DIANE RAWLINSON, DIRECTOR

Performance and Education Experience
A.A. Dance Butler University
B.S. in Dance Education Ohio State University
MFA in Performance and Choreography U.W.- Madison

Taught Dance at the college level, including Northwestern, U.W-Stevens Point and University of Akron

Professional affiliations
Volunteer coordinator for Chicago’s Dance for Life since 1994.  Founder and co- artistic director of affiliated youth benefit  (Dance for Life’s Next Generation) concert since 1995.

Current Member IAHPERD, Dance and the  Child International, Illinois Theatre Association, Illinois Alliance for Arts Education.  National Advisory Board of InterPlay (CA)

Contributing Editor/ Advisory Board member/ Writer for Dance Teacher and Dance Spirit magazines since November 1997, has had over 110 articles/ columns published. www.dancespirit.com www.dance-teacher.com.  Publication name:  Diane Smagatz-Rawlinson

Workshops and Special Events
Presented Workshops on dance, InterPlay, dance and journalism, career options, and/or interdisciplinary arts at Northwestern University’s Cherub Program, Northwestern University Theatre and Dance Program, UW- Madison’s summer dance camp, IAHPERD, Illinois Arts in Education Convention, Illinois State Theatre Festival, Illinois Arts Council, Dance Masters of America National Convention, and High Schools in Florida and North Carolina.  Taught teacher workshops incorporating InterPlay into the public schools in New Hampshire, New York, and Tennessee.

Presenter National InterPlay Conference May 2003 and International Conference June 2004 and August 2008.  One of the first internationally certified instructors of Interplay Improvisation Technique based in California. InterPlay Advisory Board member.   www.bodywisdom.org

Guest Speaker at Dance Teacher Magazine annual Conference in New York City August of 2006, 2007, and 2008 and the National High School Dance Festival in Philadelphia March of 2008 & 2012, Miami in 2010

Trained in BrainDance with Anne Green-Gilbert in Seattle, WA

Awards and Recognitions
1996- Outstanding Contribution to Education Award from Wheeling High School

Illinois Dance Educator 2000  Midwest Dance Educator  2001, one of 4 finalists for 2002 NDA’s National Dance Educator

University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education Distinguished Alumni Award winner 2007

Received the Illinois Alliance for Arts Education Dance Educator award
CRYSTAL ELLIS-ABDULLAH, ORCHESIS ASSISTANT                                                      

Graduate of Northwestern University

Studied ballet and modern dance for more than 15 years at Mayfair Dance Academy, Joel Hall Dance Center, and Northwestern University. 

Guest Teacher at the National High School Dance Festival in Miami in 2010 and Philadelphia in 2012

Orchesis Guest Choreographer 2007, 2008, and 2010

Crystal Ellis-Abdullah has been stepping with her national sorority since college for the past 8 years.

Step team coach for 1st place state award winning Crucial Step Clique at Wheeling High School in Wheeling, IL.