African Dance Pioneer Blanche Brown On Her Legendary Career and the Impact of the Motherland on the ArtWorldwide

(Airdate 8/11/22) Choreographer, Dancer and Scholar Blanche Brown has been widely recognized for her contribution to the dance community. En 1977 she was the first dancer to be appointed to the San Francisco Arts Commission. In the early 2000’s she was President of the Board of World Arts West. Blanche has been honereed with the Artist Educator Award from the California Dance Educators Association and the Malonga Casquelourd Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Ethnic Dance and Music. Blanche has since taught ethnic dance in the California University system from UCLA to Hayward, Sonoma, to Santa Cruz as well as at Mills College and Santa Clara University Today, Blanche still teaches and challenges people from all walks of life at ODC in San Francisco, and has rejoined the World Arts West board. Ms. Brown lives in Oakland among her children, nietos, and a great grandson.