Susan Van Pelt Petry, professor and former chair, Department of Dance, was honored April 23 for her outstanding contributions to the advancement of dance education at the 2016 OhioDance Festival and Conference. The organization cited her work leading the dance program at Ohio State through semester conversion, a major building renovation and a college restructuring and recognized her teaching contributions at dance programs around the state for the past 30 years.

Petry, who also also an alumna of the program (MA), said, “I have been working as a dance educator all of my career. Teaching and learning are inextricably tied to my work as an artist and administrator. I’m honored to be recognized for something I love to do and I’m proud to be on the faculty at one of the national flagship institutions for dance in higher education.”

Also honored at the event was alumnus Rodney Veal, an independent choreographer and interdisciplinary artist, who earned his MFA from Ohio State’s Department of Dance. He was honored for outstanding contributions to the advancement of the dance art form.

Alumna Teena Marie Custer (MFA), a nationally recognized hip-hop artists served as a guest artist for the weekend festival, where she performed an excerpt from her piece My Good Side. In addition, contemporary pieces choreographed by Ohio State dance students Anna Brown Massey (MFA), Callie Lacinski and Calder White (BFA), Joshua Manculich (MFA) and Brandon Whited (MFA) were featured.

Photo: Stephanie Matthews