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Michele Rusinko was a visionary and strategic thinker, which led her to develop a strong, nationally recognized Dance program at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN over the course of 34 years. While her initial educational aspirations included pursuing a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from St. Olaf College (1977) followed by a foray into teaching high school science at Apple Valley High School, her passion for dance eventually led her to earn an MFA from Arizona State University (1984). Upon graduation, she transitioned to teaching in higher education, first as an Assistant Professor at Weber State College (1984-1988) and then as a Professor of Dance at Gustavus Adolphus College (1988-2022). As a choreographer, her dances, in whatever form, always reflected deep insights into the greater human story and that which connects us all. Michele was always multi-dimensional; from scientist to dancer, choreographer, and somatic practitioner, to yoga teacher, certified positive psychology life coach, storyteller, outstanding educator, mother, partner, sister and friend. Her intellectual curiosity, emotional vulnerability and embodied sense of wonder informed how she saw and understood the world. She generously shared that curiosity, propelling others throughout the years to explore themselves, to discover their passions and literally move toward them. Michele was truly the great connector - person to person, person to experience, person to something larger than oneself. Michele’s life was filled with a deep reverence for the human condition. She found great comfort and purpose when in community with others, including her loving husband, Bob, her devoted son, Josh, and countless friends, students, and fellow educators. Together with her family, she filled life with great joy by traveling the world, spending time at her cabin in northern Minnesota, reading poetry, teaching yoga, walking her dogs, and enjoying a great cup of coffee. May her spirit dance through us all; may her memory forever be a blessing. Memorial submitted by Julie Kerr-Berry, Kristi Borowy, & Kathryn Dudley.

Jill Priest was the first coordinator of the Dance Education Program at the University of Central Oklahoma and was a beloved professor and choreographer there from 2006 until her passing. She earned her B.A. in Dance Education at UCO and her Master of Fine Arts from Texas Woman’s University. Jill always held a passion for dance. Whether on stage or two-steppin’ with her dad, dance brought her joy. Jill was full of life and love that she shared with everyone around her. Her family was her ultimate joy and she cherished her children. Her favorite times were watching her children grow and flourish. She enjoyed travel and shared that love with her husband Michael and their children. Her passionate, generous, and joyful spirit lives on through the teachers she impacted, her students’ students, and all she encountered. Memorial submitted by Brandi Kelley.

Maurice Robert Hines Jr. was a dancer and choreographer described by critics as ‘a high energy hoofer with strong views’. He began performing in his youth alongside his younger brother Gregory both achieving stardom very early on in life. Hines trained under legendary teachers and choreographers such as Henry LeTang and Frank Hatchett, but modeled his personal performance style after Fayard Nicholas who incorporated a variety of dance styles into his tap dancing. Hines, like Fayard, was not just a tap dancer. He trained extensively in jazz and ballet and was also a singer, actor, and comedian consistently pioneering his own shows and creating his own opportunities during a time when Black artists struggled to gain work. Hines was outspoken by nature and was critical of show ticket prices citing that this prevented underserved Black communities from experiencing the arts. He was similarly commentative towards New York dance and theatre critics who he felt held inherent biases against Black art preventing its advancement. Hines is an example of how the idea of living boldly can inform great art. Maurice was in several high-profile performances on Broadway such the tap dancing filled favorite “Jelly’s Last Jam”. He shared the screen with brother Gregory Hines in Francis Ford Coppola’s “Cotton Club” and on the tail of the film’s success, created and choreographed his own show “Uptown….It’s Hot”, a significant achievement for a Black artist in 1986. He got several other subsequent shows off the ground and was the first Black choreographer for the Rockettes. His 75-year career in show business is matched by few in the industry.Hines died in Englewood, New Jersey on December 29th, 2023 just after his 80th birthday. In his 2019 autobiographical film, Bring Them Back, Hines shared that he had lived an amazing life doing everything that he ever wanted to do in show business. Hines’ contributions to the dance community were consequential and his footprint within the tap dance community was significant. Just like the song he recorded in 1968 under the moniker Hines, Hines, and Dad, Maurice was Something Extra. Memorial submitted by Ashley Sanchez-Jones.

