Awards

2023 Awardees From Left to Right:

Cedric Gardner – Recipient of the 2023 WDC Choreography and Performance Award
Pamela Frautschi – Recipient of the 2023 WDC Friend of Dance Award
Sandra Jordan – Recipient of the WDC 2023 Margaret H’Doubler Award
Andrea Harris – Recipient of the 2023 WDC Research and Journalism Award
Christal Wagner – Recipient of the 2023 WDC Choreography and Performance Award
Catey Ott-Thompson – Recipient of the 2023 WDC Choreography and Performance Award
Paul Kosidowski – Recipient of the 2023 WDC Research and Journalism Award (not shown)

Awards

2023 Awardees From Left to Right:

Cedric Gardner – Recipient of the 2023 WDC Choreography and Performance Award
Pamela Frautschi – Recipient of the 2023 WDC Friend of Dance Award
Sandra Jordan – Recipient of the WDC 2023 Margaret H’Doubler Award
Andrea Harris – Recipient of the 2023 WDC Research and Journalism Award
Christal Wagner – Recipient of the 2023 WDC Choreography and Performance Award
Catey Ott-Thompson – Recipient of the 2023 WDC Choreography and Performance Award
Paul Kosidowski – Recipient of the 2023 WDC Research and Journalism Award (not shown)

Nomination Requirements

For the Wisconsin Dance Council member making the nomination:
  • Fill out the Wisconsin Dance Council Award Nomination Form

  • Nominator must write a letter of recommendation

  • Submit the Nomination Form, with the materials collected from the nominee and the recommendation letter at the same time.

For the Nominee:

The nominee will be asked to provide a brief biographical summary, a curriculum vita or resume, a “head shot”, and at least three additional photographs of the nominee teaching, performing, or volunteering. The biography and resume will be shared with the individuals that are writing the letters of recommendation. Additional material as requested if the nominee will be honored.

Nomination Form: Please make a copy for yourself to edit.

Send Nomination Materials to:

Who:

Wisconsin Dance Council Award Ceremony Committee

Address:

Post Office Box 1082
Sheboygan,  WI  53082-1082 

E-mail:

info@wisconsindancecouncil.org

Nomination Requirements

For the Wisconsin Dance Council member making the nomination:
  • Fill out the Wisconsin Dance Council Award Nomination Form

  • Nominator must write a letter of recommendation

  • Submit the Nomination Form, with the materials collected from the nominee and the recommendation letter at the same time.

For the Nominee:

The nominee will be asked to provide a brief biographical summary, a curriculum vita or resume, a “head shot”, and at least three additional photographs of the nominee teaching, performing, or volunteering. The biography and resume will be shared with the individuals that are writing the letters of recommendation. Additional material as requested if the nominee will be honored.

Nomination Form: Please make a copy for yourself to edit.

Send Nomination Materials to:

Who:

Wisconsin Dance Council Award Ceremony Committee

Address:

Post Office Box 1082
Sheboygan,  WI  53082-1082 

E-mail:

info@wisconsindancecouncil.org

Nominations for Wisconsin Dance Council Awards

Since 1984, Wisconsin Dance Council has honored groups and individuals for their contributions to dance in Wisconsin.

Our Biennial Award Ceremony is tentatively scheduled for the year 2024. Plan ahead. Do you know someone that is making or has made significant contributions to dance in Wisconsin? Please nominate them for one of the following WDC Awards 2024.

Wisconsin Dance Council Award Categories

Distinction is awarded to an outstanding person, group of individuals, or organization who has made significant contributions to the advancement of dance.

Margaret H’Doubler is awarded to an individual for his/her outstanding contribution as a teacher/educator in the field of dance.

Choreography/Performance is awarded to a devoted outstanding choreographer or performer who has exemplified his/her abilities through his/her works.

Research and Journalism is awarded to a person who has made a significant contribution to dance through research and journalism.

Lifetime Achievement is awarded to a person whose life has centered on dance as a performer or educator enriching Wisconsin’s Dance Heritage.

Career Recognition is awarded to a person whose diverse dance contributions (such as organization, involvement, leadership, choreographer, performer, educator, and innovator) have changed the future of dance in Wisconsin.

Friend of Dance is awarded to a supporter who has furthered dance opportunities through their voluntary efforts.

Nominations for Wisconsin Dance Council Awards

Since 1984, Wisconsin Dance Council has honored groups and individuals for their contributions to dance in Wisconsin.

Our Biennial Award Ceremony is tentatively scheduled for the year 2024. Plan ahead. Do you know someone that is making or has made significant contributions to dance in Wisconsin? Please nominate them for one of the following WDC Awards 2024.

