Nielsen isProfessor Emeritus of dance at Valdosta State University.



Nielsen dedicated 30 years to developing the dance program and founding the VSU Repertory Dancers. His distinguished performance career spans from show dancing at the MGM Grand Hotel in Reno, Nevada, to performing with numerous ballet companies across the United States. He earned a BFA in Theatre and an MFA in Modern Dance Choreography from the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. In addition to his academic contributions, he is an accomplished director and choreographer with an impressive forty consecutive summer stock seasons in musical Theatre.



Nielsen’s career includes extensive international exchanges and study abroad programs in Russia, China, Great Britain, and Hungary. As an author, he received acclaim for his award-winning book, Dance Auditions: Preparation, Presentation, and Career Planning, and was honored with the Dance Educator of the Year Award by the Georgia Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (GAHPERD).



Currently, Professor Nielsen continues to share his expertise as an online English tutor for international students and performs annually in Valdosta's production of The Nutcracker.