Dan Wagoner died January 19th, 2024. He was 91 years old. Dan was a beloved dancer, choreographer, educator, and friend in the dance community. He had a wonderful sense of humor and found richness and curiosity in all of life’s beauty. He led Dan Wagoner and Dancers for 25 years, 1969-1994, as director, choreographer, and dancer. His professional performing career prior to that included dancing with the companies of Martha Graham (1957-1962, and briefly again in 1968) and Paul Taylor (1960-1968). When dancing with Martha Graham, Wagoner originated roles in “Clytemnestra,” “Acrobats of God” and “Episodes,” among other works. When dancing with Paul Taylor, he originated roles in “Aureole”, “Orbs”, and “Scudorama”. Born in 1932 in Appalachia, Daniel Robert Wagoner was the youngest of 10 children from Springfield, WV. He received a degree in Pharmacy from West Virginia University where he was exposed to dance classes by the university dance company, Orchesis, returning decades later to set his work. After graduation in 1954, he would serve two years in the army medical corps, eventually finding himself in NY. Much of Mr. Wagoner’s early work was themed around his Appalachian upbringing. Longtime friend and artistic collaborator, Jennifer Tipton, told Dance Magazine, “what is so extraordinary about Dan is the complexity of his form and the simplicity of his story.” NY Times critic Anna Kisselgoff, in a 1984 review of his company, commented on the “fantastic amount of energy” and “the good plain fun” in his work. She wrote, “He is a master of quirky invention, of the odd shape, the unexpected movement.” Mr. Wagoner was the Artistic Director of London Contemporary Dance Theatre from 1989-1991. As an educator, he is beloved by students from his years at University of California - Los Angeles, Connecticut College, and Florida State University. Dan was known to say to his students, “Dancers, you ALWAYS need to know where your pelvis is… and that’s a life lesson!”, sometimes followed by an impish wink. Dan is remembered and cherished by many who had the great fortune to know and love him. Memorial submitted by Maureen Kaddar.

Born in Brooklyn, NY, Tony Mordente was already carving out a place for himself on New York stages by age 13, attending the High School of Performing Arts and going to the American Ballet Theater School on a scholarship. In 1956, he launched his Broadway career as Lonesome Polecat in Lil’ Abner. In 1957, he became one of the original cast members of the Broadway stage production of “West Side Story,” playing A-Rab. A few years later, he was also featured in the classic 1961 film adaptation of the musical, this time playing Jets member Action. It was during the original Broadway “West Side Story” that Mordente met and married the late, great Tony Award-winning actress, singer, and dancer Chita Rivera. They had a daughter, Lisa Mordente, before they split in 1966. Lisa Mordente went on to become a Tony Award-nominated actress. When not acting, Mordente also choreographed stage shows like “Bye Bye Birdie,” “Ben Franklin in Paris,” and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” as well as many television shows in the 1960s and ‘70s like The Ed Sullivan Show and The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour. In the 1970s, Mordente transitioned into directing, working on dozens of television series over the years. He directed more than 40 episodes of Rhoda, MASH, Benson, Family Ties, The A-Team, Family Ties and over 30 episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger and 7th Heaven (which he also produced). In addition to daughter, Lisa Mordente, he is survived by daughter, Adriana, from his marriage to former wife, Jean G. Fraser. Memorial submitted by Adele Yoshioka.

Ted Austin Sprague was born January 6, 1939 in Dewey, Oklahoma. He was a dancer, choreographer, director, and producer with a career spanning several decades of stage, film, and television work. He attended a dance recital as a child, and immediately became impassioned with dance as a form of art. Sprague attended Oklahoma Christian College and Texas Christian University. Professionally, he performed in the musicals Bye Bye Birdie, The Yearling, Funny Girl and Sherry on Broadway and in two National tours. He appeared in numerous regional theaters and with Las Vegas headline entertainers Cyd Charisse, Mitzi Gaynor, Ann-Margret, and Joey Heatherton. Sprague's twenty film credits include five Mel Brooks comedies, and over 200 television appearances including the Carol Burnett Show, The Red Skelton Show and five Academy Awards Shows. As director/choreographer, he helmed more than 100 plays and musicals, as well as staging cabaret and concert acts. He received a Jennings Award from the Oklahoma Arts and Humanities Council, the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis “Who’s Who”, and the Los Angeles Area Emmy for producing the 2014 PBS documentary film "Mia, A Dancer's Journey" about the Ballet Russe De Monte Carlo’s star ballerina, Mia Slavenska. As an avid member of various professional organizations in his field, Sprague was a member of SAG-AFTRA, Society of Directors and Choreographers and Actors' Equity Association. His life partner, Bill Hargate, was an award-winning costume designer. Sprague is survived by his nephew, Steve Sprague, grandniece, Keely Sprague as well as his niece, Katie Jones, and grandniece Kaitlin Yaws. Memorial submitted by Adele Yoshioka.

