2019 Those Who Excel Recipient: Diane Rawlinson
/
DIANE RAWLINSON
Diane Rawlinson, a dance, yoga and fine arts teacher and Orchesis director at Wheeling High School, is being honored with an Award of Meritorious Service in the Classroom Teacher category.
Rawlinson, who joined Wheeling’s teaching staff in 1991, teaches Dance 1, 2 and 3; Orchesis; Yoga; Introduction to Fine Arts; and Technical Theater. She created Fusion, an interdisciplinary student-created performance and Children’s Performance Workshop, in which students work with local school children; both programs are in their 23rd year. She also directs the Orchesis dance company and serves as musical assistant, costumer and choreographer.
A strong advocate for her students, she not only teaches dance—often to high school students who have never danced before—but also invites guest artists, initiates overnight student trips to dance events, spearheaded fundraising efforts to create a functional dance space at Wheeling High School and established Wheeling student participation in Intergenerational InterPlay performances at a number of festivals and other events.
“Believe in capabilities, embrace community, model a life of purpose and never underestimate the potential in creative solutions.”
In addition, the award-winning teacher has collaborated with other school departments to secure five Illinois Arts Council grants for the school for residencies in flamenco, paper arts, storytelling and Cuban dance; established a four-year residency program with Hubbard Street DIAMOND Partnership and Sara Lee Corp. for master classes, performances in Wheeling and tickets for Chicago performances; and been awarded numerous other grants and funding to support students and staff development.
“Being part of an economically challenged, culturally diverse school where less than 15% have formalized dance training provides an opportunity to open doors for students they didn’t know existed,” Rawlins says. “My ongoing motto that defines my philosophy is, ‘Believe in capabilities, embrace community, model a life of purpose and never underestimate the potential in creative solutions.’“
Active in numerous dance and yoga organizations and programs, Rawlins holds a master’s of fine arts degree in performance and choreography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a bachelor’s degree in dance education from Ohio State University. Prior to teaching at Wheeling, she was on the dance faculty at Northwestern University, a teaching assistant at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and on the dance faculty at the University of Akron. She is an ongoing contributor to Dance Spirit and Dance Teachers magazines.
READ MORE STORIES ABOUT OUR THOSE WHO EXCEL RECIPIENTS:
