RIA Staff
Terlene D. Terry-Todd, Executive Artistic Director, is the founding artistic director of the Reston Institute for the Arts (RIA).
Ms. Terry-Todd holds a MA in dance from the American University, a MA in Curriculum and Instruction for the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley and a BS in Physical Education from Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia. She received her formal dance training from the Jones-Haywood School of Ballet in Washington, DC, the National School of Ballet and the Louis Tupler Modern Dance Center. She later continued her studies with John Parks, Lea Theodore, Eleo Pomare, Nina Weiner, David Appell and Bernard Johnson.
Her performance experience has included off-Broadway, dinner theatre, regional and community theatre and local dance companies.
In addition to her duties with RIA, Ms. Terry-Todd is a master artist with the Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts. As a freelance choreographer and dance consultant, she has choreographed, stage and directed numerous theatre productions for local and national companies.
Ms. Terry-Todd is also a certified dance specialist for the Fairfax County Public Schools. She currently teaches at South Lakes High School, Centreville High School and Hunters Woods Arts and Science Magnet School. She has received numerous accolades and awards for her choreography and contributions to the arts and her work with special needs children.
RIA also offers two outreach programs called "Swing, Sway and Smile" and "Reachout: Dance". "Swing, Sway and Smile" is a pilot dance program for the handicapped which started in 1984 in the Fairfax County Public School System. The program, funded by Mobil through the Arts Council of Fairfax County, received numerous awards from the National Dance Association and the American Alliance of Health, Physical Education and Dance. "Swing, Sway and Smile" emphasizes movement, perceptual motor skills and creative dynamics and reinforces academic skills.
"Reachout: Dance" is a scholarship program for the economically disadvantaged. The program has been funded by Dennis Scott of the Orlando Magic, a former Restonian who wanted to give something back to the community.
Lisa M. Crawford-Girdy, Assistant Director, Instructor has over 26years' of dance experience.
She earned her BFA in Dance form George Mason University, where she left her mark by introducing live musical accompaniment in dance performance, featuring Anthony Lewis on percussion. She has taught and performed all over the Washington, DC metropolitan area, New York and Rhode Island. She has been a freelance choreographer for over 13 years throughout the Reston/Herndon community, including cotillions, churches and schools. Among her long list of choreography projects are Purlie, Grease, Singing in the Rain, Annie, South Pacific, Dreamgirls, Guys and Dolls, Once on This Island, Phantom, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Little Shop of Horrors and numerous RIA performances.
©2002
Reston Institute for the Arts