Photo by Julie Prisloe
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Biography:Nancy Kane, Ph.D., is a movement scholar, educator, and choreographer whose work integrates dance studies, sport philosophy, and the cultural history of physical education. Her scholarship explores the intellectual, ethical, and historical dimensions of movement practices across disciplines.
She is the author of History and Philosophy of Physical Education and Sport and has contributed chapters and essays to edited volumes and journals addressing equestrian traditions, Jewish physical education history, diversity and equity in dance, and ethical questions in sport. Her work appears in publications such as Philosophy of Mixed Martial Arts: Squaring the Octagon (Routledge), Do Cavalo/On Horses/Del Caballo (Editora Dialética, 2024), Do Desporto | On Sports: Theoria vs Praxis (2024), and the National Dance Society Journal. |
Dr. Kane is a doctoral candidate in Sports and Recreation at the University of Wolverhampton (UK), where her dissertation examines the impact of contemporary U.S. policies on the social, emotional, psychological, and physical well-being of transgender and nonbinary athletes and dancers. Her research bridges philosophy of sport, movement studies, and gender scholarship, contributing to emerging conversations on inclusivity and embodiment in athletic and artistic communities.
Dr. Kane’s work has been recognized with multiple professional and academic awards. She received the Fayez Samuel Award from United University Professions of New York State (2013) for courageous service in support of the SUNY Cortland LGBTQ+ community. In 2021 she was honored with the Dance Scholar Award by the National Dance Society, and in 2022 she received the Award for Excellence in Teaching from the State University of New York College at Cortland. In 2024 she was presented with the Legacy Award from the National Dance Society, the organization’s highest honor for lifetime contribution to the field.
She holds New York State accreditation in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice (DEISJ), with distinction, reflecting her sustained commitment to inclusive pedagogy and institutional equity work.
A two-time National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminar Scholar, Dr. Kane has conducted advanced archival research in early modern European performance culture and physical education history in Rome and St. Louis. These competitive national appointments supported her work on Renaissance and Baroque court dance, Jesuit ballet, and the intellectual history of movement practices.
She earned her Ph.D. in Dance Education and Administration for Higher Education from New York University, an M.S. in Exercise Science from the State University of New York College at Cortland, an M.A. in Dance Studies at the Laban Centre (now Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London), and holds a B.F.A in Dance from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Dr. Kane’s work has been recognized with multiple professional and academic awards. She received the Fayez Samuel Award from United University Professions of New York State (2013) for courageous service in support of the SUNY Cortland LGBTQ+ community. In 2021 she was honored with the Dance Scholar Award by the National Dance Society, and in 2022 she received the Award for Excellence in Teaching from the State University of New York College at Cortland. In 2024 she was presented with the Legacy Award from the National Dance Society, the organization’s highest honor for lifetime contribution to the field.
She holds New York State accreditation in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice (DEISJ), with distinction, reflecting her sustained commitment to inclusive pedagogy and institutional equity work.
A two-time National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminar Scholar, Dr. Kane has conducted advanced archival research in early modern European performance culture and physical education history in Rome and St. Louis. These competitive national appointments supported her work on Renaissance and Baroque court dance, Jesuit ballet, and the intellectual history of movement practices.
She earned her Ph.D. in Dance Education and Administration for Higher Education from New York University, an M.S. in Exercise Science from the State University of New York College at Cortland, an M.A. in Dance Studies at the Laban Centre (now Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London), and holds a B.F.A in Dance from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
