Crucial to a young dancer's development, training and educational experience is extensive exposure to dance artists of national and global repute. Each year the Allesee Artist in Residence program provides dance students with intense periods of study with nationally and internationally renowned choreographers and master teachers. Students gain new insights into the professional world of dance through classes. workshops, rehearsals, and repertory choreographed by some of today's most prominent dance artists.  Each March, the Dance Department's Annual Spring Dance Concert showcases a WSU premiere by the Allesee Artist in Residence, as well as the repertory of former guest artists.

Previous Artists in Residence include Melissa Allen Bowman. Sean Curran, the Dance Theatre of Harlem. Z'eva Cohen, Jim Coleman and Terese Freedman, Doug Elkins, Garth Fagan (Tony Award-winner), Joshua Hilberman, Raymond Robinson, Alvin Mayes, Ronnie Marshall, Gloria Newman, Meggie Patton, Claire Porter, Art Bridgman & Myrna Packer, Ann Weaver Warren, Erica Wilson-Perkins (founder of CounterGroove Dance Company), Leni Wylliams, Urban Bush Women. Erica Wilson-Perkins, Twyla Tharp under the direction of Meg Paul, Ben Munisteri, Jan Van Dyke, Penny Godboldo, and Nicholas Leichter.