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DANCE ST.
LOUIS
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PREMIER
PRESENTER OF DANCE RAISES THE BARRE ON ITS IDENTITY
By Laurie Burstein
This year’s Dance St. Louis Board of Directors has a new challenge—to
create a clearer identity for the organization.
DANCE
ST. LOUIS BOARD OF DIRECTORS
1.
Barbara Bartley-Turkington 2. Lynn Ricci 3. Richard
Winter 4. Susan Block 5. Virgil Van Trese 6. Richard
Kluesner 7. Marie Brauer 8. Mat Madison Turner 9.
Sewell McMillian 10. Joan Westin Wendt 11. Margie
Newman 12. Jerrie House Plegge 13. Susan Luedke 14.
Peggy Ritter 15. Mary Strauss 16. Ramsey Botterman
17. Judith A. Harris 18. Christine Schmiz 19. Susan
Gelman 20. Joanne Kohn
Not
pictured: Bourne Bean, Anne Blatherwick, Gerald
Blatherwick, Marie Bone, Judy Champ, Natalie Clapp,
Bert Condie III, Steve Cousins, Patrick Davis, John
Deutschmann, David Diener, Barbara Eagleton, Ida Early,
Virginia Edwards, Queen Fowler, Nancy Galvin, Jean
Gase, Peter Genovese, Gwen Gilbert, Anne Heisler,
Jean Hobler, Gary Hoemann, Mary Ann Hogan, Jerry Hunter,
Paul Kalsbeek, Ken Kranzberg, Max Lippman, Jr., William
Lortz, Tom Manche, Joy Melman, Wilma Messing, Karen
Myers, Michael Neidorff, Alan Pestronk, Ruthe Ponturo,
Susan Rollins, Dorothea Rosner, Marsha Rusnack, Jon
Rust, Peter Sargent, Connie Schnuck, Susan Sherman,
Donald Suggs, Andrea Tramelli, Tom Voss, Michele Walter,
Patricia Wente, Patricia Whitaker
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“We want to create a brand for Dance St. Louis with a clearer picture
of who we are and what we do,” explains Board President Richard
Kluesner. “Some people think we are a school or dance troupe, but
we are actually a presenter of dance,” he says.
Dance St. Louis has been bringing dance to the region for 38 years.
The group presents all forms of dance including classical and contemporary
ballet, as well as ballroom, tap, jazz, hip-hop and more. Performances
are held at the Fox Theatre and Washington University’s Edison Theater.
This year’s season includes several major standouts including the
Dance Theater of Harlem in January, the Sydney Dance Company in
February, and Movin’ Out in April.
As part of the new image campaign, the 48-member board wants people
to know that Dance St. Louis conducts a broad range of education
programs for the St. Louis community. Besides presenting dance,
Dance St. Louis enriches the cultural life of the region with education
and community outreach programs with the dance companies they bring
here.
“Programs like master classes for local dancers, intensive workshops
for high school dance students, in-school lecture demonstrations
for students from kindergarten through high school, Young People’s
Performances at the Fox and Edison Theaters, and the free Speaking
of Dance talks at the Fox Theatre before performances are all
part of our community outreach.” He adds, “But of course all these
wonderful programs require a lot of funding.”
That’s where the Board of Directors plays a big part. Kluesner says
that he and the Board have had to find new ways to raise dollars
for the organization in these tight economic times. The Board works
closely with the development staff and Executive Director Sally
Brayley-Bliss to approach companies, foundations and individuals.
“We have had to be more creative and tap into corporations and foundations
that we have not approached before. Part of each board member’s
job is to leverage any relationships they may have. Often I or other
Board members go out on corporate calls with Sally Brayley-Bliss.
Fortunately, most of us enjoy asking for money!” Kluesner says.
As part of each Board member’s commitment, they are required to
make a $3,000 personal donation to the organization.
“Every arts group needs a board, and we have always had a very active
group of people helping to support our mission since we were founded
in 1966,” Brayley-Bliss says. “Our current board has been instrumental
in opening doors for the organization to develop more resources
and raise funds,” she says.
Brayley-Bliss says plans are in the works for creating more name
recognition for Dance St. Louis and include advertising and an awareness
campaign at the Fox and Edison Theaters. More specifics will be
revealed in the coming months.
The Board and Brayley-Bliss have set priorities for the 2003-2004
season to focus on more outreach and education. Working with the
African-American community to an even greater extent will be a focus
and Dance St. Louis plans to bring artists into city schools to
work with students. The Board will also help to plan and support
the organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year, The Ballet Ball,
to be held in the spring.
“This year we will be working harder to let people know who we are,”
Brayley-Bliss says. “Our goal is to let people know we bring the
world’s best dance to St. Louis.”
Laurie Burstein is a St. Louis-based free-lance writer.
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