John Todd

Message from the President

April 6, 2020

Dear LMU Community:

I am saddened to share that John Todd, a senior lecturer in dance, passed away on April 3, 2020, of complications due to cancer. He was 47 years old.

Senior Lecturer Todd started teaching at LMU in 2013, and his classes included beginning and intermediate ballet and musical theater. He was highly regarded by faculty and students and was awarded the inaugural Part-Time Faculty Distinguished Teaching Award in 2015. He also taught at the Westside School of Ballet in Santa Monica.

Senior Lecturer Todd’s goal in teaching was to help students find a path that brings them joy and fulfillment. He challenged students to explore their inner beings and reflect on how they want to express themselves in the world.

An accomplished actor, dancer, and choreographer, Senior Lecturer Todd’s performance experience includes the Houston Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Broadway shows, feature films, television, and national commercials. Dance legends Martha Graham, Agnes de Mille, and Twyla Tharp were among his mentors. He was trained at the North Carolina School of the Arts in drama and dance.

A celebration of Senior Lecturer Todd’s life will be held at a later date.

Please keep John, his partner of 23 years, Seth Belliston, his family, and his many friends and students in your prayers.

Sincerely,

Timothy Law Snyder, Ph.D.
President