About the Director   

As a dance educator, Paula Gorman has been teaching since she was fourteen years old and has performed professionally in many styles of dance which include: musical theater, jazz, modern dance and classical ballet.

 For nineteen years Ms. Gorman was a member of the Saint Mary’s Hall Dance Department and for the past four years was the Administrative Assistant for the   SMH Chair of Fine Arts, as well a, a dance educator. While there she choreographed all of the Upper School musicals. They included: Carnival, a Musical Revue based on the book, Saint Mary’s Hall – the First Century, Godspell and in 2007, The Fantastiks. As a classical ballet, jazz, and tap teacher she choreographed for the MS/US and Primary School dance productions.

Ms. Gorman’s professional career performances for Casa Manana in Ft.Worth and the Dallas Summer Musicals include: Can Can with Juliet Prowse, Most Happy Fella, Destry Rides Again, Kismet and On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. When performing with the Houston Dance Theater, under the direction of Patsy Swayse, she was a soloist in the ballet, Raymonda.She also performed with the David Rousseve Modern Dance Company from New York, NY. She has performed with Chita Rivera; opera star Patrice Munsel, Juliet Prowse, Patrick Swayse and many other entertainment celebrities.

After graduating high school, Ms. Gorman spent a year studying at the American School of Dance in Hollywood, Ca. before entering Texas Christian University where she performed professionally throughout her college years. Her senior year she was invited to teach classical ballet for the TCU Physical Education Department.

While living in Corpus Christi, she taught the first ballet classes offered at Del Mar College and founded a civic ballet company called, Portland Dance Theater. The company performed throughout the south Texas area and in collaboration with the Corpus Christi Concerto Ballet, under the direction of Nancy Sulik, in Cinderella and the Nutcracker. Ms. Gorman’s dance community involvement was recognized in the Corpus Christi Caller Times newspaper. She was featured as a “Doer” for her achievements in the dance field.  

For years, Paula worked with the San Antonio Symphony and Arts San Antonio as their children’s rehearsal mistress for the professional production of the Nutcracker ballet. She worked with the Ft. Worth /Dallas Ballet Company and Ballet Met from Colombus, Ohio.

Paula Gorman is the founder/director of the nationally recognized Inflight Dance Co. The mixed ability dance company (integrated wheelchair dancers and able bodied dancers) performs throughout the San Antonio area and beyond to demonstrate the importance of this unique dance art form. The company performs in such venues as: college functions and performances, medical and nursing schools, the McNay Art Museum, public libraries, rehabilitation centers, Jump Start Theater, private and public  schools and wherever they can to promote their mission that a physical disability is not a barrier in the dance art.

In 2002, the Inflight Dance Co. was featured in the opening ceremony of the International Orthopedic Surgeon Conference held in Dallas, TX. Also in 2002, they traveled to the renowned Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Mn. as the first dance company to ever perform at the clinic. Inflight’s hour long lecture-demonstration was televised throughout every medical /nursing school and every hospital room in the Mayo Clinic system.

In 2004, The Inflight Dance Co. was the subject of a National Documentary on the Hallmark television channel 53 Morning TV show. The segment was called, Being Your Authentic Self and has aired every year as a motivational segment for people with physical disabilities.  In June 2008, The 'Art of Living' television show, filmed a segment featuring the Inflight Dance Co.here in San Antonio. The segment will be aired nationally in late fall through the Dallas based AMS Production company. Check back for more detailed information.

In 2006, Ms Gorman worked with the North West Vista College Dance Department in collaboration with the Inflight Dance Co. and choreographed an integrated performance piece that was presented at the American College Dance Competition held at the University of Texas in Austin.  Ms. Gorman, a dance educator, teaches five courses in the North West Vista College Dance Department. The college now offers an Associate Degree in Dance. In Fall 2008, the ACCD system is offering an Adaptive Dance 1145/Kine1175 course.This is the first time a dance class for people with physical disabilities will be offered. Ms. Gorman will be the class instructor.

Ms. Gorman is the Vice-President of the Miss San Antonio Organization Board of Directors and  a professional pageant consultant. This organization is part of the Miss America system and is responsible for sending outstanding young ladies to the Miss Teen Texas Pageant, Miss Texas Pageant and the Miss America Pageant.

 Ms. Gorman was a 2007 Saint Mary’s Hall grant recipient. The grant was awarded to study and certify as an etiquette teacher. She is an affiliate of The Civility Group from Canada and teaches etiquette to children three years of age to young adolescents and adult business protocol/etiquette.