This month's guest is pioneering artist, advocate, and cultural leader, Mary Verdi Fletcher. Mary is a nationally celebrated pioneer in physically integrated dance and a leading voice for disability rights in the arts. As President and Founding Artistic Director of the Dancing Wheels Company & School, she has spent over four decades reshaping the landscape of American dance, championing access, artistry, and equity for performers of all abilities. One of the first professional wheelchair dancers in the U.S., Mary founded Dancing Wheels in 1980, followed by a groundbreaking school in 1990, which quickly became a global hub for inclusive dance training. Under her leadership, the company has performed for over 6 million people, developed a repertory of 100+ works, and toured internationally, educating communities on the power and beauty of integrated dance. Mary's contributions extend far beyond performance. She played a pivotal role in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 and led efforts that secured public transportation access nationwide—earning her the nickname “The Rosa Parks of Cleveland.” She was also instrumental in establishing Ohio’s personal care assistance program, promoting independent living for thousands. Her advocacy has garnered numerous accolades, including an Emmy Award, the Cleveland Arts Prize Lifetime Achievement Award, the Governor’s Award for Arts Education in Ohio, and national honors from Dance/USA. She has served on key arts and disability boards and committees, influencing cultural policy and arts education nationwide. Mary continues to innovate through virtual programs, teacher certification initiatives, and upcoming publishing projects, ensuring that access to the arts remains a right—not a privilege. Her legacy is a profound testament to how one individual can change laws, perceptions, and possibilities for generations to come. OhioDance A State of Dance is a six-part series coming out the fourth Friday of each month through November 2025. This podcast is driven by the OhioDance mission to secure the foothold of dance in Ohio through increasing visibility, firming viability, and elevating the position of dance in Ohio. In 2016, a five-person team set out on a mission to capture the achievements of persons and institutions who have shaped the intricate diversity of dance history and practice within the state of Ohio and weave them together in an easily accessible digital format. This we call the OhioDance Virtual Dance Collection. As of 2025 we have highlighted 42 individuals and institutions. The team has traveled over 5000 miles and interviewed hundreds of individuals in all five regions of Ohio. vdc.ohiodance.org If you like what you are listening to and are not a member of OhioDance, you can go to ohiodance.org and click the membership button to join and receive the many benefits that come with your membership. You can also donate through our purple donate button.