Wisconsin Dance Council Award Categories

Distinction is awarded to an outstanding person, group of individuals, or organization who has made significant contributions to the advancement of dance.

Margaret H’Doubler is awarded to an individual for his/her outstanding contribution as a teacher/educator in the field of dance.

Choreography/Performance is awarded to a devoted outstanding choreographer or performer who has exemplified his/her abilities through his/her works.

Research and Journalism is awarded to a person who has made a significant contribution to dance through research and journalism.

Lifetime Achievement is awarded to a person whose life has centered on dance as a performer or educator enriching Wisconsin’s Dance Heritage.

Career Recognition is awarded to a person whose diverse dance contributions (such as organization, involvement, leadership, choreographer, performer, educator, and innovator) have changed the future of dance in Wisconsin.

Friend of Dance is awarded to a supporter who has furthered dance opportunities through their voluntary efforts.

Wisconsin Dance Council Award Recipients

Name
Category
Year

Cedric Gardner

WDC Choreography and Performance Award

2023

Pamela Frautschi

Friend of Dance Award

2023

Sandra Jordan

Margaret H’Doubler Award 2023

Andrea Harris

Research and Journalism Award 2023

Christal Wagner

Choreography and Performance Award

2023

Catey Ott-Thompson

Choreography and Performance Award

2023

Paul Kosidowski

Research and Journalism Award 2023
Name
Category
Year

John Schneider

Research and Journalism Award

2021

Joan Karlen

Lifetime Achievement Award

2021

Shirley Gilbert

Margaret H’Doubler Award 2021

Pam Leudtke

Career Recognition Award 2021
Name
Category
Year

Robert Cleary 

Career Recognition 2009

Carol Klongland*,
Virginia Lee Kehl Mackesey

Lifetime Achievement 2009

A.A. Leath*

Margaret H’Doubler 2009

Susanne Carter,
Phyllis Sanfilippo

Career Recognition 2010

Jeanne Ferraro

Lifetime Achievement 2010

Jo Jean Retrum

Distinction 2010

Nikki Balsamo,
Mariah Meyer LeFeber

Recognition of New Leadership 2011

Mary Maloney Innes 

Distinction 2011

Maureen Janson

Choreography/Performance  2011

Coleen Kehl

Lifetime Achievement 2011

Dori Regnier Weigel

Friend of Dance 2011

Dance Masters of Wisconsin,
Vicky Tzoumerka-Knoedler

Distinction 2015

Debra Loewen

Career Recognition 2015

Bernadine “Bernie” Matzke*

Lifetime Achievement 2015

Simone Linhares Ferro

Career Recognition 2016

Jennifer Janus Hiltbrand

Distinction  2016

Tori Rogoski-Rutta

Margaret H’Doubler 2016

Tania Tandias

Choreography/Performance 2016

Mary Katic,
Marlene Turbin Weldon

Career Recognition 2018

Dani Kuepper

Choreography/Performance  2018

Marlene Skog

Distinction 2018

Roger White

Lifetime Achievement 2018
Name
Category
Year

Barry Lynn,
Mary Fee*

Lifetime Achievement 1997

Susan Gingrasso,
Pam Kriger,
Bronna Wollman 

Career Recognition 1997

Ellen Moore

Margaret H’Doubler 1997

Margot Mink Colbert

Choreography/Performance  1997

Susan Munson*

Friend of Dance 1997

Jean Wolfmeyer,
Diane Remy

Lifetime Achievement 1998

Marcia Parsons

Career Recognition 1998

Liza Brown*

Margaret H’Doubler 1998

Claudia Melrose

Distinction 1998

Carol Marion Ceniti

Recognition of New Leadership 1998

Hermine Davidson*

Lifetime Achievement 1999

Lisa Andrea Thurrell

Choreography/Performance  1999

Deborah Arnold,
James Hartwig

Career Recognition 1999

Jo Jean Kehl Janus,
Vivian Tomlinson

Distinction 1999

Julia Brown*

Friend of Dance 1999

Virgilyn Driscoll

Distinction 2000

Lonny Joseph Gordon

Choreography/Performance  2000

Peggy Rosenzweig,
Mariel Wozniak

Friend of Dance 2000

Michael Doran

