Josh Manculich, MFA student in the Department of Dance, has received the prestigious Princess Grace Award for choreography in 2015, an award that will grant him further recognition in his field.

Josh said, “Receiving the Princess Grace Award means an incredible amount to my career and personal life. I am honored to share the award and recognition with people that stand out in their world. This award is about connection, interlacing creative minds together and honoring them. On (the Ohio State) campus the award just solidifies for me the idea to follow my passions and curiosities.”

This award provides a fellowship grant of $10,000 from the Princess Grace Foundation to help fund the creation of new work. The fellowship offers the opportunity to create an original work for public concert performance(s) that will be presented by the nominating organization. He was nominated by The Big Muddy Dance Company in St. Louis for his exemplary work with them.

Josh has choreographed for several companies and universities and has had many mentors.

“It was the directors and teachers believing in me that deserve true credit for helping me get to this point,” Josh said, “Julie Nakagawa of Danceworks Chicago really took me under her wing and allowed me to create with Danceworks Chicago. The company would then tour my work and more inspiring colleagues became interested.”

He also is grateful to Ohio State for its support, “I was honored to receive the Susan L. Huntington Dean's Distinguished University Fellowship that has allowed me to create, dance, teach, learn and be inspired for three years. I am honored Ohio State supports incoming MFA candidates as they would support candidates in other research fields.”

He believes that by winning the award he helps show the strength of Ohio State’s graduate dance program, a program he selected because the Department of Dance has a strong foundation for dancers and choreographers to earn their degree and continue to incorporate universities into their careers, whether as faculty members or in residencies.

“The award will allow me to be tied with the Princess Grace Foundation, which continues to support all past award winners. I hope that winning this award shows that passion is vital, because for folks that know me, passion for movement is my guiding force.”

The Princess Grace Foundation-USA is a non-profit, publicly supported foundation, headquartered in New York City and founded 33 years ago by Prince Rainier III of Monaco to honor his wife, Princess Grace’s [Kelly] legacy. The Foundation's mission is dedicated to identifying and assisting emerging talent in theater, dance and film by awarding grants in the form of scholarships, apprenticeships and fellowships. Since the Foundation’s inception, more than 800 recipients have been awarded, totaling more than $11 million. 

By Tatiana Tomley, ASC Communications student