Mary Lou Peters, Owner, director and head teacher began her studies in dance at the age of 3 years. She loved it so much she was crushed when she had to miss her first and only lesson in 16 years with her local dance teacher to accompany her family on a trip to Washington, DC. Not knowing at the time she would have one of the Leading Dance Studios in the Metropolitan Area, Peters Studio of Dance, after continuous studies with many of the All Time great dancers and teachers: Jack Stanley, Jane & Roye Dodge, Charlie Morrison, Luigi, Phil Black, Joe Tremaine, Gus Giordano, Lee Darwin, Nilo, Wally Saunders, Charles Kelly, Ronn Daniels and many others. Mrs. Peters wss active in conventions with Dance Olympus, PDTA, DEA. She held a gold medal certificate for 20 years of studies with Danny Hoctors Dance Caravan and was an active member of Dance Masters of America. Mrs. Peters is well known for her professional performances as a dancer throughout the United States and abroad, appearing with such stars as Henny Youngman, Eddie Fisher, Joey Foreman, Billy DeWolf, Gordon and Sheila McRae, Milton Berle, Carol Chan-ning, Dorothy Lamour and many others. She was featured on the daily NBC Television 'Inga's Angle" and Peoples Drug Store TV Beauty School and Television commercials for 16 years. Her bi-annual shows were nothing short of a broadway performance. "Miss Mary Lou" (known to her students) dedicated her love and knowledge of dance by teaching her students to do the same. She has taught many dance educators who are teaching in local studios and schools across the nation. She always had a smile and at the same time had very high expectations. She continued teaching until she was 88 with the onset of Covid. Mrs. Peters studio was located in Glenmont, Maryland. She was a pioneer in dance and she is greatly loved and missed by her family, students, and the dance community. Memorial submitted by Tamara Henry.

Born on September 22, 1933, in New York City, Banas began to dance at age five. He couldn’t sit still and had to move and jive to the inspiring music of the big bands lead by Tommy Dorsey, Ray Anthony, Count Basie, Les Brown and Stan Kenton. In 1942, his father took Banas and his sister for ballroom dance lessons. Again, he couldn’t stop dancing and said, “I had the music in me and had to move or explode.” He received a scholarship to the Michel Panaieff Children’s Ballet Company where his dancing partner was Natalie Wood. Jill St. John and Stefanie Powers were also members. He attended the Hollywood Professional School and went on to dance in stage productions of Kiss Me Kate, Annie Get Your Gun, Brigadoon, Plain and Fancy, Peter Pan, Damn Yankees, Li’l Abner, Bye Bye Birdie, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Mary Poppins and musical films such as The King and I, Carousel, Rock Around the Clock and Let’s Make Love in which he was the lucky dancer kissed by Marilyn Monroe. With so much dance experience, Banas started choreographing and consulting for films and TV shows. He choreographed and was the featured dancer on The Judy Garland Show - he stole the show with his version of the Nitty Gritty which recently went viral on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VvqUtoaFNxw. He continued to consult and choreograph for many TV shows like The Jonathan Winters Shows, Shiveree, Mork and Mindy, and films Heart Like a Wheel, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Under the Boardwalk, Always and many others.He will be remembered for playing “Joyboy,” one of the Jets in the classic West Side Story film which won 10 Academy Awards in 1962, including Best Picture, and for his unique way of dancing the Nitty Gritty. Banas is survived by his son, Eden, his daughter-in-law, Roxanne, and his grandson, Dylan. Memorial submitted by Adele Yoshioka.

