The Department of Dance faculty, students and alumni continue to shine on campus and in their field. Congratulations to the following for their achievements and distinction.
Department of Dance Scholarship Awards
The Department of Dance offers several undergraduate and graduate scholarships yearly. Recipients are announced in the summer on the website’s Recent News section.
To learn about the Department of Dance Scholarships and view descriptions of each award, visit Scholarships & Financial Aid. To view the history of Department of Dance scholarship recipients, visit the Department of Dance/Dance Program Scholarship Winners.
University Awards won by Department of Dance Students
Dean's Medalist in the Arts:
- (2020) Drew Callipare, BA 2020
- (2018) Lisa Kwak, BA 2018
- (2008) Alice Gosti, BA 2008
Dean's Medalist in the Natural Sciences
- (2022) Frances Herr, BA 2022
Graduate Medalist in the Arts
- (2025) Annie Franklin, MFA 2025
- (2015) Jason Ohlberg, MFA 2015
Husky 100:
- (2025) Lou Chow, BA 2025
- (2025) Gloria Shen, BS 2025
- (2021) Tania Nambo- Escobar, BA 2021
- (2021) Anna Lee, BS & BA 2021
- (2021) Megan Sellman, BA 2021
- (2019) Saulyman Corr; BA 2019
- (2018) Maria Villegas, BA 2019
- (2018) Jiaqui Kyki Li, BA 2018
George & Barbara Akers Scholarship
- (2024) Gavin Besteman, BA 2025
- (2017) Lisa Kwak, BA 2018
Irene Dickson McFarlane College of Arts & Sciences Scholarship
- (2025) Sydney Nguyen, BA 2026
- (2023) Kaitlyn Pitts, BA 2024
Mary Gates Research Scholarship
- (2022) Olivia Anderson, BA 2023
- (2018) Aiyi Valerie Huang, BA 2018
- (2018) Hannah Moujing, BA 2018
Mary Katherine Mackenzie and Mary Ann Whitmore Endowed Scholarship
- (2024) Joan Swartwood, BA 2025
Peeler- Horan Scholarship for the Performing Arts
- (2023) Char Hertel, BA 2025
President's Medalist:
Faculty & Staff Awards
Alethea Alexander, Part-Time Faculty, formerly Acting Assistant Professor
- 2018 Kreielsheimer Research Grant
- 2018 John and Joyce Price Award of Excellence for collaboration with Anna Mlasowsky on Chorus of One
Etienne Cakpo, Part-Time Faculty/ Affiliate Assistant Professor
- 2020 DEAW Dance Educator of the Year Award
Catherine Cole, Professor
- 2025 American Society for Theatre Research Disguished Scholar Award
- 2024 Kreielsheimer and Jones Large Grant in the Arts
- 2021 Dance Studies Association, de la Torre Bueno® Special Citation for a book published in the English language that advances the field of dance studies
- 2019 Mellon Foundation Grant, UW’s Arts and Creativity Initiative, Co-PI
- 2017 Freie Universität Berlin, International Research Center Fellowship
- 2005 National Humanities Center Fellowship
- 2002 American Society for Theatre Research, The Barnard Hewitt Award for Outstanding Research in Theatre History, Honorable Mention
- 2002 African Studies Association Herkovits Award Finalist, Best Scholarly Work on Africa Published in English
Rachael Lincoln, Associate Professor
- 2018 Kreielsheimer Research Grant
- 2017 Seattle Dance Crush Award for An Attic and Exit
Juliet McMains, Professor
- 2025 Berlin Indie Film Festival Award Winner: Best Dance Film (Augenblick: On the Edge of the Moment)
- 2024 Queer Dance Film Festival Winner: Best Partner Dance Film (Man to Man)
- 2020 – 2023 Floyd and Delores Jones Endowed Professorship in the Arts
- 2018 SmART Ventures Grant, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture
- 2017-18 Simpson Center for the Humanities Conferences and Colloquia Grant
- 2017 Erasmus + Erasums Munus Grant for Visiting Scholars
- 2016 Research Mentorship Award
Monica Rojas-Stewart, Assistant Professor
2025 - 2028 Floyd & Delores Jones Endowed Professorship in the Arts
Jen Salk, Professor
- 2018 - 2021 Donald E. Peterson Endowed Professor
- 2015 - 2018 Floyd & Delores Jones Endowed Chair in the Arts
Christina Sunardi, Chair
- 2023-2026 University of Washington Floyd & Delores Jones Endowed Professorship in the Arts
- 2020 University of Washington Arts and Creativity Initiative Mellon Grant
- 2017-2023 Adelaide D. Currie Cole Endowed Professorship in the School of Music
- 2016 American Musicological Society Philip Brett Award
- 2016 Society for Ethnomusicology Allan P. Merriam Prize Honorable Mention
- 2015 University of Washington Strategic International Partnerships Travel Award (now Global Innovation Fund)
- 2012-2013 University of Washington Simpson Center Faculty Research Fellowship
- 2011 Marcia Herndon Award, Society for Ethnomusicology Gender and Sexualities Task Force
- 2010 Freeman Award, University of Washington Jackson School of International Studies
Hannah Wiley, Professor Emerita
- 2025 Marsha Landoldt Distinguished Graduate Mentor Award
- 2024 Jones grant to support launch of interactive ballet teaching site
- 2023 Jones grant for development of interactive ballet teaching and research site
- 2021 Floyd & Delores Jones Endowment supporting production of City of Rain.
