JAWOLE WILLA JO ZOLLAR

Biography. Born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar trained with Joseph Stevenson, a student of the legendary Katherine Dunham. After earning her B.A. in dance from the University of Missouri at Kansas City, she moved to New York City in 1980 to study with Dianne McIntyre at Sounds in Motion. Four years later, she founded Urban Bush Women (UBW) in 1984 as a performance ensemble dedicated to exploring the use of cultural expression as a catalyst for social change. Jawole received her M.F.A in dance from Florida State University and is the Nancy Smith Fichter tenured professor in FSU's Dance Department.

Choreography. In addition to the 33 works created for Urban Bush Women, Jawole’s choreography is part of the repertory of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater / Philadanco / Dayton Contemporary Dance Company / Ballet Arizona / University of Maryland / University of Florida / Virginia Commonwealth University / Towson University and others.

Recent Awards / Honors. Jawole burst onto the scene and made an indelible mark on the field by challenging assumptions about body types, styles of movement, appropriate content and the role of community in creation. Still dancing, she is an innovator and a vanguard of dance.

2011

Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor of Dance. The highest honor bestowed by the FSU faculty on one of its own.

2009

The White House. Jawole was invited to participate in a meeting the White House convened on using creative and collaborative approaches to community-building and civic engagement.
Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Presented for choreography.
FLY: Five First Ladies of Dance. Presented by 651 Arts, Jawole was featured as a leading influential dancer/choreographer on a program that included her mentor Dianne McIntyre, her collaborator Germaine Acogny, Carmen de Lavallade and Bebe Miller.

2008
United States Artists Wynn Fellow. Awarded for diversifying the discipline’s field of vision.

2006

New York Dance and Performance Award (Bessie). Presented for her work as choreographer/creator of Walking With Pearl…Southern Diaries.

2005
The Kennedy Center. Selected as Master of African American Choreography.

2002
Honorary doctorate. Bestowed by Columbia College in Chicago.

2001

PBS Documentary “Free to Dance.” Featured in this film which chronicles the African American influence on modern dance.

_{Photo credits: Crush Boone}