REGGIE KELLY is a multi-award-winning singer-actor, dancer-choreographer and playwright with over 40 years of professional experience in the United States and abroad. Reggie Kelly has been the Associate Director Choreographer for the Black Theater Troupe in Phoenix Arizona, the West Coast Black Theatre in Sarasota Florida, the African-American Cultural Center in Buffalo New York, and Karamu House in Cleveland Ohio. Reggie is an award winning singer, actor, dancer, choreographer, and playwright with over 40 years of professional experience. He conceived, directed, and choreographed the Motown musical biography “Soul Sounds” for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has the distinction of being the first black choreographer for both the Cleveland Play House and the Cleveland Orchestra. He is also the recipient of the first Langston Hughes award for Directorial Excellence from the Cleveland Theater Society. Reggie has received supreme reviews performing in the tapestry of African American musical theater classics which include the Wiz, Dream Girls, Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope, The Mahalia Jackson Story, Sankofa with Ozzie Davis, Sepia Stages at The Kennedy Center and Five Guys Named Moe at the historic Fords Theater. Reggie also starred in Heavens Child The Emmett Till story co-starring Grammy award winner Regina Belle and TV actress Charnelle Brown of the television series A Different World. A consummate jazz chanteur performing In jazz rooms throughout the country and abroad, Mr. Kelly was a member of the New York Harlem Singers. Memorial submitted by Nehemiah Spencer.

When Jaime Juan Rogers was a very young child, his family immigrated to New York City from Puerto Rico. At the age of four, his sister, Polly, taught him Latin dance, they formed a team and became child TV stars on the Latin variety show “Spanish Hour” when he was only seven years old. He graduated from the High School of the Performing Arts and The Julliard School then joined dance companies for Martha Graham, Jose Limon, Katherine Dunham, Doris Humphrey, Donald McKayle, Jerome Robbins, and Anthony Tudor. His Broadway credits include the fight scene with Sammy Davis, Jr. in Golden Boy, Flower Drum Song, Annie Get Your Gun, Finian’s Rainbow, Wild Cat, Kicks and Company, We Take the Town and Bravo Giovanni. In 1961, he played “Loco” of the Sharks gang in the classic film West Side Story. He choreographed and/or directed 40 TV series, 1500 TV episodes, 30 TV specials throughout the world. He was a choreographer for the 1968 Elvis Presley Comeback Special. In 1976 he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography for Mary Tyler Moore’s TV special, Mary’s Incredible Dream. He produced acts at Las Vegas casinos The Sands, Desert Inn, Caesar’s Palace, Landmark Hotel, and at New York’s Latin Quarter for stars Juliet Prowse, Wayne Newton, Rita Moreno, Connie Stevens, Bob Newhart, Bill Cosby, Joan Rivers, Florence Henderson, and Ben Vereen (act won 8 Georgie Awards). He created/produced the U.S. and world concert tours for Sha Na Na, The Temptations, Manhattan Transfer, The Fifth Dimension, The Osmonds, The Supremes, The Jackson Five, Gladys Knight & The Pips, many commercials, and choreographed films Breakin’, Wholly Moses, Caddyshack, Americathon and Hysterical. He created vehicles for Liza Minelli, Sammy Davis, Jr., Barbra Streisand, The Doors, David Copperfield, The Temptations, Richard Chamberlain, Goldie Hawn, Mick Jagger, Robert Redford, William Shatner, Gregory Hines, Danny Glover, George Benson, David Carradine, Michael Jackson, Mary Tyler Moore, Dick Van Dyke, Elizabeth Taylor, Lionel Richie, Dionne Warwick, and The Rolling Stones. Memorial submitted by Adele Yoshioka.

Suzie Lundgren served as core faculty of the Bill Evans Summer Institute of Dance from 1986 through 2019. She was born in Abilene, Texas and danced professionally with the Houston Ballet and James Clouser's Space/Dance/Theatre. She earned a BFA at Texas Christian University and an MA at University of Houston/Clear Lake. She taught at Oakland University in Michigan before becoming an internationally-renowned Feldenkrais Teacher based in Santa Cruz, California. She was known for her insightful and compassionate teaching of dancers and her ability to improve the lives of her clientele. Memorial submitted by Bill Evans.

