February 21, 2019
La Roche Student Dancers Awarded Scholarships to Martha Graham Dance School
PITTSBURGH, Feb. 21, 2019 – La Roche University performing arts students Kyra Bracey and Renee Simeone received partial scholarships for intensive study at Martha Graham Dance School in New York City.
“Dance education scholarships are a testament to incredible talent. In the arts many institutions cannot afford to offer such resources, thus a dance scholarship is a testament to the institution seeing a future with a dancer,” Performing Arts Department Chair and Bodiography Founder Maria Caruso said.
Ms. Bracey, a senior, and Ms. Simeone, a freshman, will study at Martha Graham Dance School from June 24 to Aug. 7.
“Receiving this scholarship gives me the platform to progress in a different way of moving and will expand my technical vocabulary,” Ms. Bracey, originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, said.
She added, “La Roche has granted me connections to people in higher places that assist me in the development of my career post-graduation.”
Both Ms. Bracey and Ms. Simeone dance as trainees in the Bodiography Contemporary Ballet Company. Through the Bodiography Trainee program, the students had the opportunity to work with Virginie Mécène of the Martha Graham 2 Company during a residency in January.
“The Martha Graham Company inspires me, and being a recipient of this scholarship is an incredible honor,” Ms. Simeone, a Pittsburgh native, said. “Without Maria Caruso and the Dance Department at La Roche, I would not have had this opportunity to connect with the Martha Graham Company.”
Modeled after the most elite collegiate dance programs in the country, La Roche’s performing arts program focuses on artistic and academic excellence. Under the instruction of Ms. Caruso, students become confident professionals and master numerous styles of dance. Students also receive full scholarships to take unlimited courses each year at Ms. Caruso’s renowned dance studio in Squirrel Hill.
Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance, The Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance is the longest continuously operating school of dance in America. Students come from around the world to study at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance. Eighty-five percent of the Martha Graham Dance Company members trained at the Martha Graham School.
About La Roche University: A private liberal arts college in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, La Roche University offers more than 50 undergraduate majors, six graduate degree programs and one doctoral program, with particular strengths in education, business, criminal justice, psychology, and health and medical sciences as well as interior design and graphic design. This residential college provides a vibrant campus community for more than 1,400 men and women enjoying 30-plus student organizations and an exciting NCAA Div. III athletics program. Founded by the Sisters of Divine Providence in 1963, La Roche University embraces its Catholic heritage while welcoming people of all faiths and backgrounds. With a legacy of social justice and a commitment to international exchange, La Roche University educates students to be lifelong learners and achievers in an increasingly diverse and global society.
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