PEARSONWIDRIG’s Inventive Dance is Honored with Maryland State Arts Council Grant

Sara Pearson and Patrik Widrig

Sara Pearson and Patrik Widrig photo by Mike Ciesielski
 

Sara Pearson and Patrik Widrig, artistic directors of PEARSONWIDRIG DANCETHEATER since 1987, have gained an international following for work that transforms the familiar into the “mysterious, the subversive, and the intimate”. The dance partners, known for their contemporary, site-specific projects and community dance/theater/video installations are also an academic team at the UMD School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, where they are associate professors of dance.

PEARSONWIDRIG’s creative work was honored with a $3,000 grant this week from the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) as part of its recognition of 87 Maryland artists for creating work of exceptional quality in such areas as Fiction, Media/Digital/Electronic Arts and Works on Paper. PEARSONWIDRIG was awarded in the Solo Theatrical Performance category.

“Artists and art making in Maryland help fuel our creative economy and expand opportunities for cultural engagement across the state,” said Theresa Colvin, Executive Director of MSAC in recognition of the 87 winners.

The team also recently received a $25,000 grant from the Leon Lowenstein Foundation to create a site/community work in New York City next year and a $1,000 Dance Metro DC grant for the creation of new work. Bravo, Professors Pearson and Widrig!