In 2012, President Barack Obama recognized Joan Myers Brown, founder of the Philadelphia Dance Company, as a National Medal of Arts recipient, the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the federal government.
At a White House ceremony, Obama said Brown was recognized “for her contributions as a dancer, choreographer and artistic director. Founder of the Philadelphia Dance Company, Ms. Brown carved out an artistic haven for African-American dancers and choreographers to innovate, create, and share their unique visions with the national and global dance communities.”
The award was a fitting tribute for Brown, as she have provided a lifetime of contributions to dance in Philadelphia, the nation and world.
Brown founded Philadanco in 1970 and since then, the dance company has showcased its artistic integrity, superbly trained dancers and electrifying performances to diverse audiences all over the world.

For more than 40 years, Philadanco has held true to its mission “to empowering youth with crucial leadership and development skills that facilitate achievement and success in the world of dance and everyday life.”
Audiences throughout the world have appreciated the artistic excellence of Philadanco and its preservation of predominantly African-American traditions in dance.
One of its biggest fans was the late Alexander J. Dubé, whose passion for the dance community has extended far past his 2014 death. The pioneering New York-based dance advocate and former Career Transition For Dancers president made a $500,000 bequest to Philadanco — an amount the acclaimed company will receive if it raises a $1 million match by June 29.
The gift would be a well needed boost for Philadanco, which, despite its success, has struggled financially for years. Corporate funding has fallen off because of company mergers and subsidies from the National Endowment of the Arts and the Philadelphia Cultural Fund have dwindled.
“Over the years, the state and federal money has been steadily decreasing,” said Brown.
Other than episodic funding, she said, that “for Philadanco to be stable, it takes $1.5 million every year…I don’t know how you get individuals to give money.”

Philadanco board president Beverly A. Harper said the dance company needs administrative support that would help it stabilized funding. She said donors to the matching fund will help in that effort.

“We need someone to make that big initial contribution,” she said.
“And then,” added Harper, “use that as a catalyst for getting others.”
If you appreciate dance and the arts then you know the importance of supporting our region’s cultural gem and help it reach its special fundraising goal.
To contribute funds to reach the matching goal by the 2017 deadline, visit Philadanco.org and specify the donation is for the Alexander J. Dubé Matching Gift Program. For more information, call (215) 387-8200.
https://www.phillytrib.com/commentary/help-cultural-gem-philadanco-reach-funding-goal/article_2c04991e-7f96-58cf-99fe-46e95eb84e1f.html