- 2021 Kreielsheimer Grant for COVID-19 equipment for staging City of Rain
- 2019 Kreielsheimer Research Grant to complete Lucinda Childs documentary
- 2018 National Endowment for the Arts grant to restage Tänze vor Gott by Harald Kreutzberg
- 2012 Timeless Award to Distinguished UW Alumni for timeless achievements
- 2012 National Endowment for the Arts grant to restage dances by Ruth St. Denis, Jean Erdman, Ethel Winter, Mary Wigman and Helen Tamiris
- 2010 American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of American Genius grant to restage Bebe Miller's work
- 2009 National College Choreography Initiative grant to restage Alwin Nikolais’s choreography
- 2008 National College Choreography Initiative grant to restage Jane Dudley’s choreography
- 2005-07 Donald E. Petersen Endowed Professor
- 2005 National College Choreography Initiative grant to restage Limón’s There is a Time
- 2005 UW Royalty Research Fund grant: Contextualizing and Preserving the Heritage of American Modern Dance
- 2003 Allen Foundation grant to support Kronos Quartet performance in the UW Summer Arts Festival (SAF)
- 2001 Patrons of Northwest Civic, Cultural and Charitable Organizations grant to support performances in SAF
- 2001 University Rotary grant to support Mirabilia Artis exhibit in SAF
- 2000,‘01,‘02,‘03 Simpson Center for the Humanities grant to support lecturers in SAF
- 2000 O’Toole Family Foundation grant to reconstruct Pendleton’s Bonsai
- 2000 & 2001 Nesholm Family Foundation grant to support K-12 workshops in SAF
- 1999 O’Toole Family Foundation grant to reconstruct Weidman’s Traditions
- 1998 SAFECO grant to bring choreographer of note to the UW
- 1998 Tools for Transformation grant to create Choreographer & Composer Collaboration course
- 1995 Royalty Research Grant: Reconstructing the Legacy of American Modern Dance
- 1994 National Dance Association Plaudit Award for contributions to dance
- 1988 Seattle Foundation Grant supporting the institution of M.F.A. degree, UW
- 1982 Research materials grant from Capezio Ballet Makers and Ballet International
Department of Dance Alumni Awards
- Elana Skeers BA ‘ 23 : 2025 Fulbright Scholarship
- Paula J. Peters MFA ‘11: 2021 Outstanding Dance Education Researcher Award
- Alexandra Bradshaw-Yerby MFA ’19 : 2020 Utah Higher Education Dance Educator of the Year
- Kevin Lam BA ‘19: 2019 Fulbright Scholarship
- Fausto Rivera BA ‘13 & Cheryl Delostrinos BA ‘13: 2018 Dance Crush Award for their choreography and performance of Tequila con Miel y Limon
- Angel Langley, BA ‘16: 2018 Arc Fellowship from the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture
- Tonya Locker, BA ‘08, MFA ‘10: 2018 Velocity Dance Center Dance Champion to honor the phenomenal success of her seven-year tenure as Velocity Dance Center’s executive director. Read more here
Share Your Success
If you are a student, alumna/alumnus, or faculty member of the Dance Program who has been recognized for achievements in dance, please email us so we may include you on our site.