History in the Making: Honoring our Young African American Leaders of Today
City of Pittsburgh Honors
Greer Reed Jones
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Greer began early training with the Pittsburgh Black Theater Dance Ensemble. Upon graduation from high school, her intensive dance education continued at the University of the Arts, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the Dance Theater of Harlem in New York. Having successfully completed the Certificate and Merit scholarship programs at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, she became a member of the outstanding Ailey II.
Advancing her career opportunities, she became a contracted dancer with the internationally acclaimed Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, (DCDC) in Dayton, Ohio. Rising to principal dancer during her ten years with DCDC, she has worked closely with internationally renowned choreographers and directors, touring extensively throughout the US and abroad. Retiring from the professional concert stage in May 2001, she was the recipient of the coveted “Josie Award”;named for the founder of the Dayton Ballet; this annual award recognizes the highest standard of artistic excellence in concert dance. During her ten-year career with DCDC, Ms. Jones became well established and recognized as a master instructor of the Horton (Modern) Technique. Upon retirement, Ms. Jones joined and taught at Pittsburgh’s Civic Light Opera Academy and the Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts Dance Department faculties. Ms. Jones is a Master Instructor for the USA International Ballet Competition, in Jackson, Mississippi, for which she was originally invited in 2002. During the summer of 2003, Ms. Jones was Master Instructor at the six week Bates College Dance Festival, held annually in Maine. During the summer of 2002, Ms Jones also taught at the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts, Mercyhurst College, Erie, PA for the six week intensive. She continues to be a guest Master Instructor annually for the program.
Since her return to the Pittsburgh area, she has been dedicated to a multitude of special projects within the community and educational institutions. Ms. Jones has also choreographed several special projects such as the “Steelers Style 2003”, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ fundraising fashion show, Kuntu Repertory Theater’s production of “Sophisticated Ladies”, for which she won an “Onyx Award” for best choreography, and Pittsburgh City Theater’s award winning production of “Crowns.”
Ms. Jones has been consistently recognized for her dedication and passion to the community and mentoring young dancers. She was part of the New Pittsburgh Courier’s first group of recipients for the Pittsburgh Fab 40, which recognized the outstanding talents and leadership of forty African American Pittsburgh individuals under the age of forty. Additional awards include the Pittsburgh Creativity Project Award for creating her summer dance program, Jones Summer Dance Intensive, which debuted at the Dance Alloy Theater in the summer of 2008. In June of 2009, Ms. Jones received the Urban Heroes award for her contributions to the regional community as well as Pittsburgh Courier’s 50 Women of Excellence.
Ms. Jones is currently Artistic Director for Dance Alloy Theater, Pittsburgh’s premier modern dance company, and recently received an August Wilson Center Fellowship to create the August Wilson Center Dance Ensemble.
Take a look at all of this years Honorees: http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/parks/black_history_month_honorees.htm
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