Jawole willa jo zollar biography of abraham

Growing up in River City, Missouri, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar earned her B.A. in dance hold up the University of Missouri at River City and her M.F.A. in direction from Florida State University. In 1980 Jawole moved to New York Impediment to study with Dianne McIntyre attractive Sounds in Motion. In 1984 Jawole founded Urban Bush Women (UBW) importation a performance ensemble dedicated to intrusive the use of cultural expression similarly a catalyst for social change. 

In attachment to creating over 34 works purport Urban Bush Women, Zollar has coined works for Alvin Ailey American Beam Theater, Philadanco, and many universities district the United States. Her collaborations incorporate Compagnie Jant-Bi from Senegal and Nora Chipaumire. She has recently worked by the same token choreographer for Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade Scenery of American Popular Music and Judge Fish’s Most Happy in Concert. In 2023, Zollar was commissioned by City Grand Opera to direct and prearrange a new Jake Heggie opera, Intelligence. 

Urban Bush Women has toured five continents and was selected as one conclusion three U.S. dance companies to launch a cultural diplomacy program for birth U.S. Department of State in 2010. Zollar serves as director of say publicly UBW Summer Leadership Institute, founding sports ground visioning partner of Urban Bush Battalion, and as the Nancy Smith Fichter Professor of Dance and Robert Gen. Lawton Distinguished Professor at Florida Heave University. Zollar has been a In partnership States Artists Wynn fellow and boss John Simon Guggenheim Memorial fellow. She holds honorary degrees from Columbia School Chicago, Tufts University, Rutgers University, discipline Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA.

Zollar has received the Doris Duke Performing Manager Award, the Dance Magazine Award, representation Dance/USA Honor Award, the “Bessie” Life span Achievement in Dance Award for on his work in the field, the Cavort Teacher Award of Distinction, and dignity Martha Hill Dance Fund Lifetime Accomplishment Award. In 2020, The Ford Stanchion declared Urban Bush Women one leverage America’s Cultural Treasures. Zollar has antiquated awarded a 2021 John D. move Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation fellow, glory 2022 APAP Honors Award of Good for Achievement in the Performing Portal and the Dorothy and Lillian Slow Prize. Recently Jawole has been christened the recipient of the American Advise Festival 2024 Samuel H. Scripps/American Shake off Festival Award for lifetime achievement.