Our graduates have distinguished themselves in the dance world as performers in several outstanding national and regional companies, as innovative award-winning choreographers, and as teachers in educational and community organizations. They have received recognition in the profession as recipients of the prestigious BESSIE awards for performance and choreography as well as through grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and other public and private agencies in this country and abroad.

Approximately seventy percent of our graduates are professionals in the dance field. Some have extended their interests and talents to acting, music, video and film, movement therapy, exercise physiology, public relations, arts administration, and production management. Historically, our alumni establish strong friendships and artistic ties which provide a supportive network for them after leaving the university.

KAREN MARY BROOKS WELLING

November 23, 1959 – October 27, 2007

The School of Dance was saddened to hear of the passing of Karen Mary Brooks Welling, dancer, dance teacher, athletic trainer, physical therapist and loving daughter, sister and friend, who died October 27, 2007, after a very long and courageous battle against illness.  She loved all things in this world, but especially nature, animals, and people, most particularly, children. A citizen of Athens and New Marshfield, Ohio, since 1965, she was born November 23, 1958 in Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of Patricia Brooks Welling and Neil Joseph Welling.  She was active in girl scouts, dance, and the natural sciences, and graduated from Athens High School in 1976 as valedictorian of her class.  She received a BFA from the School of Dance, College of Fine Arts, Ohio University, in 1982.  After study and performance  in New York City and California, she completed an MS degree in Dance and Exercise Physiology at OU in 1986, and served as dance teacher in summer programs at OU and teacher at the Factory Street Studio.  She subsequently completed a Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy at Columbia University and served as a pediatric physical therapist in the NYC School system.  She returned to Ohio in 2000 and worked as a pediatric physical therapist. She is survived by her mother, Pat Brooks, Associate Professor Emerita of Dance and her stepfather, Chuck Atkins; her older brother, Joel Welling of Pittsburgh, PA, and her younger brother and his wife, Loren Welling and Sophia Lu of Taichung, Taiwan; her aunt, Jody O’Leary of Vestal, NY, and her cousin and his husband, John O’Leary and Tim Moreno of San Francisco, CA; special friends Linda Goyer Lane of New Marshfield, OH, and Stuart Calderwood of NYC; and her dear dogs and cat, Priscilla, Heaven, and Annie.  She was preceded in death by her father, Neil Joseph Welling. A memorial service is planned for late January, 2008.   In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Shirley Wimmer Dance Scholarship Fund in memory Karen Brooks Welling (OU Foundation, POB 869, Athens, OH, 45701) or to the Huntington Disease Association.