Dr. Mila Parrish Wins SCDA Advocacy Award

---

Congratulations to Dr. Mila Parrish, Director of the Dance Education program, for receiving the 2011 Advocacy Award from the South Carolina Dance Association. The Advocacy Award is given to individuals who have "made sustained contributions to the field of dance in the state of South Carolina in the areas of advocacy, innovation in pedagogy, quality of community initiatives and personal leadership and integrity."

The SC Dance Association is an organization committed to creating an environment that supports and promotes dance in SC. It is under the umbrella of the South Carolina Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. It was established to promote health and wellness through "leadership, professional development, education and advocacy."

The award will be presented at a luncheon at the 2011 Annual SCAHPERD conference in Myrtle Beach on November 13th.

The USC Dance Education director's students have been busy themselves impacting the dance community. In July, six students were given the opportunity to attend and perform at the "Dance and the Child Conference" (DaCi) in Denton, Texas.  Dr. Parrish explained that DaCi is an organization that "focuses on creating opportunities for children and young people to experience dance as performers, creators and spectators." The theme for the conference was Breaking Boundaries, Creating Connections. Students participated in master classes and intergenerational workshops and performed two dances: a modern work called the “Parsons Etude,” by legendary choreographer David Parsons and a Hip Hop work by Saza Dimmick titled “The Power of Words."

 

Dr. Parrish (back row, 4th from left) and Conference Coordinator Dr. MaryLynn Babcock (back row, 3rd from left) with Dance Ed. students