Distinction 2001

Peggy Myo-Young Choy

Choreography/Performance  2001

Harv Thompson

Friend of Dance 2001

Virginia Davis

Lifetime Achievement 2001

Bess Zana

Career Recognition 2001

Marcia Fellows

Lifetime Achievement 2002

Rena Kornblum

Research and Journalism 2002

James Moore

Career Recognition  2002

Robin Pettersen

Distinction 2002

Joan Mills

Margaret H’Doubler  2003

Jin-Wen Yu

Choreography/Performance  2003

Carol Hoehn

Lifetime Achievement 2003

John Gesinski*

Friend of Dance 2003

Nan Gilbert Dwyer

Distinction 2003

Jean Adams*

Lifetime Achievement 2004

Kristanne Connolly

Choreography/Performance  2004

Gerri Gurman

Distinction 2004

Ginny O’Brien*

Friend of Dance 2004

Doug Kane

Career Recognition 2005

Gertrude Delorit

Lifetime Achievement 2005

Li Chiao-Ping

Choreography/Performance  2005

Mary Belle Potter,
Shirley White

Lifetime Achievement 2005

Evelyn Smith*,
Grace Valentine

Career Recognition 2005

W. Earle Smith

Recognition of New Leadership 2005

Karen Cowan

Margaret H’Doubler 2006

Mary Jane Van Duyse Sorgel

Lifetime Achievement 2006

Betty Hayes-Baxter

Career Recognition 2008

Kay Kuester-Doran

Lifetime Achievement 2008

Janet Lilly,
Michael Pink

Choreography/Performance 2008
Name
Category
Year

Louise Kloepper*

Uncategorized 1984

Ferne Caulker-Bronson

Uncategorized 1986

Betty Salamun

Uncategorized 1987

Virginia Weiler* 

Uncategorized 1988

Mary Elliott

Uncategorized 1989

Christine Stevens Jezewska 

Uncategorized 1990

Jane Farwell*

Uncategorized 1991

Curtis Carter

Uncategorized 1992

Deborah Thomas

Uncategorized 1992

Jim Sullivan

Uncategorized 1992

Edward L. Kamarck* 

Uncategorized 1992

Donna Peckett

Uncategorized 1992

Ginka Cohn*

Uncategorized 1992

Cecelia Brown*

Uncategorized 1993

Mary Thurrell

Uncategorized 1994

Bernadine Kunkel* 

Distinction 1995

Eileen Muth*

Margaret H’Doubler 1995

Judith Benade

Choreography/Performance  1995

Cate Deicher

Recognition of New Leadership 1995

Mary Alice “Buff” Brennan

Research and Journalism 1995

Waltraud Karkar,
Juanita Makaroff,
Charmaine Ristow

Distinction 1996

Anna Nassif

Margaret H’Doubler 1996

Charles Carell*,
Roland Hitchler

Lifetime Achievement 1996

Timothy Josephs

Recognition of New Leadership 1996

Mercedes Fernandes,
Evelyn “Chick” Nirschl*,
Miriam Shelstad*,
Tibor Zana

Career Recognition 1996

Diana Cottam*

Friend of Dance 1996

Wisconsin Dance Council Award Recipients

Name
Category
Year

Cedric Gardner

WDC Choreography and Performance Award

2023

Pamela Frautschi

Friend of Dance Award

2023

Sandra Jordan

Margaret H’Doubler Award 2023

Andrea Harris

Research and Journalism Award 2023

Christal Wagner

Choreography and Performance Award

2023

Catey Ott-Thompson

Choreography and Performance Award

2023

Paul Kosidowski

Research and Journalism Award 2023
Name
Category
Year

John Schneider

Research and Journalism Award

2021

Joan Karlen

Lifetime Achievement Award

2021

Shirley Gilbert

Margaret H’Doubler Award 2021

Pam Leudtke

Career Recognition Award 2021
Name
Category
Year

Robert Cleary 

Career Recognition 2009

Carol Klongland*,
Virginia Lee Kehl Mackesey

Lifetime Achievement 2009

A.A. Leath*

Margaret H’Doubler 2009

Susanne Carter,
Phyllis Sanfilippo

Career Recognition 2010

Jeanne Ferraro

Lifetime Achievement 2010

Jo Jean Retrum

Distinction 2010

Nikki Balsamo,
Mariah Meyer LeFeber

Recognition of New Leadership 2011

Mary Maloney Innes 

Distinction 2011

Maureen Janson

Choreography/Performance  2011

Coleen Kehl

Lifetime Achievement 2011

Dori Regnier Weigel

Friend of Dance 2011

Dance Masters of Wisconsin,
Vicky Tzoumerka-Knoedler

Distinction 2015

Debra Loewen

Career Recognition 2015

