DANCE EVERT History

Tom Evert, Executive and Artistic director/dancer/choreographer/teacher of DANCE EVERT, which he founded in 1986.

Tom Evert is a native son whose dedication to the art of dance has impacted not only the dance community but engaged the community at large through his award-winning artworks presented globally and intensively at the state and local levels. He has provided deep learning educational programming through the art of dance reaching hundreds of thousands of students, fostered collaborations among other organizations and individuals and reached out to community concerns with artful contributions for 30 years. His vibrancy in the community inspired and spawned a rich cultural dance fabric in the region. 

Mr. Evert holds degrees in both painting and dance from Ohio University. Upon graduation Tom moved to New York City to apprentice with The Murray Louis and Alwin Nikolais Dance Companies. From 1975-77 toured as a dancer and arts-in-education teacher with the Phyllis Lamhut Dance Company. His critical acclaim and maturity as a performing artist, however, developed while performing and touring nationally and internationally with "The Paul Taylor Dance Company" for eight years (1977-1985). On a Taylor Company tour to Mexico in 1977, Tom met dancer, Susana Weingarten with whom he would marry 5 years later and have a child In 1985 when their son, Max was 3 they returned to Tom’s native Cleveland. In 1986 they founded the "Tom Evert Dance Company", for which Mr. Evert has created a major body of work and has received seven Fellowships for Excellence in Choreography from the Ohio Arts Council and the Arts Council of Fairfax County VA. The company (currently DANCE EVERT) has presented a home season, has toured extensively and is dedicated to outreach and collaborative community projects. In the second decade of the Company, Susana, who had been an Artistic Associate became the Co-Director of the company and the name was changed to Tom and Susana Evert Dance Theater to reflect a shared artistic vision. Most notable where their award-winning shared evening- length creations, “Millennium” and “Alma de la Tierra” Mr. Evert has been commissioned to create works for professional and pre-professional dance companies, university ensembles, and art institutions and commercial enterprises including: Cleveland San Jose Ballet, Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet, The Cleveland Orchestra, The Cleveland Museum Of Art, the Darius Milhaud Society, the Leonard Bernstein Festival, the Kurt Weill Festival, the Cleveland Pops Orchestra, fashion shows, civic celebrations, and the list goes on. He has been on numerous dance faculties including The Hong Kong Academy of the Arts, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Lake Erie College, Cleveland State University, the University of Akron, and The Paul Taylor Dance Studio in New York City, Cleveland Ballet, and The Beck Center for the Arts, Ohio Northern University, and Dennison University among many others. Mr. Evert is regularly engaged to give master classes in tandem with company performances. After being involved in arts education programming in the schools for 35 years Mr. Evert has emerged as a prominent “teaching artist” with a flair for integrating creative movement with the study of math and science academic content standards. He has worked nationally and internationally and served on the artists rosters of Center for Arts-Inspired Learning, The Ohio Arts Council and a Statewide Arts Talent Assessment Initiative (START-ID). Through the sponsorship of the Kennedy Center’s Ohio-State-Based Partnership, Tom has been actively presenting workshops for teachers on the integration of arts activities into the teaching of the core curriculum. Tom, who began his college career in the visual arts, designs and constructs many of the sets for his dances, is also a muralist and is a sculptor of figurative works for which he has received commissions and prizes in invitational shows.

Milestones

July 23, 1951
Born: In Cleveland, Ohio the second of 11 children (6 boys, 5 girls)
1956-1964
Attended St. William Elementary. Grades 1-8. Received the outstanding player award for the Catholic Youth Organization school football team.
1965-1969
Attended Benedictine High School. Graduated cum laude and received the “Mr. Benedictine” Award. The award is presented to a graduating senior who exemplifies the values of Benedictine and has made a valued contribution to the school. In 2005 he was entered into Benedictine Hall of Fame.
1969-1973
Graduated from Ohio University with BFA degrees in Both Painting and Dance. 2005 received the Distinguished Alumni award.
1973
Moved to NYC as a scholarship student with Louis Nikolais Dance Theater. Understudied both companies and toured Europe and Middle East with Murray Louis Company (4 months) as an Understudy, technical crew and Masseur.
1975-1977
Member of Phyllis Lamhut Company of New York . Dancer and teaching Artist. National Touring.
1977-1985
Member of Paul Taylor Dance Company. New York Seasons, national and International Touring and Public Broadcasting Television Productions.
1981
Married Susana Weingarten. Tom Evert’s spouse and partner, Susana has remained steadfast in her love of Tom and his work and made a great contribution. For 20 years she was an integral part of the company’s operations. In addition to dancing she was also a choreographer, costume designer, marketing and donor manager. She currently is an award winning creative and performing artist as well.
July 6, 1982
Son, Max Scott Evert, born NYC.
1985
Family moved to Cleveland to assume university teaching position and found Tom Evert Dance Company.
1986-2006
Intensive choreographing, performing, teaching, touring and organizational leadership. Seven Fellowship for choreography, Ohio Arts Presenter's award for outstanding contribution to the performing arts in Ohio.
1997-present
Launched practice of carving figurative sculptures in wood.
1997-2007
Renamed the company, Tom and Susana Evert Dance Theatre in order to reflect the shared artistic direction and vision with Susana. Tom underwent hip-replacement surgery.
This second decade of the company’s history produced many solos and duets for Tom and Susana as well as big -production, large- cast, evening- length works such as “Millennium” and "Alma de la Tierra."
2004
In partnership with Alejandro Rivera and the Latino Community founded the “Dia de los Muertos Festival”, which is still running at Cleveland Public Theatre.
Nov. 2007
Moved to Metro DC for teaching position with Kennedy Center and artistic collaborations.
June 2011
Returned to Cleveland to reestablish dance Company, renamed DANCEVERT.
June 2011-present
Choreographing, teaching, performing, working in Schools and building the DANCE EVERT organization.
2015
Recipient of the OhioDance award for his Outstanding Contribution to the Dance Artform in Ohio.
2020
Credentialed as National Teaching Artist with Young Audiences Inc. New York.
2021
Producing virtual instructional modules for arts-integrated Math and Science programming.
2021
Launching website for figurative sculpture, EvertArt.org

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