By Bev Davis
Register-Herald Senior Editor
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This week, West Virginia Dance Company was awarded the 2010 Governor’s Arts Award in Education. This award recognizes efforts to strengthen arts education in West Virginia public schools and the overall impact on arts education in West Virginia, according to Jeff Pierson, director of Arts, West Virginia Division of Culture and History.
“This award gives the Division of Culture and History and the West Virginia Commission on the Arts an opportunity to recognize the dance company for their dedication to the arts in education,” Pierson said.
“They, as a company, have traveled to more schools and provided more arts experience than anyone else we can think of. The quality of their work is top-notch. They are providing students with art opportunities they would not get otherwise, and their work is at a level of quality that rivals any I’ve seen anywhere.”
For its founder, co-artistic director and administrator Toneta Akers-Toler of Beckley, the award is a meaningful recognition for members of the company and underscores the importance of integrating arts and education.
“It’s really tough out there in arts education. Many people still do not understand the value of arts in the curriculum as a whole. Math and science are certainly important skills, but students also need a framework of communication in which to apply all educational pursuits in a practical and meaningful way.”
Robby Moore, administrative assistant with the company, said he’s happy to see the company recognized for its long years of consistent service.
“It’s great to see the company honored for its many contributions to the arts,” Moore said. “Lots of students have been exposed to the arts in ways they would not have been without all the efforts of the dance company.”
Company member Donald Laney said the award speaks volumes for everyone who’s ever been involved with WVDC.
“This award is for everyone who has ever been involved in the company. It recognizes all the hard work and effort everyone has put it,” Laney said. “It also means a lot to Toneta and says a lot about her commitment all these years. She’s worked hard to make her dreams come true, and what she is doing is inspiring dreams in school children throughout this state.”
Toler said the mission of WVDC is to provide projects and performances at a statewide level that will offer the best value and quality within the framework of West Virginia and 21st Century Learning Skills and multi-cultural perspectives.
The company was nominated for the award by Kathy Freeland of Glen Dale.
“It is because of their profound commitment to arts excellence, to the educational goals and principles of our state and for their resounding enhancement of the well-being of our children, that I proudly nominated the West Virginia Dance Company,” Freeland said.
A Wyoming County native, Toler founded the dance company 33 years ago out of a passion to integrate dance, movement, music, literature and an appreciation for cultural diversity.
“Over the years, we have promoted education about our history in the coal fields, the life and experiences of many cultures that have come to us through Ellis Island, and we’ve attempted to introduce West Virginia students to the beauty and diversity of life and music and dance in other cultures through the medium of movement,” Toler said.
“The goal of the Touring Program is to encourage deeper arts experiences by facilitating the ease of taking art into West Virginia’s communities with an emphasis on serving distressed counties” Toler said. “This program was created based on feedback received from teachers, administrators, and artists regarding our current Mini Grant program.”
With increasing demands upon school systems to stress the basics, promoting arts in education has become more challenging.
“There have been funding cuts, and I can understand how school administrators have their own struggle in trying to meet the standards set for them, but I truly believe the arts play a major role in helping students develop in all other areas of learning more effectively,” Toler said.
West Virginia Dance Company board president Bob Dunkerley, with 34 years in education himself, said the award is an endorsement, both of the company and how effectively the arts fit into cross-curricular activities.
“The company has brought schools in West Virginia and surrounding states both quality arts programs and brings an additional degree of relevance to cross-curricular activities involving math, history and social studies. The thing I like about arts-based learning is the benefit for students when a professional dance company comes in and demonstrates the wonderful art of modern dance that is related to the content standards and outcomes. There is a study guide with every performance, so the students can see those connections. That’s a significant thing,” Dunkerley said.
Quick to stress the award recognizes all members of the company, Toler said she is pleased to see them recognized for their hard work.
“There’s nothing easy about the performing arts. These people have real jobs and work very hard at what they do,” Toler said. “There is a constant demand to stay physically fit and to work long hours and to absorb lots of information and then interpret that information and share thoughts and ideas and concepts through movement.
“There are some rigorous schedules and demands on them, and they do this for very little money. It’s good to see them receive recognition for all of that.”
The award also focuses attention on the value of the arts, she said. “This is also an award that encourages all those teachers out there who try so hard to keep the arts alive in their schools and to promote the arts in education whenever and wherever they can.”
The WVDC is the only professional touring dance company in the history of West Virginia, according to documentation provided for the award. WVDC has performed extensively in West Virginia as well as 14 other states and Brazil. An average of 50,000 students are reached per touring season including public schools and college and universities.
— E-mail: bdavis@register-herald.com