Bernadine “Bernie” Matzke*

Lifetime Achievement 2015

Simone Linhares Ferro

Career Recognition 2016

Jennifer Janus Hiltbrand

Distinction  2016

Tori Rogoski-Rutta

Margaret H’Doubler 2016

Tania Tandias

Choreography/Performance 2016

Mary Katic,
Marlene Turbin Weldon

Career Recognition 2018

Dani Kuepper

Choreography/Performance  2018

Marlene Skog

Distinction 2018

Roger White

Lifetime Achievement 2018
Name
Category
Year

Barry Lynn,
Mary Fee*

Lifetime Achievement 1997

Susan Gingrasso,
Pam Kriger,
Bronna Wollman 

Career Recognition 1997

Ellen Moore

Margaret H’Doubler 1997

Margot Mink Colbert

Choreography/Performance  1997

Susan Munson*

Friend of Dance 1997

Jean Wolfmeyer,
Diane Remy

Lifetime Achievement 1998

Marcia Parsons

Career Recognition 1998

Liza Brown*

Margaret H’Doubler 1998

Claudia Melrose

Distinction 1998

Carol Marion Ceniti

Recognition of New Leadership 1998

Hermine Davidson*

Lifetime Achievement 1999

Lisa Andrea Thurrell

Choreography/Performance  1999

Deborah Arnold,
James Hartwig

Career Recognition 1999

Jo Jean Kehl Janus,
Vivian Tomlinson

Distinction 1999

Julia Brown*

Friend of Dance 1999

Virgilyn Driscoll

Distinction 2000

Lonny Joseph Gordon

Choreography/Performance  2000

Peggy Rosenzweig,
Mariel Wozniak

Friend of Dance 2000

Michael Doran

Distinction 2001

Peggy Myo-Young Choy

Choreography/Performance  2001

Harv Thompson

Friend of Dance 2001

Virginia Davis

Lifetime Achievement 2001

Bess Zana

Career Recognition 2001

Marcia Fellows

Lifetime Achievement 2002

Rena Kornblum

Research and Journalism 2002

James Moore

Career Recognition  2002

Robin Pettersen

Distinction 2002

Joan Mills

Margaret H’Doubler  2003

Jin-Wen Yu

Choreography/Performance  2003

Carol Hoehn

Lifetime Achievement 2003

John Gesinski*

Friend of Dance 2003

Nan Gilbert Dwyer

Distinction 2003

Jean Adams*

Lifetime Achievement 2004

Kristanne Connolly

Choreography/Performance  2004

Gerri Gurman

Distinction 2004

Ginny O’Brien*

Friend of Dance 2004

Doug Kane

Career Recognition 2005

Gertrude Delorit

Lifetime Achievement 2005

Li Chiao-Ping

Choreography/Performance  2005

Mary Belle Potter,
Shirley White

Lifetime Achievement 2005

Evelyn Smith*,
Grace Valentine

Career Recognition 2005

W. Earle Smith

Recognition of New Leadership 2005

Karen Cowan

Margaret H’Doubler 2006

Mary Jane Van Duyse Sorgel

Lifetime Achievement 2006

Betty Hayes-Baxter

Career Recognition 2008

Kay Kuester-Doran

Lifetime Achievement 2008

Janet Lilly,
Michael Pink

Choreography/Performance 2008
Name
Category
Year

Louise Kloepper*

Uncategorized 1984

Ferne Caulker-Bronson

Uncategorized 1986

Betty Salamun

Uncategorized 1987

Virginia Weiler* 

Uncategorized 1988

Mary Elliott

Uncategorized 1989

Christine Stevens Jezewska 

Uncategorized 1990

Jane Farwell*

Uncategorized 1991

Curtis Carter

Uncategorized 1992

Deborah Thomas

Uncategorized 1992

Jim Sullivan

Uncategorized 1992

Edward L. Kamarck* 

Uncategorized 1992

Donna Peckett

Uncategorized 1992

Ginka Cohn*

Uncategorized 1992

Cecelia Brown*

Uncategorized 1993

Mary Thurrell

Uncategorized 1994

Bernadine Kunkel* 

Distinction 1995

Eileen Muth*

Margaret H’Doubler 1995

Judith Benade

Choreography/Performance  1995

Cate Deicher

Recognition of New Leadership 1995

Mary Alice “Buff” Brennan

Research and Journalism 1995

Waltraud Karkar,
Juanita Makaroff,
Charmaine Ristow

Distinction 1996

Anna Nassif

Margaret H’Doubler 1996

Charles Carell*,
Roland Hitchler

Lifetime Achievement 1996

Timothy Josephs

Recognition of New Leadership 1996

Mercedes Fernandes,
Evelyn “Chick” Nirschl*,
Miriam Shelstad*,
Tibor Zana

Career Recognition 1996

Diana Cottam*

Friend of Dance 1996