'Fearlessly curious': Reflecting on the life and legacy of dance Professor Naomi Jackson
Professor Naomi Jackson, who taught in the ASU dance program for 30 years, said in an interview last year that after her cancer diagnosis in 2023, she had reflected on her roles as a dancer and scholar: “What I realize is the importance of creativity and dance as a way of maintaining humanity and agency in institutions like hospitals that largely treat everyone the same way. I will always remember dancing in the hallways and with the nurses when I could.” She died June 19. Courtesy photo
For 30 years, Professor Naomi Jackson taught in Arizona State University's dance program, touching the lives of countless students. Jackson died June 19 after a two-and-a-half-year fight with cancer, leaving a lasting impact on her family, friends, students, colleagues and the dance community.
“Naomi was a truly remarkable person,” said Robert Kaplan, ASU professor emeritus. “Her curiosity, strong ethical values, warmth, strength and humanity touched the lives of many. Her memory will live on in the hearts of those she loved and those who were fortunate enough to know her.”
Send your condolences
The School of Music, Dance and Theatre is collecting cards and notes of condolence that will be sent to the family. Please send mail to:
The Family of Naomi Jackson
C/O ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre
50 E. Gammage Parkway
Tempe, AZ 85281
Prior to joining ASU, Jackson was a faculty member at The Juilliard School and Queens College in New York. Her work focused on uplifting all voices and creating safe spaces for everyone who dances.
Her research wove together the intersections of dance and Jewish identity, the impact of technology and media on the field of dance, and the connections between dance, human rights, social justice and ethics. Through publications, presentations and community engagement, she aimed to build a more inclusive and equitable field. She directed two international conferences, one around dance and human rights and one about dance and Jewishness.
“Naomi made so many important and meaningful contributions to dance studies and dance education,” said Karen Schupp, professor of dance and associate director in the School of Music, Dance and Theatre. “Her commitment to examining social justice and ethics in dance was unwavering, and underscored all of her work as a dance educator and scholar. I am incredibly grateful for the numerous ways she has influenced my own understanding of dance, her commitment to our students, her portfolio as a dance scholar and how that shaped the field, and for her friendship.”
In a fall 2024 interview, Jackson shared how she continued to research and connect throughout her treatment.
“Since being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2023, I have had time to reflect on my various roles as a dancer, scholar and conference organizer,” she said. “What I realize is the importance of creativity and dance as a way of maintaining humanity and agency in institutions like hospitals that largely treat everyone the same way. I will always remember dancing in the hallways and with the nurses when I could.”
The author or co-author of five books, Jackson’s most recent contributions synthesized her research initiatives. “Dance and Ethics: Moving Towards a More Humane Dance Culture” examines the ethical issues within the history and field of Western theatrical dance. “The Oxford Handbook of Jewishness and Dance” celebrates the impact of Jewish identity on the dance world through the voices of scholars, performers and educators, including ASU faculty Liz Lerman and Christi Jay Wells.
“Naomi was an amazing scholar because she was fearlessly curious,” said Lerman, Institute Professor in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. “She could be blunt and her opinions were strong, but she was never frivolous with her comments nor mean-spirited. She organized a pivotal conference on Jews and Jewishness in dance held at ASU, bringing together so many people from all over the world whose life work focused on the questions she posed.
“She loved our students. She thrived in the world of dance, where she could bring her embodied knowledge together with her brilliant mind. I already miss her. We all do.”
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