Welcome to OhioDance
May 1, 2, and 3
Location: The Ohio State University, Dance Department, Sullivant Hall, 1813 North High St., Columbus Ohio 43210
SUBMISSIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY October 15, 2025. DUE TODAY
SUBMISSIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY December 4, 2025.
2026 Dance Auditioners: Call to audition dancers at the 2026 Ohio Dance Festival
https://forms.gle/HC1bMoExqKpE3Ddu6
Complete this form by November 15, 2025
OhioDa
nce presents dance at the 2025 Ohio Statehouse Holiday Festival and Tree Lighting.
The indoor ceremony will take place inside the Ohio Statehouse, Thursday, December 4, 2025
from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
OhioDance Podcast “A State Of Dance”
Found on
Welcome to Season Three
Season Three, Episode Four:
S2 E3 · A State of Dance
Episode 4 – Deep Roots, Strong Branches: Raising Community with Suzan Bradford Kounta
Seas
on Three, Episode Four:
This month’s guest is Suzan Bradford Kounta is Co-founder and Artistic Director of Thiossane West African Dance Institute.
She is a dancer, instructor and choreographer of traditional West African Dance.
She co-founded and led Thiossane since its inception in 2000 with her beloved husband, Abdou Kounta. The company thrives on being Columbus’ premier traditional West African Dance Company that provides authentic performances and detailed instruction to all ages and all people.
Suzan Bradford Kounta has been living and working in the King Lincoln neighborhood her whole life. She grew up there and attended East HS under the famous principal, Edward Willis. She was instrumental in the restoration of the historic Lincoln Theater and became its first managing director. In 2019, after ten years, she was promoted to Executive Director. This theater has brought audiences from across central Ohio, with programming centered in the African American artistic voices and aesthetics. She has curated international dance and business partnerships with several companies in the US and abroad.
The Lincoln serves as the headquarters of the Thiossane West African Dance Institute, which is over 20 years old. Suzan serves as the co-founder and Artistic Director of its dance company, which provides training and performances for its members. It also hosts community classes for recreational dancers of all ages. Suzan’s work with the Lincoln and Thiossane has created a rich focus of dance engagement with West African dance in central Ohio. She has been a major dance leader in our community.
OhioDance is a State-wide service organization that supports the entire dance ecosystem in Ohio.
Mission Statement: To secure the foothold of dance in Ohio through increasing visibility, firming viability, and elevating the position of dance in Ohio.
Purpose: Keeping dance alive.
Values: Respect, Integrity, Love of Dance, Intentionality of Cultural Expressions, Relationships, Connection, and Community.
Vision:A communal physical space to share the power and joy of dance.
OhioDance works diligently to advocate at every level of government and in every community about the impact dance has on the state’s economy, and also the impact it has on quality of life and educational attainment.
Based in Columbus, Ohio, OhioDance presents the arts to the community through festivals, conferences, performance opportunities, a Virtual Dance Collection, educational resources, professional networking, newsletters, and dance artist services.
Visit The Columbus Foundation’s the Giving Store to make your donations online!
Kroger Community Rewards www.krogercommunityrewards.com
Ohio Dance #87132
OhioDance is supported through grants from Ohio Arts Council, Kettering Family Philanthropies, America 250 Ohio, Arts Midwest Gig Fund, Greater Columbus Arts Council, Columbus Foundation, and Akron Community Fund.
Accessibility Statement: OhioDance is committed to ensuring the accessibility of this website and its content. Ongoing efforts are documenting areas for improvement and a plan is in place to increase access. If you cannot access information on any page of this website, would like to report inaccessible features, or would like information in another format, please contact OhioDance at jane@ohiodance.org or 614-224-2913.