DANCE ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP
The Dance Alumni Scholarship is distinguished as the first endowed scholarship in Dance at Florida State University. The brainchild of Sharyn Heiland Shields (MM 1968) and production manager Odette Salvaggio, the fund was established in 1989 and has received gifts from more than 60 alums to date.
More than 20 students have benefited from proceeds from the Dance Alumni Scholarship since its inception in 1989. We asked three past recipients to share the impact that the Dance Alumni Scholarship had on their academic and professional careers. Join us as we journey with Ashley Brown (MFA 2010), Diane Cahill Bedford (BFA 2003, MFA 2010), and Kieron Sargeant (MFA 2019) from their time in the School of Dance to their current successes.
What was the impact of the scholarship on your academic career? This scholarship impacted my academic career tremendously. The financial assistance allowed me to travel to West Africa (specifically Senegal and Nigeria) to further my research on African Diasporic Dance Forms and its deep spiritual and ritualistic connection to Trinidad and Tobago/Caribbean Dances. I was also able to travel throughout the United States and Latin America where I presented my research at various conferences. In Canada, I lectured on Caribbean Dance and globally, I have facilitated several movement workshops. I must say thank you to all donors who contributed to ensure that students can have the opportunity to have their academic visions fulfilled during their stay at FSU.
KIERON SARGEANT
Do you have any favorite memories from your time at FSU?
All of my memories happened inside the School of Dance. I will always value the experience of being continuously mentored by the following faculty members: Dr. La Toya Davis Craig, Dr. Hannah Schwadron, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Gwen Welliver, Anjali Austin, Josephine Garibaldi, Kehinde Ishangi, and Jen Atkins. I really enjoyed working with Dr. Craig in particular. Latoya has given me the tools and wisdom to become the artist I am currently. Her knowledge in the field of arts administration and grant writing is second to none. I will always remember how beautifully Russell Sandifer lit my choreographic work and how he transformed the space for my MFA Thesis Performance. Finally, I really enjoyed my first semester during which fellow School of Dance alumna Millicent Johnnie was a visiting artist.
MFA 2019
Where are you in your career now? I am currently doing various teaching gigs at universities locally and internationally. I’m also managing a foundation I recently launched, the Kieron Dwayne Sargeant Dance & Education Foundation, a non-profit organization devoted to supporting the artists and dancers of Trinidad and Tobago to achieve excellence in dance and dance education. I am also hosting online lectures and talks with wellknown dance scholars, choreographers and artists on topics surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion, black dance and Caribbean histories, ethnography and choreography. In the fall I will be taking up a full-time professor position. Do you have any advice for current FSU or FSU Dance students? Stay true to your craft and continue to invest in your artistic career and life. 2020– 2021 MAG A Z INE | 13
