Thanks to our friends at We Act Radio for hosting Carla & Deborah on their show. Host Kymone Freeman quizzes our incredible leaders on their 37 years of building the field of dance in DC and what comes next for them.
Listen to the whole interview here!
Applaud our differences & celebrate our similarities – Dance Place
A native Washingtonian, Carla Perlo founded Dance Place in 1980 alongside percussionist Steve Bloom. From 1980 to 1985 the company thrived at its 18th St Adams Morgan location until gentrification forced them out. Carla turned this challenge into an opportunity & with support from the Board of Directors & fellow artists, she purchased a building in a then desolate area of the Brookland neighborhood. She dreamed with certainty about a new vision & future for Dance Place.
That same pioneering spirit led Carla to dancer/choreographer/teacher Deborah Riley who partnered with Dance Place as a faculty member, artist-in-residence and administrator, before joining Carla as Co-Director in 1999.
As Carla says, “I believe that the arts and creative education are the heart and soul of our society.
“The power of dance (and the arts) brings us closer to our true selves and therefore with each other.” – Deborah