About The Directors
Carla Perlo is the founder, visionary leader and Executive/Artistic Director of Dance Place, one of the nation's foremost presenters of dance. Ms. Perlo's work at Dance Place has been vital to the development and support of a growing dance community in Washington, DC since 1980. The D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities recognized Dance Place's contributions for "excellence in service to the arts" with the Mayor's Art Award in 1986. As a dancer, choreographer and teacher, Ms. Perlo has had an active career for over twenty-five years. As a solo performer, artistic director of Perlo/Bloom and Company and most recently of Carla & Company, Ms. Perlo continues to teach dance and lecture at universities, colleges and community centers throughout the region including American University, George Mason University, George Washington University and Montgomery College.
Ms. Perlo serves the field of dance regionally and as a panelist, lecturer, and arts consultant. She has worked with the National Endowment for the Arts, the Maryland States Arts Council, the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation and The National Performance Network among other organizations. From 1995-98 she served as the national coordinator of DanceAfrica, America, an eight city consortium of festivals presenting dance, music and culture of the African Diaspora. Ms. Perlo has been honored with the Tony Taylor Award for Outstanding Service to the Field of Dance presented by the Washington, DC Cultural Alliance in 1988, the Pola Nirenska award for outstanding contributions to dance in 1995, Washingtonian of the Year by Washingtonian Magazine in 1997 and was recognized as a "Hometown Hero" by WETA-TV in 2001.
Deborah Riley has a deep commitment to furthering Dance Place's mission in her capacity as artist-in-residence, faculty and staff member since 1987. In her current position as Director, she assists Ms. Perlo to guide the organization in all aspects including artistic, managerial, programing and financial. As a professional dancer, choreographer and teacher she has been instrumental in the training and development of dancers since 1975 and currently directs her own company, Deborah Riley Dance Projects which tours regionally.
Ms. Riley also appears as a guest artist in various universities around the country, most recently at American University. Her work has been presented in the U.S., the U.K. and France and has been funded in multiple years by the NEA, the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities and by the Jerome Foundation. She received a choreographic commission by The Kennedy Center, the Pola Nirenska award for outstanding contributions in dance and was awarded the first Distinguished Alumni of Fine Arts award by Ohio University. In 1993, she presented performances and workshops called Moving Affirmations at various community organizations, serving women survivors of abuse and sexual trauma. From 1978-87, she was based in New York City where she performed and toured extensively with Douglas Dunn & Dancers throughout the U.S. and Europe, and where she created collaborative choreography with dancer Diane Frank.
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