Dance Principal Lecturer Alvin Mayes Receives Board of Regents Faculty Award

Mayes is recognized as a scholar, educator, mentor and leader in the local dance community and beyond.

Alvin Mayes, principal lecturer of dance performance and scholarship in the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies (TDPS), has been awarded a 2025 University System of Maryland Board of Regents Faculty Award—the highest honor presented by the board to exemplary faculty members. Mayes’ award, for excellence in creative activity, recognizes his accomplishments as a scholar, educator, mentor and leader in the local dance community and beyond. 

“I am thrilled,” Mayes said. “It is a statement about the work that all of TDPS is doing here at the university and in the community.” 

An award-winning educator, dancer and choreographer, Mayes has taught dance at the University of Maryland for four decades, as well as at organizations across the state, influencing thousands of young dancers. His areas of expertise include modern dance, partnering, choreography, performance coaching, ballet, voice and music composition.

"Alvin is a brilliant scholar-artist, dedicated mentor and transformative force in the world of dance," said ARHU Dean Stephanie Shonekan. "His contributions resonate across campus and around the globe, and we are proud to have him as a vital member of our faculty."

In 2023, Mayes won a Living Legacy Award from the Maryland Dance Education Association, recognizing an individual’s body of work and their significant contributions to the field of dance education in the state of Maryland.

In addition to Mayes, four other faculty across the USM system were awarded earlier this month by the Board of Regents for distinguished performance in the categories of teaching; scholarship or research; public service; and mentoring. 

Read more about Mayes’ accolades and the breadth of his work. 

Photo provided by Katrina Groth.