Joan Myers Brown

Joan Myers Brown
Joan Myers Brown
Born	December 25, 1931; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
Occupation(s)	Director, educator, dancer
Years active	1970-
Awards	National Medal of Arts

Joan Myers Brown (born 25 December 1931) is an American dance company director and former dancer. In 1970, she founded PHILADANCO, a modern dance company in Philadelphia.^[1] In 2012, she received a National Medal of Arts in recognition of her career.^[2]

Early life and education

Brown is the only child of Nellie Lewis, a nuclear scientist, and Julius Myers, a chef and restaurateur, born on 25 December 1931 in Philadelphia. Native to both Philadelphia and North Carolina, she grew up mainly on 47th Street and Paschall Avenue of Southwest Philadelphia.^[3]

Brown's first dance instructors and role models were Essie Marie Dorsey, Sydney Gibson King, and Marion Durham Cuyjet. As a child she wished to shatter the social barriers prohibiting African Americans from becoming famous in the world of dance.^[4]

During a time where famous dance personalities were predominantly light-skinned, Brown worked hard to make sure that people of color acquired equal status in mainstream dance. She dreamed of a school where African Americans could learn and develop through methods tailored specifically to their individual needs - a program that was specially created for ethnic bodies.^[4]

Accomplishments

Brown's accomplishments were many:^[3]

1960: Established The Philadelphia School of Dance Arts
1970: Founded The Philadelphia Dance Company (more commonly known as Philadanco)
1988: Founded the International Conference of Black Dance Companies
1991: Created the International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD) in 1991
1995–: Distinguished guest, dance faculty at Howard University

Recognition

Honored in "Dance Women; Living Legends", a tribute to African American pioneer women of modern dance^[5]
Brown was one of the recipients of the 2012 National Medal of Arts, by President and Mrs. Obama, in the White House's East Room, on Wednesday, July 10, 2013.^[2]

References

^ Warren, Charmaine Patricia (September 2, 2021). Moving Over: A Powerhouse of Black Dance Is Retiring (Mostly). Joan Myers Brown, the founder of Philadanco, is stepping back if not quite away from her duties. She still goes to the office every day. New York Times.
^ ^a ^b "President Obama to Award 2012 National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medal", The White House, July 3, 2013.
^ ^a ^b Gottschild, Brenda D. (2016). Joan Myers Brown and the Audacious Hope of the Black Ballerina: A Biohistory of American Performance. Palgrave Macmillan US. ISBN 978-1-137-51235-2. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
^ ^a ^b Patri Warren, Charmaine. Dance Women/Living Legends, 1997.
^ "Joan Myers Brown", Philadanco.

External links

Joan Myers Brown Philadanco papers from the African American Museum in Philadelphia

[1] Warren, Charmaine Patricia (September 2, 2021). Moving Over: A Powerhouse of Black Dance Is Retiring (Mostly). Joan Myers Brown, the founder of Philadanco, is stepping back if not quite away from her duties. She still goes to the office every day. New York Times.

[2012Medal-2] "President Obama to Award 2012 National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medal", The White House, July 3, 2013.

[gottschild2016-3] Gottschild, Brenda D. (2016). Joan Myers Brown and the Audacious Hope of the Black Ballerina: A Biohistory of American Performance. Palgrave Macmillan US. ISBN 978-1-137-51235-2. Retrieved September 2, 2022.

[warren-4] Patri Warren, Charmaine. Dance Women/Living Legends, 1997.

[5] "Joan Myers Brown", Philadanco.

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