Wheeling Dance Teacher To Receive The 2014 Ruth Page Award

 Wheeling High School Orchesis director and dance teacher Diane Rawlinson has been selected as the 2014 Ruth Page Award recipient. She earned this distinction due to her tireless 30-year dedication to teaching young dancers the discipline of the art form as well as the importance of community philanthropy and citizenship. As founder of Dance for Life’s “Next Generation,” an annual student produced concert benefiting Dance for Life and The Children's Place Association, Rawlinson has raised over $170,000 since its inception in 1994.

“Diane has dedicated herself to teaching dance in a unique way,” explains Venetia Stifler, executive and artistic director of the Ruth Page Center for the Arts. “As professionals, we all know that dance teaches discipline and self-esteem. However, Diane extends that teaching to the next generation of young dancers in a real-world manner, imparting understanding of how each of us is connected and the vital importance of community, philanthropy and citizenship.”

The Ruth Page Award is given in honor of dance icon Ruth Page (1899-1991), and it continues the tradition of honoring those whose contributions to dance share her passion, artistry, and vision. The award also is a unique opportunity for the Ruth Page Center for the Arts to acknowledge or help further an individual's or organization's artistic momentum. It has been given annually by the Ruth Page Center on behalf of the Ruth Page Foundation and the Chicago dance community since 1986.

The Award will be presented at a private reception at the Auditorium Theater, 50 E Congress Parkway, Chicago, on Sunday, March 23, 2014. Tickets are $50 and include the reception at 12 noon followed by a performance of the Houston Ballet’s production of Aladdin at 2:00 p.m. As part of its annual Ruth Page Festival of Dance, the Ravinia Festival will co-present with the Auditorium Theater Houston Ballet's magical take on the ageless Aladdin in the acclaimed production choreographed by David Bintley. Tickets to the Ruth Page Award will be available for purchase on February 7 at www.ruthpage.org. For additional information, contact Silvino da Silva, director of marketing & communications at 312-337-6543.

The Ruth Page Award honoree is selected through the Ruth Page Award Selection Committee, composed of members from the Chicago dance community, former Ruth Page Award winners, and Ruth Page Foundation staff. Established in Chicago by Ruth Page in 1970, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization committed to the education, promotion, and presentation of dance in Chicago. Its mission is to ensure that children and dance artists have a place to study, work and perform at the highest level of excellence. The Center also promotes Page's vision of dance as an innovative and accessible art form that fosters artistic excellence and creates a dance destination in Illinois.