Tamara Williams’ Exceptionalism Gets Her Charlotte Faculty Award

Tamara Williams, associate professor of dance, is the 2024 recipient of the Faculty International Education Award.

Presented annually by the Office of International Programs to a faculty or staff member who has demonstrated exceptional contributions to global learning and international outreach, this award honors Williams for her groundbreaking work in bringing global perspectives into the classroom, advancing cultural understanding and creating opportunities for community engagement through the dance traditions of the African diaspora.

Williams, a native of Augusta, Georgia, has spent much of her life immersed in the study and practice of African diaspora dance forms. Her academic and professional career spans the globe, with experiences that include performing and teaching across various cultural contexts in Brazil, Trinidad, Cuba and several countries in West Africa. Through her research and teaching, Williams emphasizes the importance of intercultural exchange, which she believes is vital to her work as a dancer, teacher, and community artist. 

“Engaging with different cultures enriches my creative practice and allows me to share a fuller range of movement traditions with students,” she said. “International education provides transformative experiences that connect students not just to techniques, but to histories, cultures, and communities that are foundational to civic responsibility. This exposure helps students cultivate empathy, expand their creative vocabulary, and foster a broader worldview — skills that are essential both in the arts and in navigating an increasingly interconnected world.”

Read the entire story on the College of Arts + Architecture website at https://coaa.charlotte.edu/2024/11/18/dance-professor-receives-international-education-award/.