Ruth Page Honors Diane Rawlinson with 2014 Ruth Page Award

Venetia Stifler, Executive and Artistic Director of the Ruth Page Center for the Arts and The 2014 Ruth Page Award Committee has announced its selection for this year's Ruth Page Award. For her tireless dedication to teaching young dancers for almost 30 years not only the discipline of the art form, but also the importance of community philanthropy and citizenship, Diane Rawlinson has been selected as the 2014 Ruth Page Award recipient. Ms. Rawlinson is the Orchesis Director and Dance Teacher at Wheeling High School (Wheeling, IL) and is the Founder of Dance for Life's "Next Generation," an annual student produced concert benefiting Dance for Life and The Children's Place Association having raised over $170,000 since 1994.

"Diane has dedicated herself to teaching dance in a unique way," explains Venetia Stifler, Executive and Artistic Director of the Ruth Page Center for the Arts. "As professionals, we all know that dance teaches discipline and self-esteem. Diane extends that teaching to the next generation of young dancers in a real-world manner, imparting understanding of how each of us is connected and the vital importance of community, philanthropy and citizenship."

The Award will be presented at a private reception at the Auditorium Theater, 50 E. Congress Parkway, Sunday, March 23. Tickets to the 2014 Ruth Page Award are $50 and include the reception at 12:30 p.m. followed by a performance of the Houston Ballet's production of Aladdin at 2 p.m. As part of its annual Ruth Page Festival of Dance, the Ravinia Festival will co-present with the Auditorium Theater Houston Ballet's magical take on the ageless Aladdin in the acclaimed production choreographed by David Bintley. Tickets to the Ruth Page Award will be available for purchase on February 10 at www.ruthpage.org. For additional information, please contact Silvino da Silva, Director of Marketing & Communications at 312-337-6543.

The Ruth Page Award has been given annually by the Ruth Page Center for the Arts on behalf of the Ruth Page Foundation and the Chicago dance community since 1986. This award, in honor of dance icon, Ruth Page (1899-1991), is a unique opportunity for the Ruth Page Center to acknowledge or help further an individual's or organization's artistic momentum. The award also continues the tradition of honoring those whose contributions to dance share Page's passion, artistry, and vision.

Established in Chicago by Ruth Page in 1970, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization committed to the education, promotion, and presentation of dance in Chicago. Its mission is to ensure that children and dance artists have a place to study, work and perform at the highest level of excellence. The Center also promotes Page's vision of dance as an innovative and accessible art form that fosters artistic excellence and creates a dance destination in Illinois. "Ruth was known for her passionate love of dance," notes Stifler. "In addition to being a dancer and choreographer, she was also a producer, an educator and funder of dance. Through her life example, she blazed the trail of possibilities that lay ahead for American dance."

Ruth Page was a pioneer in the field of dance, creating fully produced works, choreographing operas and bringing dance to new locations and to new audiences. Page was also an educator and a benefactor, dedicated to promoting dance in all its forms to a wide audience. Emanating from the Illinois heartland, the visionary work of Ruth Page influenced the growth of theater design, opera ballet, and dance. She achieved worldwide recognition as a true pioneer of dance in America.

The Ruth Page Award honoree is selected through the Ruth Page Award Selection Committee, composed of members from the Chicago dance community, former Ruth Page Award winners, and Ruth Page Foundation staff.

Recent Ruth Page Award-Winners:

• 2012 - Sid Smith
• 2011 - Patti Eylar
• 2010 - Chicago Dancing Festival and its founders: Lar Lubovitch, Jay Franke

and David Hero

• 2009 - Pamela Crutchfield, Bill T. Jones
• 2008 - Peggy Sutton and The Mayfair Academy
• 2007 - Gail Kalver, Harriet Ross, Salme H. Steinberg
• 2006 - Billy Siegenfeld
• 2005 - Margaret Nelson, Scott Silberstein
• 2004 - Keith Elliott and Dance For Life
• 2003 - Dame Libby Komaiko