Leadership, Grants, and Program Implementation

Leadership and Program Implementation

  • ·Founded and annually host Dance for Life’s Next Generation from 1994-2020 which raised over $250,000 for Dance for Life and The Children’s Place Association. Over 2,500 dancers from 72 different companies participated.
  • Presenter at state and national level conferences: Dance Teacher Magazine, National and Regional HS Dance Festival, National/International InterPlay, Dance Masters National Convention, IAHPERD, Illinois State Theater Festival, NDEO, Gibney Dance Center (NYC Partnered with NY State Dance Ed Assoc), and Bill Evans Somatic Conference
  • Collaborate with Chicago’s Professional Dance Community by hiring 4 guest artists a year for over 25 years. Seventeen year partnership with Dance Chicago, and District Dance Day college partnership.
  • Developed movement pedagogy workshops for Illinois State University, Loyola University, Hubbard Street Professional Development, UW- Madison Summer Dance Camp, and DePaul University
  • High School artist in residence for Lydon Institute (VT), Lone Peak High School (UT), Buncombe County Schools (NC), Waterbury Arts Magnet (CT ) , Nashville Schools (TN), Flager Palm Coast (FL), and Coral Springs High School (FL)
  • Mentored 7 student teachers.
  • Designed dance/storytelling/drumming/advocacy residency for over 1,000 Wheeling students with Masankho Banda from Malawi
  • Originated a district wide Yoga course within the PE Program
  • Consolidated over 1,000 alumni responses into a page brochure advocating the benefits of dance and its application to career pathways.
  • Established Wheeling student participation in Intergenerational InterPlay performances at Chicago’s Rhinofest, Chicago’s Humanities Festival, RCC 2000 Conference, National InterPlay Conference (TN), and UBBH (MN and IL)

Grants Received for Organizations

  • Five Illinois Arts Council grants for WHS through the Illinois Arts Council for residencies in flamenco, paper arts, storytelling, and Cuban dance.
  • Four-year residency with Hubbard Street DIAMOND Partnership
  • Illinois Arts Education Award for Wheeling High School’s fine arts program. Compiled and wrote Wheeling’s national Kennedy Center application.
  • $5,000 Pepsi Challenge Grant
  • District 214 Innovation in Education Grant to create the first InterPlay Educators Workshop.
  • State Farm Innovation in Education grant.
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