Honored Members
Congratulations Carmen and Jeffery on receiving the Missouri Arts Awards 2022
https://www.missouriartscouncil.org/missouri-arts-awards-2022/
MDO Board Member, Carmen Dence, Groupo Atlantico, Individual Artist
and
Jeffery J. Bentley, Executive Director of Kansas City Ballet, Leadership in the Arts
MDO Board Member, Alice Bloch, receives Annalise Mertz Visionary Award
​
Click below to read more about this incredible honor!!
Congratulations
to former MDO Board Member
vanessa Woods
on press coverage in the
St. Louis Post-Dispatch!
to read the article click below
And to MDO Member Ashley Claybrook on her press coverage from
Voyage STL Magazine
To read the article Click Below
MDO Board Members-Alice Bloch, Prasanna Kasthuri with Lori Belilove in the middle celebrating Alice receiving the Annelise Mertz Visionary Award in Dance from Dance St. Louis, November 6, 2021 Evening of Ballet Stars at UMSL's Touhill Performing Arts Center, St. Louis,
​
​
​
Congratulations to Azaria Hogans! This outstanding artist is one of the June 2021 featured artists for the Missouri Arts Council.
Check it out here Featured Artists – Missouri Arts Council
congratulations to
Dr. Nikki Spotts
named arts educator of the year
by the st. louis arts & education council
from the st. louis arts & education council website
https://keeparthappening.org/what-we-do/st-louis-arts-awards/2020-st-louis-arts-awards
dr. nikki spotts, arts educator of the year
Dr. Nikki Spotts is a product of the St. Louis Public Schools (Shaw Visual & Performing Arts Elementary School, Marquette Visual & Performing Arts Middle School and Central Visual & Performing Arts High School). Spotts currently teaches at Shaw VPA Elementary School as the dance director and arts department chairperson. She has taught dance at a variety of community centers and dance studios, as well as afterschool programs, master classes and colleges and universities, including Fontbonne University, Lindenwood University, Florissant Valley Community College and Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville. She also teaches in her own dance company, The Nikki Bradford Dance Ensemble. Spotts has danced with Joseph Holmes Dance Company; Kariamu & Company Traditions, Philadelphia, Pa.; Nommo African American Dance, New York, N.Y.; and Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Denver, Colo. Additionally, she has choreographed on stages around the world, including performances at The Fox Theatre, Stellar Gospel Music Awards presented by BET in Los Angeles and Club Med Resorts. She is an alumnus of the Community Arts Training Institute at the Regional Arts Commission and a former grant panelist. She holds a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in dance education from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia and a Master’s in Education (MAT) from Lindenwood University as well as a Master’s in Administration, Educational Specialist in Superintendent, and Doctorate of Education in Advanced Superintendent from Lindenwood University.
congratulations to
mdo board member carmen dence
a 2019 st. louis visionary awards honoree!
from the st. louis visionary awards website
https://www.vizawards.org/2019-honorees-1
CARMEN DENCE, Outstanding Teaching Artist
Carmen Dence is the founder and artistic director of the colorful Grupo Atlantico, an instrumental and dance group that promotes the folklore and rich heritage of her native Colombia. She has been recognized as a “Master Artist” by the Missouri Folk Arts Program and has held classes and performances in literally hundreds of schools, libraries, and other venues since 1995. Simultaneously, she pursued a successful career in science at Washington University School of Medicine, where her passion has been mentoring minorities and attracting young women to science. She serves as a board member of the Hispanic Educational Cultural and Scholarship Fund, the Hispanic Scholarship Alliance, and Better Family Life.