O'Fallon Student Earns Dance St. Louis Career Award

Five middle school and high school students from the city of St. Louis, University City and O’Fallon have been honored for their talent and dedication to dance, as well as their potential for a dance career.

Anita Chisum, age 13, O’Fallon, was one of these first recipients of Dance St. Louis’ new Dance Career Awards.

A new venture this season, the Dance Career Awards are based on the two intensive three-week education programs that Dance St. Louis conducts every year in urban schools with the dance companies from around the world that it brings to St. Louis audiences.

The five award-winning students took part in this season’s two residencies in their schools:  taught by Martha Graham Dance Company October 3-21 in conjunction with the company’s performances at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on October 14-15, and taught by Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater January 9-27 in conjunction with the company’s performances at the Touhill on January 27-28.

The five award winners were chosen from among the 150 residency students by Uthoff, the teaching artists, and the students’ St. Louis-area dance teachers.

“These students showed such promise and dedication that we decided they would be the best examples for our first awards,”Michael Uthoff, artistic and executive director said in a news release. 

"Students in our new Dance Career Award Program will be offered guidance and financial assistance towards more intensive dance training and ultimately towards post-secondary education and careers in the performing arts,” said Janet Brown, Dance St. Louis director of operations and education.

All five students have also participated in several previous Dance St. Louis residencies.

In addition to the daily classes taught by the visiting dance artists, students who take part in the residencies receive free tickets to the Young People’s Performance or Saturday matinee public performance. For each residency, Dance St. Louis develops a cross-curricular student guide in collaboration with the teaching artists.

As well as the intensive in-school residencies and Young People’s Performances, Dance St. Louis’ annual education programs for students include after-school workshops and career nights for high school students. Dance St. Louis’ education programs also include master classes for St. Louis-area teen and adult dancers and dance teachers conducted with the artistic directors and principal dancers of the visiting companies, special events, and free Speaking of Dance talks that take place at the theaters prior to every public performance.