Media Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jarrod Hartzler
jhartzler@oaae.net
2026 Verdi-Fletcher Dance and Disability Scholarship Application Opens February 2
January 15, 2026 – The Verdi-Fletcher Dance and Disability Scholarship Fund was created by Robert
Fletcher, Susan Ingle, and Mary Verdi-Fletcher to support and grow physically integrated dance (PID)
in Ohio. This fund will provide scholarships for both students and instructors who are passionate about
inclusive dance and want to advance their training in this specialized field.
Funds will be allocated in partnership with the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education with guidance from the
Ohio Arts Council.
Mary Verdi-Fletcher is America’s first professional wheelchair dancer and the President/Founding
Artistic Director of the Dancing Wheels Company & School, the first physically integrated dance
company in the U.S. Mary’s lifelong quest has been to make dance fully inclusive and accessible to all
people. Mary’s husband, Robert, and sister-in-law, Susan, share this important mission, thereby creating
this Fund to continue and expand this work by reducing the financial burden on the learning process.
Up to a total $10,000 of scholarships will be granted to aspiring dancers with physical disabilities who
dream of equitable, integrated dance training on a professional level. Eligible students must be willing
to train in Ohio (students from anywhere are welcome), have a physical disability, and commit to
rigorous dance training with a qualified instructor. Training options can include college or university
dance programs, Ohio-based residencies, community classes, or intensive training sessions.
Included will be scholarships for dance professionals who want to make their classes more accessible
and inclusive. This scholarship will provide funding for instructors to gain hands-on experience in
physically integrated dance (PID) and bring that knowledge back to their students. Eligible candidates
must be willing to train in Ohio (open to U.S. and international applicants), be qualified to teach dance,
and have a strong interest in expanding their teaching to include PID.
Applications will be open for submission on the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education’s website, commencing
February 2, 2026, with final determination made by May 8, 2026.
For more information about the Fund, visit their website at www.oaae.net.
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