2025 NHSDF Outstanding Service Award Recipient 

For over forty-two years Stephanie Powell has been a teacher, choreographer, mentor, and coach for multiple generations of dancers. Her artistic work and endeavors have been seen across the stages, venues, and academic institutions which showcase the diversity of her ideas. She has consistently acted as a “midwife” to many people. She helps others give “birth” to their dreams. Ms. Powell is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University, Goucher College and the Baltimore School of the Bible. Ms. Powell is a licensed minister and spiritual coach. She currently attends the Wesley Theological Seminary where she is pursuing a Master of Theological Studies degree. For twenty-one years she cultivated the artistry of the students at the Baltimore School for the Arts. Currently she is a faculty member of the George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology. She has taught at Goucher College, Towson University, UMBC, Essex Community College, Morgan State University, Northern Illinois University, Duke Ellington School for the Arts, Douglas Anderson School for the Arts, Booker T. Washington Middle School, Urban Services Cultural Arts Program and many other academic institutions. Along with her sister Yvonne E. Walker, she is the artistic director of Baltimore Dance Tech. Their school is known for a standard of technical and artistic excellence. Ms. Powell’s choreographic commissions have taken her throughout the United States, London, Bermuda, and Canada. Her students can be found on Broadway, in prestigious dance companies, in universities, and across the United States and Europe. Ms. Powell has been the company teacher for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, Philadanco, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Company, Dallas Black Dance Company, and many other companies. She is also the company teacher for the IABD (International Association for Blacks in Dance).

Ms. Powell believes that “dance is for all”. Movement encourages, inspires, and develops the mind, body and spirit. Her work in the community for multigenerational dancers and performers has been a great source of joy to her teaching life. In addition, she organized a food distribution service during the pandemic for families in the Baltimore community in conjunction with the Johns Hopkins Community Outreach Initiative. This service provided food for over eighteen families. She continues to work in the community with various partners.

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Congratulations Stephanie!