Wyoming Arts Council

2017 Performing Arts Fellowship Awards Announced


The Wyoming Arts Council is pleased to announce the 2017 Performing Arts Fellowship recipients. Two fellowships were awarded in the category of Music and two were awarded in the category of Theatre & Dance. The Performing Arts Fellowships are awarded to Wyoming artists based on merit and artistic excellence.

The Music Fellowship in Composition was awarded to Ron Coulter of Casper. Ron is Instructor of Percussion and World Music at Casper College and has presented at more than 90 colleges and universities internationally. Additional interests include noise, intermedia, interdisciplinary collaboration, and organizing Fluxusconcerts. As a composer, Ron has created more than 300 compositions for various media.

The Music Fellowship in Performance was awarded to Sharon Martinson of Laramie. Deeply interested in the history of the instrument, and old songs and recordings, Sharon uses that as a base from which she continually reinvents Americana banjo music with a new-meets- old-sound. Her fourth album, Phoenix Rising, will be released summer 2017. (Photo Credit: Don Turner, DPTurner Photography)

The Theatre & Dance Fellowship in Creation was awarded to Jennifer Deckert of Laramie. Jennifer has an extensive performance and choreographic background, and has also been invited to present and teach workshops on dancer wellness and kinesiology throughout the world. Jennifer is currently an Associate Professor at University of Wyoming where she teaches advanced ballet and pointe technique, dance kinesiology, yoga, dance history, and modern dance technique.

The Theatre & Dance Fellowship in Performance was awarded to Rachel Holmes of Jackson. Rachel’s performance background has included significant roles in modern, contemporary, African, and classical ballet. In 2014, Babs Case, Artistic Director of Dancers’ Workshop and Contemporary Dance Wyoming, offered her the position of School Director and a place within the professional dance company. She is currently in her third season with Contemporary Dance Wyoming.

Two honorable mentions in Music were awarded to Aaron Davis (Jackson) and Beth Vanderborgh (Laramie). Two honorable mentions in Theatre & Dance were awarded to Taylor Kath (Rock Springs) and Doug Reitinger (Sheridan).

The Fellowship recipients and honorable mentions were selected by two jurors: Alex Komodore, a Denver-based guitarist and chair of the guitar program at Metropolitan State University of Denver, and Gerry Hansen, an educator, director and choreographer based in California.

For more information about the Performing Arts Fellowships, please contact the Wyoming Arts Council at 307-777-7742.


Sort By Category By Month By Year
Cancel