Dimitra Reber grew up in Brooklyn, New York, in a community with progressive politics. One of her aunts studied with Martha Graham. Dimi studied dance at the High School of the Performing Arts, and at Bennington College, graduating in 1961. She began teaching in the early sixties and served as Jane Dudley’s assistant at City College. She was a member of the New Dance Group, where she studied with Jos茅 Lim贸n and Donald McKayle. The NDG’s emphasis on socially conscious work and racial integration were congruent with her own values. The experimental work of a group of Antioch College dance students in a group called South Blloon inspired her to take a job teaching dance at Antioch College, in Yellow Springs, Ohio in 1970. At Antioch, Dimi developed a robust dance program that included modern dance, improvisation, composition, somatics, ballet, history & culture, and W. African drum and dance. She hosted many guest artists: Twyla Tharp, Nancy Stark Smith, Steve Paxton, Clare Porter & David Dorfman and others. She welcomed community members to participate in classes and concerts, cultivating a cultural resource for the community. Every term, she presided over a concert that included her own choreography performed by students, as well as student and community member’s work. Audience members came from surrounding cities to experience a dynamic and fresh program that was shaped by Dimi’s fostering of authentic expression, unencumbered by traditional or cliched tropes. Dimi wrote: “The longer I work in dance the more impressed I am with the ways in which our bodies speak of who we are.” This was her ethos as a teacher and as an artist. Dimi retired with Emerita status in 2001. She continued to teach “Body Learning” classes in the community focused on alternative approaches to functional and expressive movement. She was interested in fostering a spirit of creative exchange and dialogue. “Dancing is a vehicle for personal development. It is a great vehicle for people to explore…to feel whole.” Dimi also taught individual lessons focusing on movement ease, integration, and body awareness. Her students valued the sensitivity of her guiding touch. Memorial submitted by Lara Gerstein.

Janet Panetta was born in Brooklyn, New York. After contracting polio at age five, she was enrolled in dance class on her doctor’s recommendation to strengthen her body. By age 14 she was training under Cecchetti disciple Margaret Craske at the Metropolitan Opera, where she also became Ms. Craske’s assistant in teaching younger students. Janet went on to join American Ballet Theatre for a short time before following her wild heart to the world of downtown dance. By age 26 she was teaching professionally while also performing and choreographing. Her students were members of all the major modern and ballet companies in New York City, as well as independent performance artists, drag and burlesque performers, and dear friends. She had a long career teaching overseas for Pina Bausch’s Tanztheater Wuppertal as well as Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker’s school P.A.R.T.S. in addition to festivals such as Impulstanz and other schools and studios throughout Europe. Janet ran her own studio in multiple locations in New York City for decades, taught at many New York dance schools and universities, and was a constant, vibrant presence in our community. She was dry, brutally honest, and always impeccably dressed. Memorial submitted by Anna Rogovoy.

Sean Viator grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where he had the honor of working closely with Debbie Allen and performing in two of her original productions. Eager to pursue his dreams, Sean obtained his BFA in dance, with a minor in Business Administration, from the University of Arizona. He graduated Summa Cum Laude and was awarded the University’s top dance award – The Triple Threat Award. Since then, Sean has had a versatile career working in entertainment hubs like Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York City. Currently based in Los Angeles, he was proudly represented by Bloc Talent Agency and continued to dance professionally while sharing his expertise as a dance educator. Some of Sean’s credits include the Billboard Music Awards with Christina Aguilera & Demi Lovato; American Idol Season finale with Kylie Minogue; “I’m Ready” music video for Sam Smith and Demi Lovato; Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes; The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Prime); Physical (Apple TV), Interior Chinatown (Hulu); the Latin GRAMMYS for Alessia Cara & Logic; featured dancer for Isn’t It Romantic movie promo starring the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills; Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (Netflix); Universal Studios commercial; Mikes Hard Lemonade commercial; Steve Wynn’s “ShowStoppers”; “Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels” music video for Todrick Hall; Dance Captain for “Hansel and Gretel” with the LA Opera, Tuacahn Amphitheater; Donn Ardens’ “Jubilee”; Cirque Du Soleil; and Odyssey Dance Theatre. When he was not on stage performing, Sean was extremely passionate about sharing his love of dance with students from all over the world. Sean was recently on faculty at the world-renowned Millennium Dance Complex in Los Angeles. He also taught at Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway and AMDA College and Conservatory Los Angeles. Memorial submitted by Duane Cyrus.

