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Arts Council and Columbus Dance Theatre Announce 2017 Columbus Dances Fellowship Awards

in Press Releases February 22, 2017 3 min read

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Greater Columbus Arts Council (Arts Council) and the Columbus Dance Theatre (CDT) are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2017 Columbus Dances Fellowship awards.

The 2017 Columbus Dances Fellowship recipients are Malik Berry, Stafford C. Berry Jr., Christian Broomhall, Martine Clark and Terrance Meadows.

The fellowship awards are designed to support local choreographers in their efforts to create new dance in the Columbus community. Recipients are awarded fellowships of $2000; a Columbus Dances Fellowship concert will be held at CDT’s Fisher Theatre on April 14 at 8 p.m. and April 15 at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The 2017 Columbus Dances Fellowship recipient bios:

Malik Berry was born and raised in Ohio and began his formal dance training at the age of 15. He attended Fort Hayes High School while studying on scholarship at Columbus Dance Theatre. After high school he pursued a professional career dancing as a guest artist with Columbus Dance Theatre, then moved to New York City to study and perform with The American Ballet Theatre, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and The Dance Theatre of Harlem. He has performed works by Alvin Ailey, Robert Garland, Matthew Rushing and Arthur Mitchell.

Stafford C. Berry Jr., MFA, is an artist, educator, activist and scholar of African-rooted dance and theater. He has toured in the United States, London and the Caribbean. He was associate artistic director of Chuck Davis’ African American Dance Ensemble, assistant to the choreographer with Kariamu & Company: Traditions in Philadelphia and former faculty at the American Dance Festival. Mr. Berry is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Dance at Denison University, co-director of the all-male Berry & Nance Dance Project (BNDP) and Board Member for OhioDance. He recently partnered with Short North Stage for the award-winning 2016 Columbus August Wilson Festival.

Christian Broomhall is a native of Columbus and is starting his third season at Columbus Dance Theatre. He began dancing at the age of four in creative movement classes at BalletMet Dance Academy. He graduated from the professional training program and joined the company under the direction of David Nixon. He later went on to dance for Northern Ballet Theatre in Leeds, England, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Luna Negra Dance Theater. Broomhall has performed in dance pieces by Jiri Kylian, Nacho Duato, Ohad Naharin, Alejandro Cerrudo, Twyla Tharp, Victor Quijada, Christopher Wheeldon and Gustavo Ramirez Sansano.

Martine Clark, a native of Columbus, has trained in many dance disciplines throughout Columbus and Chicago. Having dedicated her career to teaching the past 16 years, she shares her time directing two pre-professional performing companies, leading and choreographing continuously throughout the year. The newest phase of Clark’s career finds her striving to find new opportunities to showcase her work as a choreographer in new venues in central Ohio and beyond.

Terrance Meadows enters his 10th year of dancing at the Columbus Dance Theatre, starting in the CDT school and now in his sixth season as a company member. Meadows has performed in multiple company productions, including: Tim Veach DanceMatchgirl and the premieres of CourageCleopatra, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Claudel and O. Twist. He has studied at ABT New York on a full scholarship.

About the Columbus Dance Theatre: Columbus Dance Theatre’s (CDT) mission is to engage, enrich and educate the community through original and collaborative cutting-edge dance theatre and quality dance instruction for people of all ages. Featuring the work of its Artistic Director Tim Veach as well as the works of guest choreographers, the company repertoire features a wide array of styles and programming ranging from cutting edge contemporary dance to family programming. columbusdancetheatre.com

About the Greater Columbus Arts Council: Through vision and leadership, advocacy and collaboration, the Greater Columbus Arts Council supports art and advances the culture of the region. A catalyst for excellence and innovation, we fund exemplary artists and arts organizations and provide programs, events and services of public value that educate and engage all audiences in our community. The Arts Council thanks the City of Columbus and the Ohio Arts Council for their continued support. www.gcac.org

CONTACT: Jami Goldstein
(614) 221-8492
jgoldstein@gcac.org