OhioDance History
To secure the foothold of dance in Ohio through increasing visibility, firming viability, and elevating the position of dance in Ohio.
Purpose
Keeping dance alive.
Values
- Respect
- Integrity
- Intentionality of Cultural Diversity
- Love of Dance
Association of Ohio Dance Companies (AODC) was established in 1976 in response to a request by the Ohio Arts Council that dance companies in the state organize to provide a coherent channel of communication to, and within, the dance field. AODC was incorporated in the state of Ohio as a 501 (c) (3). AODC included representatives from 16 dance companies in Ohio. The Companies were; Cleveland Ballet, Columbus Theatre Ballet, BalletMet, Ballet Western Reserve, Canton Ballet, Cleveland Modern Dance Association, Lynn Dally Company, Ohio Ballet, Dayton Ballet, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Dancentral, Cincinnati Ballet, Contemporary Dance Theatre, Shalhevet Folk Dance Ensemble, Toledo Ballet, ZIVILI.
In 1984 the organization changed its name to OhioDance. The organization held offices in Cleveland until 1989 when it moved to Columbus.
Today, OhioDance presents the arts to the community through festivals, conferences, performance opportunities, a groundbreaking Virtual Dance Collection, educational resources, professional networking and a comprehensive website. OhioDance supports the creation of art through its celebration of Ohio’s dance artists, expands and enriches an accessible platform that engages the public with Ohio’s dance, enables lifelong learning in dance, and strengthens our community by honoring dance through a diversity of dance genres.
The organization pursues its goals through the contributions of a 30-member board of directors representing dance around the state, and one full time Executive Director. OhioDance has a long history of inclusive programming with educational and networking opportunities available to all.
Milestones
- 1976
- Founded as Association of Ohio Dance Companies
- 1976-1979
- Election of First President, Gerald Kettelar, Cleveland Ballet General Manager
- Circa 1980
- Created First Dance Directory
- 1981
- Produced first statewide festival at Kenyon College in Gambier
- 1984
- Changed name to OhioDance
- 1987
- Served as fiscal agent for individuals
- 1988
- Received nomination for outstanding arts event of the year (festival) from the Greater Columbus Arts Council
- 1989
- Moved offices to Columbus, located in the James Thurber House; First National Performance Network residency hosted by Ohio Dance
- 1995
- Produced OhioDances!, a videotape of Ohio’s diverse dance companies
- 1996
- Published statewide dance directory and resource guide
- 1997
- Established website
- 1998
- Produced festival in Columbus in conjunction with Network ’98: Conference of the International Network of Performing and Visual Arts Schools; reestablished choreographers showcase
- 2000
- Established Two OhioDance Award categories: outstanding contribution to the dance art form and to dance education
- 2004
- Presented Ohio’s Dance Treasures in Columbus with Ohio State’s Theatre Research Institute, in conjunction with the Dance Heritage Coalition’s Exhibition America’s 100 Dance Treasures
- 2005
- Established professional auditions at the festival
- 2006
- Relaunched the Dance Education Website with new design and content
- 2007
- Presentation sponsored by OhioDance during The Ohio Arts Presenters Network in Akron, titled Demystifying Dance: Creative Successful Partnerships.
- 2008
- Added Dancer Health articles to the Newsletters
- 2009
- Revision of OhioDance website
- 2009-2010
- Presented a dance performance at the Ohio Statehouse for National Arts and Humanities month in partnership with Ohio Arts Council and Ohio Statehouse
- 2009-2010
- Collaborated with the Dublin Arts Council, The Ohio State University, Department of Dance and Ohio Department of Education, Division of the Arts to present a site-specific contemporary dance.
- 2010
- Presented an Imagination Conversation in collaboration with Oberlin College and Ohio Department of Education, Division of the Arts, discussing the role imagination plays in education
- 2010
- Partnered with Ohio Statehouse to offer Dance performance during the Summer Lawn Series.
- 2011
- Collaborated with VSA Ohio to offer dance residencies in schools for students with disabilities
- 2012
- Created the Maggie Patton Dance Scholarship and OhioDance Outstanding Dance Student Award for a High School Student
- 2012-2017
- Co-Sponsored the OhioDance annual Spring Festival and Conference with BalletMet, Columbus
- 2013-2015
- Collaborated with Amethyst, Inc., a recovery center for women and their children, to offer dance classes and a performance opportunity
- 2013-2015
- Offered OhioDance Fall Festival in different regions of state
- 2014-2015
- Created and developed The OhioDance Virtual Dance Collection, an interactive website that preserves and documents multiple achievements of persons and institutions who have shaped the intricate diversity of dance history and practice within the state of Ohio.
