Rebecca Burcher, GroundWorks DanceTheater’s new Education and Community Engagement Coordinator, has always had a passion for connecting people through art. Throughout her life, she has worked in tandem with persons with disabilities. This passion led her to obtain her BS in Community Programs for Americans with Disabilities. After graduating summa cum laude from Slippery Rock University in 2014, she has combined her BA in Dance and her BS degree by working with outreach programs at two other dance companies. Rebecca started her position with GroundWorks DanceTheater on August 1 and already has big plans to connect an even wider audience to the company.
What drove you to get your degree in Community Programs for Americans with Disabilities?
While in school, I had an advisor who suggested I look into our Community Programs for Americans with Disabilities (CPAD) program, more specifically the Adapted Physical Activity (APA) track. After being exposed to this community through family members and after volunteering in the Special Education room in school, I learned that the two different communities are often strictly separated. I wanted to learn how to make working with all people approachable. It wasn’t until several years later that I realized my approach to that would be through art and movement.
What brought you to Cleveland?
I moved to Cleveland for work! I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. I knew I did not want to stay in California for school, so I attended Slippery Rock University in Western Pennsylvania. While there I connected with Attack Theatre in Pittsburgh. I began working for them immediately after graduation and stayed there for about a year before I was approached by another Cleveland based dance company. This position initiated my move to Cleveland and the city is a great fit for me!
What brought you to GroundWorks DanceTheater?
I lived in NYC for a bit and worked at Gibney Dance Center where I met Amy Miller. We got to know each other through the Institute for Community Action program. She led the program and I participated. Since I had lived in Cleveland before my move to New York, I was familiar with GroundWorks and Amy’s relationship to the company. When I decided to make the move back to Cleveland, she encouraged me to connect with GroundWorks. Not even a month later the position opened, and with her endorsement I applied!
What do you hope to bring to the GroundWorks community?
I am hoping to expand the GroundWorks programming to reach new communities. I would also like to access our existing community in different ways. In a few weeks, we will be debuting the new community tab on the website with a plethora of detail on what new programming will look like!
What are your biggest goals for your position with GroundWorks?
My biggest goals for my position with GroundWorks align with my personal goals. Through my position here I hope to:
Encourage an interest in the arts across generations.
Make learning more accessible and fun for all!
Encourage and develop curiosity, creative problem solving, communication, teamwork, and community building practices in the Cleveland and Akron areas.