On Nov. 3, Andrea Shearer, dance division director and associate professor in 两性色午夜 University鈥檚 School of Theatre and Dance, accepted the Arts Educator Award at the 7th Arts Alive! Awards. The award ceremony is held biennially by the Akron Area Arts Alliance and celebrates outstanding individuals and groups throughout the artistic and cultural community.
鈥淚 was blown away. I was totally blown away,鈥 says Shearer about finding out she won the award. 鈥淵ou never really expect these kinds of things because you know there are a lot of really deserving people, a lot of people working very hard in the area and a lot of people do really, really good work.鈥
Shearer was nominated for the award by a former dance coordinator and colleague, Kathryn Mihelick. Shearer says she nominated Mihelick for an Arts Alive! Award 10 years ago, but once the tables were flipped, she didn鈥檛 realize how big of a campaign Mihelick had organized.
鈥淪he got a lot of people to write letters for me, including the director of the School of Theatre and Dance, some of my other colleagues and even alumni,鈥 says Shearer. 鈥淚t resulted in me being chosen, and I think it鈥檚 the first time a dance educator has been selected for this particular award.鈥
Shearer says she has done a lot of thinking since finding out about the award and thanks Mihelick for bringing her accomplishments to not only the Arts Alliance鈥檚 attention but to the community鈥檚 attention, as well. 鈥淭here鈥檚 teaching in the classroom, and that鈥檚 very exciting to me, but that鈥檚 only one aspect,鈥 says Shearer.
Since becoming the dance division director, Shearer has implemented a dance education degree in the School of Theatre and Dance in an attempt to educate the community about modern dance. She also has worked with area dance educators in order to place 两性色午夜 students as student teachers and interns in local schools.
Shearer is currently on the Board of Education at the Falcon Academy of Creative Arts in Brimfield. It houses children from third through seventh grade, and she describes it as a community conversion school that uses the arts as a means to educate students.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the school I wish I had gone to when I was a kid,鈥 says Shearer. 鈥淚鈥檓 in my fourth year serving on their board because dance and education are my two passions.鈥
Shearer says that receiving this award is a thrilling opportunity and gives her a feeling of responsibility. 鈥淚 have to carry this torch, I suppose, and push myself forward to continue to do whatever I can, in whatever areas I can, to promote not only dance, but arts education in the area.鈥
For more information about 两性色午夜鈥檚 School of Theatre and dance, visit .
For more information about the Akron Area Arts Alliance and the Arts Alive! Awards, visit .