In 1962 LaVerne received a BA in Modern Dance from Sarah Lawrence College, NY. LaVerne joined the Cornell University Dance Department in September 1962 as a dance instructor where she met her husband. They moved to West Lafayette, Indiana, where LaVerne established a thriving dance program for children and young adults ages 2-25, first at the YWCA and then moving it to the Morton Community Center. Over the next five decades, LaVerne had an enormous impact on her students, helping to shape their lives both inside and outside the studio. Her commitment and tireless effort to support her students' growth and confidence earned her the first ever Community Treasure Award issued by the City of West Lafayette, which was presented to her by the mayor in 2005. Furthermore, the proceeds of some of the performances put on by her dance program were donated to Riley Children's Health. In addition to her work with children, LaVerne taught classes to women of all ages, many of whom remained faithful to her guidance and mentorship for the entirety of her career. LaVerne was survived by her husband, 5 children, and grandchildren. Memorial submitted by Abigail Props.

Robert was an acclaimed dancer. According to the Westside School of Ballet, he trained there in the early 1980s. He went on to dance professionally with Kansas City Ballet from 1984 to 1994. There, he was joined by fellow dancer Denise Tate.Skafte was originally from California but performed with Ballet of Dolls for 18 years. He had worked at the Oak Grove Grocery in Minneapolis, MN for nearly two decades before his passing. Memorial Submitted by LaTia Childers.

Born in Rochester, New York, James Clouser graced the dance field with his artistry and warmth as a loving teacher and devoted family man. From beginning to end, the pathway he chose was full of surprises. While studying Music Composition at Eastman, his passion for dance took over, and in a change of direction he joined American Ballet Theatre. Nine years as principal dancer with Royal Winnipeg Ballet was followed by a decade as Ballet Master, Resident Choreographer and Acting Director of Houston Ballet and later as Artistic Director of Dayton Ballet. He choreographed for numerous companies in America, Canada and Europe. Noted works include Con Spirito, Carmina Burana, Rasputin, Ear To Stone (for the Avignon Festival in France), and the Shakespeare inspired Caliban (this country’s first full-length rock ballet). Clouser’s pedagogical studies took him to the Royal Ballet Schools in London and Copenhagen and to the Bolshoi and Kirov Schools in Russia. His teaching in higher education included faculty appointments to seven major institutions, including Juilliard, ADF, and the HS of Performing Arts in NYC. In another surprise twist, Jim came out of “retirement” when he was invited to join the dance faculty at the University of Arizona. There he served another 18 years! His lifelong studies in pedagogy, kinesiology and history led to teaching a full menu of academic courses while continuing as a creative artist, and for his work he received the UA’s College of Fine Arts Award for Sustained Excellence in Teaching. More recognition followed when, in 2015, the organization CORPS de Ballet International selected Clouser for its Lifetime Achievement Award, as Jim joined the ranks of other awardees such as Alonzo King and Amanda McKerrow. At age 84, as his final retirement neared, Jim took on the direction and choreography for Bernstein’s Mass, a massive collaboration including guest artist Jubilant Sykes. Jim’s life was filled with energy, adventure, magic and joy. The thousands of people he touched and inspired will remember his kindness and wisdom, the artistry of his life, and will pass on to future generations his gusto for forging a path…Memorial submitted by Juile Pentz.

Joan Woodbury was a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and studied as the first Fulbright Scholar in dance with Mary Wigman in Berlin. She was a professor of modern dance at the University of Utah where she taught for 47 years. When Joan was 21, she met Alwin Nikolais who had a profound influence on her philosophy and aesthetics for the rest of her career. She was privileged to teach with, as well as for him in New York, Florida, and Minnesota— and abroad in Avignon, Angers and Paris, France as well as in Sussex, England. Joan has choreographed over 100 works in her career and danced and/or taught workshops and master classes throughout the United States as well as in Canada, Portugal, South Africa, Slovenia, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, China, France, England, Ireland, and Italy. In addition to many choreographic grants, her awards included a Chimera Award from the Nikolais Dance Theatre, a Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce Honors in the Arts Award, Distinguished Alumni Awards from the University of Wisconsin and Southern Utah University and an Honorary Alumni Award from the University of Utah. She also received the Utah Governor’s Award in the Arts, the Heritage Award from the National Dance Association, and the Cathedral of the Madeleine Award. In academia, Joan was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Southern Utah University and an Honorary Doctorate of the Arts from the University of Utah. In her later years, Joan was deeply passionate about helping and supporting the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company as it continues into the future. Memorial submitted by Ai Nelson.