Purchase College, SUNY Alumnus Kyle Abraham Named a MacArthur Fellow; Honor Comes With $625,000 Stipend

Purchase, NY (September 27, 2013) -- Purchase College, SUNY alumnus and renowned dancer and choreographer Kyle Abraham ’00 is among 24 creative individuals to be named a 2013 MacArthur Fellow, a prestigious honor that comes with a stipend of $625,000 paid over five years. Without stipulations or reporting requirements, the Fellowship provides maximum freedom for recipients to follow their own creative vision.

Abraham—whose latest work, “Pavement,” uses dance to probe violence—received the fellowship for exploring new roles for modern dance in the portrayal of urban communities, according to the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, which offers the fellowships to exceptionally creative individuals with a track record of achievement and the potential for even more significant contributions in the future.

Abraham is a Pittsburgh native who graduated from Purchase College’s Conservatory of Dance with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts.  An active contributor to the Conservatory of Dance since he graduated, he has been a frequent guest at the college, teaching modern technique classes and setting solos on seniors.  One of these solos was on the program at the Conservatory of Dance’s New York Live Arts season this past May.

Currently, Abraham has his own dance company, Abraham.In.Motion, after having performed previously with a variety of dance companies.  Several Purchase College alumni have performed with his current company, including Addison Reese ‘11, Rena Butler ‘11, Chalvar Monteiro ‘10, Amber Parker ‘07 , Hsiao Jou Tang ‘08 and Connie Shiau ‘12.

Commenting on Abraham and the other MacArthur Fellowship recipients, Cecilia Conrad, Vice President, MacArthur Fellows Program, said: “This year’s class of MacArthur Fellows is an extraordinary group of individuals who collectively reflect the breadth and depth of American creativity.  They are artists, social innovators, scientists, and humanists who are working to improve the human condition and to preserve and sustain our natural and cultural heritage. Their stories should inspire each of us to consider our own potential to contribute our talents for the betterment of humankind.”

The MacArthur Fellows work in diverse fields and often across multiple disciplines.  Members of this year’s class join 873 other MacArthur Fellows who have been recognized since the program began in 1981. The Fellows were selected through a rigorous process involving thousands of expert and anonymous nominators, evaluators, and selectors. The Foundation does not accept unsolicited or outside nominations.

About the Purchase College Conservatory of Dance/School of the Arts:  Purchase College’s Conservatory of Dance program offers rigorous, conservatory-style training by a faculty of renowned professionals. Both undergraduate and graduate programs are grounded with a shared emphasis in dance performance and composition as well as dance technique, all in preparation for a career as a professional dancer. The Conservatory of Dance is one of four conservatories in the Purchase College School of the Arts, with Art+Design, Music, and Theatre Arts, in addition to a program in Arts Management.