UMass Boston

Jazz, Modern, Musical Theatre, Composition

Danny has been choreographing UMass Boston's Theatre Department's musical since 2013, including "Urinetown", "Batboy", "I love You, Your Perfect, Now Change", and "Working: the musical" as well as the dance sequences for "Romeo and Juliet". Danny was also the Artistic Director of the 2017 "Holiday Musical Spectacular" a festive, multi-cultural holiday cabaret style show. Danny Swain earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre, Cum Laude, from Salem State University in 1996, with minors in Dance and Art. There he was awarded the Presidential Arts Scholarship for Dance – a full-tuition scholarship at Salem State University. He founded Danny Swain Dance Company in 1997 and was Artistic Director and Choreographer from 1997 – 2017 producing numerous full-length concerts, along with his Board of Directors, facilitating and coordinating all aspects of production including costuming, music, graphic design, lighting and set design. The Boston Herald described his work as "vigorous and absorbing" and "characterized by theatrical power and irony" and The Boston Globe hailed Swain's work as a "bona fide gem".

Before securing his position at UMass, Boston, he taught classes at numerous schools, colleges, and universities in the Boston area including Tufts University, Salem State University, Boston University, Community College of Rhode Island, The Boston Conservatory, St. Anselm’s College, Plymouth State College in NH and The Cambridge School of Weston. He has taught varying levels of many different styles, including Modern Dance, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Dance for Musical Theatre, Ballet, Social, Folk & Square Dance, and Jazz-Funk. He often serves as a choreographer for local theatre companies and college productions. His choreography includes such shows as "The Fantasticks", "HAIR", Jesus Christ Superstar", "The Who's Tommy", "The Rocky Horror Show", and "Gershwin/Porter: Who Could Ask For Anything More?" He is especially skilled at working with beginners and non-dancers and often volunteers his choreographic skills for local fundraisers; his choreography has been seen on the Hatch shell on the Esplanade, Marblehead Little Theatre, Massachusetts College of Art, The Dance Complex, Green Street Studios, Salem State College, Community College of RI, The Multicultural Arts Center in Cambridge, the Stadium Theatre in RI, and Seacoast Repertory Theatre in NH. Danny also self-produced "the Danny Swain Variety Hour" in which he played eight different characters and presented modern dance, musical theatre dance, and jazz-funk dances. Danny has been the recipient of the Artist Fellowship for Choreography from the Somerville Arts Council, he was commissioned to create a dance piece by Salem State University for their 150th Anniversary Celebration and in May 2006 he was produced by Salem State University’s Center for the Arts, presented by the University President.