Payton Choreographic Award

Faculty and friends of the Department of Dance at SUNY Brockport established the Payton Choreographic Award to honor emeritus faculty member James A. Payton by recognizing an exceptional dance student at the College who demonstrates ability and potential for a career in choreography.

Mr. Payton joined Brockport’s Department of Dance faculty in 1969. He had begun his professional career in 1957 at the Juilliard School of Music, dancing for both the Juilliard Dance Theater and the Jose Limon Company. He made his Broadway debut in 1963 as a member of the original cast of “Ulysses in Night Town.” He earned a bachelor’s degree from Bennington College and a master’s degree from The Ohio State University.

At Brockport, Mr. Payton was an associate professor, and director of the resident dance company and for DANSCORE, contemporary work choreographed and directed by faculty and danced by advanced student dancers. Founded in 1985, DANSCORE performances annually take place each fall on campus. Touring DANSCORE performances have taken place throughout New York State, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and at the National American College Dance Festival.

Mr. Payton was named associate professor emeritus after his retirement in 2002.

Applicants who qualify for the Payton Choreographic Award must be full-time students, who are enrolled in the Department of Dance and have an overall GPA of at least 3.0. Applicants must have completed at least one semester of the choreography dance sequences, have support of full-time choreography faculty, and continue enrollment at Brockport for at least one semester after receiving the award.