Susan’s choreography opened the First Jazz Dance World Congress (1990) in Chicago, where First City Dance Theatre performed her piece Clouds. Her Asian- flavored jazz work, FANtasy, was televised by Japan’s largest station, NHK Television.  Susan’s choreography has been performed by numerous national and international dance companies. It has been seen at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., the International Ballet Festival in Jackson, Mississippi, and the International Theater School Festival in Amsterdam. Her Spanish-themed Sabor a Mi was performed at the 1998 International Jazz Dance World Congress. In 1997 her Texas Canyon received the Best Choreography Award at the National Association of Regional Ballet and was so designated in the dance archive, The Craft of Choreography.  

Susan was invited to teach master classes in jazz and lyrical dance techniques in Edinburgh, Scotland, and her award-winning piece, St. Teresa, was performed at Edinburgh’s Kings Theatre. She was invited to be the first jazz choreographer of the Cours des Capucins festival in Luxembourg. She has been a Master Teacher for Dance Masters of America, Dance Educators of America, and Dance Power Express, and was the Co-Director of the Arizona Jazz Dance Showcase for 20 years – not to mention an integral player in raising over a million dollars for the University of Arizona’s School of Dance.  For two decades Susan served as Associate Professor at the University of Arizona School Of Dance and received the University’s College of Fine Arts Teaching Excellence Award. Her students are successful studio owners; founder/directors of their own companies; and performers dancing with Cirque de Soleil, on Broadway (Wicked, Hamilton, Fiddler on the Roof, Bring It On, Anastasia) and in Las Vegas shows (The Donny and Marie Show, Celine Dion’s A New Day, Shania Twain’s Still The One), on television and film (Teen Beach Movie, So You Think You Can Dance), in music videos (Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Paula Abdul, et al.), and with dance companies such as River North Chicago Dance Company, Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.  Among her most accomplished students are Michael Williams, jazz faculty at The University of Arizona School of Dance; Sam Watson, faculty at The University of Arizona School of Dance; Jimmy Locust, former backup dancer for Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation and current Owner/Director of Locust Performing Arts Center in Stamford, CT; and Nan Giordano, master teacher and daughter of the late jazz dance legend Gus Giordano.  All four have gone on to become esteemed dance educators.

Susan was honored to receive the 2005 Jazz Dance World Congress award for her contributions to Jazz Dance. She was invited to join the esteemed faculty of the 2012 Jazz Dance World Congress, held at Point Park College in Pittsburgh, PA.  She has been hired as an independent scout and recruiter for university dance programs across the country and is sought after for her seminars for dancers auditioning for universities. She served as Guest Co-Artistic Director for Patti Rutland Jazz in Dothan, AL, where she was instrumental in bringing in Broadway legend Ben Vereen for a benefit performance raising awareness for underprivileged children.  In June of 2014 Susan traveled to Luxembourg to teach at the prestigious Conservatoire de Luxembourg, then headed to teach master classes and set choreography on the company at the famed Gus Giordano Dance Studio in Chicago, IL. Susan taught master classes at University of Texas, El Paso and Dance Masters of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ. She travels every summer with a small group of disciples who teach the renowned Gus Giordano jazz dance technique, collaborating with Gus Giordano’s daughter, Director Amy Giordano at the Gus Giordano Dance School in Chicago, Il.  She recently retired the professional dance studio, First City Dance, in Pensacola, Florida and has resumed her Master teaching nationally and internationally.