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Jawole Willa Jo Zollar was born
She grew up in a family of great African American influence and listened to a lot of jazz music. These both ended up being two great impacts on her dance style and rhythm. -
Moved to New York City
She moved to New York City to study with Dianne McIntyre at Sounds in Motion. She later on left the studio to create her own in 1984. -
Jawole founded Urban Bush Women (UBW)
Jawole founded UBW as a performance ensemble dedicated to exploring the use of cultural expression as a catalyst for social change. Zollar’s dance company used live music, cappella vocalizations and movement to interpret the religious traditions and folklore of the African Diaspora. Her work has earned five grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and a fellowship from the New York Foundation for the Arts. -
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She held different positions and taught at universities
Her many positions as a teacher and speaker include Worlds of Thought Resident Scholar at Mankato State University (1993-94), Regents Lecturer in the Departments of Dance and World Arts and Culture at UCLA (1995-96), Visiting Artist at Ohio State University (1996), and the Abramowitz Memorial Lecturer at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1998). -
Featured in "Free to Dance"
She was featured in a PBS Documentary “Free to Dance” in 2001. This film shows the chronicles of the African American influence on modern dance. -
Received an honorary doctorate
Bestowed by Columbia College in Chicago. -
The Kennedy Center
She was selected as Master of African American Choreography -
She received a Bessie award
Jawole received a New York Dance and Performance Award (Bessie) for her work as choreographer/creator of Walking With Pearl…Southern Diaries. -
United States Artists Wynn Fellow
She received the United States Artists Wynn fellowship. Then received another fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial the following year. -
Invited to the White House
Jawole was invited to participate in a meeting within the White House on using creative and collaborative approaches to community building and civic engagement. -
UBW inaugurated a cultural diplomacy program
UBW was selected as one of three U.S. dance companies to inaugurate a cultural diplomacy program for the U.S. Department of State in 2010. -
Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor of Dance
She received the highest honor bestowed by the FSU faculty on one of its own. -
Jawole received the Doris Duke Performing Artist Award
In 2013, Jawole received the Doris Duke Performing Artist Award and honorary degrees from Tufts University and Rutgers University. -
Received two more dance awards
Most recently, Jawole received the 2016 Dance Magazine award and the 2016 Dance/USA Honor Award.