With sweeping legs and careful feet, the Panoramic Dance Project warms up under the direction of Tara Z. Mullins, the assistant director of the NC State Dance Program and artistic director of Panoramic Dance Project.

The dance company then turns into an entity of movement and expression as it runs through the whole performance for practice, and Mullins gives her feedback afterward. From Richmond, Virginia to universities in between, Mullins finds herself at NC State as a director and dance educator.

“When I was in college, I went to James Madison,” Mullins said. “I saw Robin Harris, the director of the dance program — I saw her and the company at an American college dance festival, and every time I’d see her over my four years of being at JMU as a student, I loved the work, and I always wanted to be a part of this university [NC State].” 

According to Robin Harris, director of the NC State Dance Program and artistic director of the NCSU dance company, Harris and Mullins collaborate on ​administrative, pedagogical and artistic functions of the dance program. 

“As artists/choreographers, we work independently, but in an environment in which we can run ideas past each other or get feedback from one another,” Harris said. “We especially work together to support our students, to give them what they need to grow and develop in our program.” 

“I look up to her,” Mullins said. “She’s a mentor to me, and now I get to work with her.”

This kind of mentorship and direction is also something that Mullins herself offers to her students and panoramic dance company. The students, who come from many different majors and backgrounds, explore creativity and problem outside of the classroom with dance. 

According to Mullins, the dance company is working this year with Fay Payton, associate professor of information systems, on a research project called “STEM Majors, Arts Thinkers” where the effects of dance on students in this case are analyzed.

“There’s so much problem solving in here,” Mullins said. “It’s more creative. It’s not as quantitative, but you’re still solving problems, so I think they can take a creative approach in their majors.” 

Problem solving becomes essential in the dance company when it is faced with challenges during rehearsals and choreography practice. The panoramic dance company that Mullins directs artistically is a course that students take for one-credit hour a semester, and it is a year-long commitment.

“There’s a high expectation for them to be good at a lot of styles, which is hard,” Mullins said. “I think they’re also dealing with the fact that they have other majors and they have other really big, serious commitments in their academic world, so this helps to support them, and we take it very seriously.”

As the artistic director of the panoramic dance company, Mullins contracts and brings in different local, regional and national guest artists. Along with Harris, Mullins helps prepare the master class series, which is a diverse set of dance classes that includes Balinese dance, contemporary/hip-hop and salsa dance. These classes are free for NC State students, faculty and staff. 

Along with helping coordinate the master classes, Mullins also choreographs and teaches technique. 

“I think I’ve always wanted to be an educator,” Mullins said. “I think of dance as an artist and an educator, so I think dance was a good intersection for that. I had a passion for performing, but I really, really had a passion for choreographing and for educating, so this is a really good program.”

When the dance company performs on stage, the show presents a build-up of work, practice and determination from the students, Mullins and a culmination of effort.

“When I see my students up there, I can tell how dedicated and how passionate they are about dance,” Mullins said. “Again, it’s not their major so they’re putting in this company up to 10 hours a week and the other company up to 20 hours a week in rehearsals.”

According to Harris, she and Mullins work together to support the students and to give them what they need to grow and develop in the dance program. 

“Since 2012, in her role as artistic director of panoramic dance project, Tara’s personal vision, value system, leadership and management skills have greatly contributed to the development and enhancement of this amazing student company,” Harris said.

This semester has a lot in store for the dance companies with dance pieces and performances. According to Mullins, Charles ‘Chuck’ Davis, the founder of the Chuck Davis Dance Company and the African American Dance Ensemble, has been working on a piece with Mullins’ dance company. 

The students’ movements slow to a close and they finish its rehearsal performance. The group gathers around to watch a video to help with their next dance piece, continuing its learning process as a team.

“It’s very fulfilling as a director,” Mullins said. “Their spirits are always very generous and it sounds perfect, but in many ways it really is.”