Florida State University professor Jawole Willa Jo Zollar received two major awards in the performing arts within a single weekend. Zollar, who is known for her work as a performer, choreographer, and founder of Urban Bush Women, accepted an Obie Theater Grant Award on behalf of her company on January 31. The following evening, “Intelligence,” an opera she directed and choreographed, won the Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording.
“When the two awards were announced back-to-back, I was just beside myself,” Zollar said. “It was pretty incredible.”
The Obie Awards recognized Urban Bush Women’s four decades of work highlighting the experiences of Black women and the African diaspora. Founded by Zollar in 1984, the Brooklyn-based ensemble has built a reputation for combining history and social commentary with community engagement through performance.
“Intelligence” was created with librettist Gene Scheer and composer Jake Heggie. The opera tells the story of Mary Jane Bowser, an enslaved woman, and Elizabeth Van Lew, a secret abolitionist in Richmond, Virginia. Together they formed a spy ring for the Union during the Civil War.
Zollar noted that her move into opera demonstrated her range as an artist: “I think as an artist you must be really committed to a point of view and committed to your work,” she said. “That point of view can live across many kinds of genres.”
Several Florida State University School of Dance alumni contributed to “Intelligence.” Assistant Choreographer Vincent Thomas (MFA ‘98), Coordinator Cheri Stokes (MFA ‘17), and dancers Mikaila Ware (BFA ‘17), Loren Davidson (MFA ‘12), and Kentoria Earle (BFA ’18, MA ‘19) were part of the production team.
The Obies honor excellence in Off-Broadway and non-profit theater. This year’s citation highlighted Urban Bush Women’s dedication to advancing storytelling through movement over its 40-year history.
Zollar incorporates lessons from these professional achievements into her teaching at FSU. She emphasizes curiosity and hard work as keys to progressing from competence to excellence—a process she describes as “the road to extraordinary.”
“The road to extraordinary has many stops,” Zollar said. “First you become competent, then good, then very good, then excellent and then extraordinary. But the student decides where they stop by the work they put in. It’s not comfortable to step outside of what you already know, but it is the place of growth.”
James Frazier, dean of FSU’s College of Fine Arts, commented on Zollar’s recent honors: “Jawole Zollar continues to explore, challenge and inspire through her artistry, embracing ever more ambitious creative endeavors across a career defined by sustained excellence,” Frazier said. “The recent honors awarded to Urban Bush Women and to the Houston Grand Opera stand not as isolated achievements but as a powerful affirmation of Professor Zollar’s enduring legacy and her continued contemporary relevance as an artist and collaborator of the highest caliber.”
These recognitions come shortly after another faculty member from FSU’s dance department received national attention; associate professor nia love earned a Bessie Award for Outstanding Choreographer/Creator.
For additional details about Florida State University’s School of Dance programs or news about faculty accomplishments visit dance.fsu.edu.
