Past selection panelists for the McKnight Fellowships for Dancers

• 2025 Panel

  • Alexandra Eady, Dance Artist and Educator (Saint Paul, MN)

  • Carlo Antonio Villanueva, Performer, Choreographer, Assistant Professor at the U of M Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Irene Hsiao, Dancer, writer, and multidisciplinary artist (Chicago, IL)  

  • Vershawn Sanders-Ward, Artistic Director & CEO, Red Clay Dance Company (Chicago, IL)

• 2024 Panel

  • Lisa Berman, Founder & Co-Artistic Director of BRKFST Dance Company (Saint Paul, MN)

  • DeMarcus Akeem Suggs, Founder and Framework Culturist, Kuumbuntu, LLC (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Jessica Tong, Rehearsal Director, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham (Brooklyn, NY)  \

  • Potri Ranka Manis Quean Nur, Founder/ Artistic Director, Kinding Sindaw Heritage Foundation, Inc (New York City, NY)

• 2023 Panel

  • Claude Alexander III, Dancer, Bruce Wood Dance // Freelance Choreographer (Dallas, TX)
    Maura Garcia, Independent Dance Artist (Raleigh, NC)
    Aneka McMullen, Choreographer/ Performer/Artistic Director, Epitome- No Question Hip Hop Dance Ensemble (Minneapolis, MN)
    Sachiko “La Chayí” Nishiuchi, Flamenco dancer, Twin Cities Flamenco Collective (Minneapolis, MN)

• 2022 Panel

  • Herbert Johnson III, Dancer/Choreographer (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Rosie Herrera, Choreographer, Artistic Director of Rosie Herrera Dance Theatre (Miami Beach, FL)

  • Stephanie Fellner, Teacher, Dancer (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Daniel Singh, Artistic Director, Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company (Washington D.C.)

• 2021 Panel

  • Heidi Latsky, Founder and Artistic Director, Heidi Latsky Dance (New York City, NY)

  • Margo Abdo O'Dell, Teacher, Dancer, Choreographer of Middle Eastern dance (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Santee Smith, Artistic Director, Kaha:wi Dance Theater (Toronto, Canada)

• 2020 Panel

  • Tamiko French, Director, Choreographer, Legacy Arts Group (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Tanya Lukin Linklater, Artist and Choreographer (Ontario, Canada)

  • David Parker, Choreographer, The Bang Group (New York, NY)

  • Suchitra Sairam, Founder and Director, Kala Vandanam (St. Paul, MN)

• 2019 Panel

  • Ronald K. Brown​, Artistic Director, Evidence, A Dance Company (New York, NY) ​

  • Kaleena Miller​, Dancer, Choreographer and Artistic Director of Twin Cities Tap Festival (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Victor Quijada​, Choreographer, Artistic Director RUBBERBANDance Group (Montreal, Canada) ​

  • Chitra Vairavan​, Artist, Dancer/Choreographer (Minneapolis, MN) ​

• 2018 Panel

  • Michel Kouakou, Artistic Director of Daara Dance (Minneapolis, MN) 

  • Alanna Morris-Van Tassel, Dancer, Teaching Artist, Choreographer (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Jennifer Nugent, Independent Dance Artist (New York, NY)

  • Oguri, Dancer and Choreographer (Los Angeles, CA)

• 2017 Panel

  • Ananya Chatterjea, Choreographer and Artistic Director, Ananya Dance Theatre; Professor of Dance, University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN)

  • d. Sabela grimes, Interdisciplinary Performer-Choreographer (Los Angeles, CA)

  • Kari Mosel, Company Member, Shapiro & Smith Dance and Stuart Pimsler Dance & Theater (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Michelle Ramos, Attorney, Former Dancer, and Chair of Dance/USA (New Orleans, LA)

• 2016 Panel

  • Karen Charles, Artistic Director, Threads Dance Project (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Patrick Corbin, Dancer, Choreographer, Educator (Los Angeles, CA)

  • Irene Dowd, Functional Anatomist, Teacher, Choreographer (New York, NY)

  • Leslie O’Neill, Choreographer and Dancer (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Maia Maiden, Choreographer, Creator & Curator (Minneapolis, MN)

• 2015 Panel

  • Amanda Dlouhy (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Gesel Mason (Boulder, CO)

  • Tamara Ober (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Scott Rink (New York, NY)

  • Kate Weare (New York, NY)

• 2014 Panel

  • Joan Karlen (WI)

  • Christopher Morgan (Washington, DC)

  • Heidi Geier (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Nic Lincoln (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Sharon Picasso (Minneapolis, MN)

• 2013 Panel

  • Jeffrey N. Bullock (VA)

  • Mary Cochran (New York, NY)

  • Catherine Liska (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Abdo Sayegh (St. Paul, MN)

  • Laura Selle Virtucio (Minneapolis, MN)

• 2012 Panel

  • Justin Leaf (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Ellen Keane (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Wade Madsen (WA)

  • Lisa Rinehart (New York, NY)

  • Linda Shapiro (Minneapolis, MN)

• 2011 Panel

  • Tamara Nadel (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Judith James Ries (St. Paul, MN)

  • Suzanne River (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Peggy Seipp-Roy (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Gerri Houlihan (Miami, FL)

• 2010 Panel

  • Gioconda Barbuto (Montreal, CA)

  • Marcia Chapman (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Becky Heist (St. Paul, MN)

  • Colette Illarde (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Matthew Nelson (Minneapolis, MN)

• 2009 Panel

  • Carolyn Adams (New York, NY)

  • Nathan Daniels (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Diyah Larasati (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Julia Tehven Sutton (Minneapolis, MN)

  • Deborah Jinza Thayer (St. Paul, MN)

Note: From the beginning of the Dancer Fellowship program in 2002 until 2008, all panel members resided in the state of Minnesota.

• 2008 Panel

  • Patricia Brown

  • Penelope Freeh

  • Donald LaCourse

  • Joan A. Smith

  • Tony Vierling

• 2007 Panel

  • Anne Von Bibra

  • Allen Fields

  • Mathew Janczewski

  • Linda Talcott Lee

  • Erin Thompson

• 2006 Panel

  • Amy Casserly-Ellis

  • Morris Johnson

  • Sharon Mansur

  • Anthony Roberts

  • Cassandra Shore

• 2005 Panel

  • Zhauna Franks

  • Debra Leigh

  • Susana di Palma

  • James Sewell

  • Jane Shockley

• 2004 Panel

  • Stephane Andre

  • Eric Boone

  • Kerry Casserly

  • Julie Kerr-Berry

  • Mariusz Olszewski

• 2003 Panel

  • Emilie Plauche Flink

  • Lise Houlton

  • Matt Jenson

  • Christine Maginnis

  • Zoe Sealy

• 2002 Panel

  • Lou Fancher

  • Larry Lee Van Horn

  • Sherry Saterstrom

  • Kristin Van Loon