- 2015-Present
- Collaborated with Center for Balanced Living, a treatment facility for clients with food insecurity, offering movement sessions
- April 2017
- Unveiled the OhioDance Virtual Dance Collection at the annual Festival
- 2018-Present
- Established residencies in schools based on the OhioDance Virtual Dance Collection
- 2018-Present
- Co-Sponsored OhioDance Spring Festival and Conference with The Ohio State University, Department of Dance, Columbus
- 2019
- OhioDance Virtual Dance Collection Documentary film, Ohio: A State of Dance, at annual Festival.
- 2018-Present
- OhioDance partners with the Ohio Arts Council to offer webinars, and professional development
- 2023-Present
- OhioDance produces and annual six-part Podcast Series
Transcript
VDC-OhioDance-transcript-FINAL
File name: VDC-OhioDance-transcript-FINAL.pdf
Executive Directors
- 1977-1978
- Karen McNally
- 1978-1985
- Phillis Levine
- 1985-1988
- Harriet Wadsworth
- 1988-1990
- Doreen Dunn
- 1990-1992
- Vickie Dummer
- 1994-1995
- Diana Turner-Forte
- 1995-2001
- Robin Sheppa
- 2001-2003
- Karen Mozingo
- 2003-Present
- Jane D’Angelo
Board Presidents
- 1976-1978
- Gerald Ketelaar, Cleveland Ballet
- 1979-1980
- Jeanne Coen, Canton Ballet
- 1981-1983
- Melissa Obenauf, ZIVILI, Columbus
- 1984
- Margaret Tcheng, Ohio University, Athens
- 1985
- Tim Van Leer, Wexner, The Ohio State University, Columbus
- 1986-1987
- Jeanne Coen, Canton Ballet
- 1988-1990
- Vickie Blaine, Chair, The Ohio State University, Department of Dance, Columbus Jeanne Coen
- 1990-1991
- Barbara Schubert, Ohio Ballet, Athens
- 1992-1993
- Marc Ozanich, University of Akron
- 1993-1995
- Arnecia Patterson, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company
- 1995-1999
- Susan Van Pelt, The Ohio State University, Department of Dance, Columbus
- 1999-2002
- Lucinda Lavelli, Unversity of Akron
- 2002-2005
- Susan Van Pelt, The Ohio State University, Department of Dance, Columbus
- 2005-2006
- Constance Hawk, Ohio Ballet, Akron
- 2006-2012
- Neil Sapienza, University of Akron
- 2012-2018
- David Guion, Dublin Arts Council, Dublin
- 2018-Present
- Rodney Veal Sinclair College, The Art Show, Dayton
OhioDance Festivals
- June 5-7, 1981
- Kenyon College, Gambier
First Festival – Guest Speaker, William Como, publisher from Dance magazine, opened Festival - June 17-20, 1982
- The Ohio State University, Columbus
- June 3-5, 1983
- John Carroll University, University Heigh
- June 1-2, 1984
- Otterbein College, Westerville
- June 14-17, 1985
- School of Creative and Performing Arts, and the Dance Hall, Cincinnati
- June 11-14, 1987
- NEODance Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland
- June 6-11, 1988
- Celebrate the Diversity of Dance and Dance the Celebration! Alliance for Dance and Movement Arts, Ohio Theatre Columbus
- June 4-11, 1989
- The Ohio State University, Columbus
- June 14-17, 1990
- Survival: Endurance/Duration, University of Akron
- June 11-14, 1992
- Dance Uniting the World, BalletMet, King Arts Complex, Columbus
- June 12, 1993
- Baldwin Wallace College, Berea
- October 26-27, 1996
- Answers from the Heart, Galbreath Pavilion, Ohio Theatre, Columbus
- October 25-26, 1997
- Come into the Circle, University of Akron
- October 30-November 1, 1998
- Re:Generation Ohio Theatre and Capitol Theatre, Columbus
- October 29-30, 1999
- Dancing into the Millennium: Mind/Body/Spirit Wittenberg University and Kuss Auditorium, Clark State Performing Arts Center, Springfield
- November 3-4, 2000
- Think Globally, Dance Locally, Galbreath Pavillion, Ohio Theatre and Ohio State University’s Sullivant Theatre, Columbus
- October 18-20, 2001
- Celebrating 25 years of Fabulous Feats! Case Western Reserve University and Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland
- October 2003
- Vern Riffe Center for Government and the Arts, Capitol Theatre and Galbreath Pavilion, Ohio Theater.
- May 20-22, 2005
- University of Akron
- May 12-13, 2006
- Dayton, Ohio
- April 20-22, 2007
- Bowling Green State University
- March 8 2008
- Ohio State University, Columbus blizzard, rescheduled May 31, 2008
- April 3-4, 2009
- Ohio University, Athens
- 2010
- Oberlin College
- 2013 Fall Festival
- Ohio Northern University, Ada
- 2014 Fall Festival
- PlayhouseSquare, Cleveland
- 2011-2017
- BalletMet Columbus
- 2018-Present
- The Ohio State University, Department of Dance