. Her perfectionism was on display on the day of installation as she was propped up on a ladder, similar to an orchestra conductor, and directed where each fixture would be strategically placed in the lobby of USC Glorya Kaufman International School of Dance.
USC Kaufman fosters artistic, intellectual, and personal growth for its students, and has become one of the top dance programs internationally. Yearly the school receives between 500-600 applicants a term, but only accepts around 25-35 students. The small number of students helps ensure the proper attention is given to each of them. “The great advantage is it is a small school located within a large university” notes Glorya. Some of the unique features of the school are its allowance in double majors for their dance students as well as the requirement to include business classes in their curriculum. These choices were made to further the growth of each student's career after graduation. Glorya has described the school in her memoirs as “a dream come true,” and she is enormously proud of the opportunity to provide scholarships in perpetuity to the program, which lift up and give opportunities to students who might not otherwise be able to attend.
