Staff & Board

FWDC Staff

Liz Monnier
Co-founder, Artistic Director

Liz is a graduate of Indiana University’s Modern Dance Department and has studied with such nationally renowned artists as Alwin Nikolais, Ruth Zaporah, Joe Goode, Remy Charlip and many more. She was a founding member of Windfall Dancers in Bloomington in 1977 and the FWDC in 1979.

Liz received two artist fellowships from Arts United of Greater Fort Wayne and six Philo T. Farnsworth awards for video productions for public access television. She also received first place in the “Hometown Awards”, a national competition for access producers, a Margaret Ann Keegan award and the Gene Wyall local access production award. In 2007, she won the John Enwright distinguished alumni award from the Indiana University school for Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

She has served as Artistic Director since 1985 and have developed a curriculum for dance education for disabled adults. Since 1993, Liz has annually created a full-length story dance with FWDC co-founder Lisa Tsetse which allows for a wide range of ages and skill levels. These productions are performed at the Arts United Center.

Liz has taught Modern Dance and related forms for 25 years and I served on the Dance Standards Committee for the Indiana Department of Education.

Alison Gerardot
Outreach Director

Alison has been involved in the Fort Wayne dance scene her entire life.  She has studied and taught dance at numerous studios around the city and region and has choreographed for shows at IPFW as well as for the Fort Wayne Dance Collective.  Along with her knowledge of dance, she holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English with minors in Dance and Communications as well as her teaching license.  Alison not only has a passion for dance but an appreciation for all arts and has close ties with local musicians and artists as well.  She looks forward to sharing her love of dance and the arts with the community through her work at FWDC. She first became involved professionally with the Fort Wayne Dance Collective when she conceived of and co-created Eaten Alive: Seven Deadly Sins, featuring the work of seven local choreographers, each creating a dance focusing on a mortal sin. All three shows were sold out, and FWDC now produces a spooky Halloween show each October. Alison coordinates outreach bookings and develops the program with FWDC, as well as leads the Indiana Dance Festival steering committee for April 2011.

Andy Welfle
Managing Director

Andy has been involved in the arts scene since grade school — mostly backstage. He staged managed for the Fort Wayne Youtheatre, crewed for the Civic Theatre, and acted a few times (not well). When Andy went to college, he took a break from theatre to pursue journalism. After graduating from Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne in 2005 with a degree in English journalism, he found his roots in the arts community when he was hired at the Dance Collective.

Andy believes strong vibrant writing and bold, simple design can make a good impression in anything one does. While in college, he was the editor of the student newspaper, where I learned most of what I know now about administration and cohesive design. As a liaison between the Dance Collective and the community, he looks forward to speaking with anyone who wants to know more about this organization.

Board

Mindy Szczepanski | Board President

Director of Business Development, LandQuest Title Group

Christine Johnson | Vice-President

Systems Analyst, Lincoln Financial Group

Gerald Ward | Treasurer

Rare Book Conservator, The HF Group

Jennifer McKinney | Secretary

Children’s Librarian, Allen County Public Library

Mollie Cripe

Case Manager, YWCA of Northeast Indiana

Jen Nash

Owner, Simply Profitable Marketing

F. John Rogers

Attorney, Thompson & Rogers

Lanette Robinson

Community Advocate for Disabled Populations

If you are interested in becoming involved with the board of directors and our committees, please check out the “Join the Board” page.