On Tuesday, Bruce Wood Dance Dallas (BWDD) announced an expansion of its artistic leadership as the company enters its 17th season. BWDD has appointed Melissa M. Young as Artistic Director. Joy Bollinger, who has served as AD since 2018, will transition into the newly created role of Resident Choreographer and Répétiteur.
According to the press release, this dual appointment is expected to position BWDD for expanded regional impact, national reach and long-term artistic vitality.
“Melissa Young is a highly respected artistic leader, and we are thrilled to welcome her experience and perspective to Bruce Wood Dance,” Board President Phil Clemmons said in the release. “This new leadership structure allows us to honor and preserve Bruce’s legacy through Joy’s unparalleled knowledge of his work, while moving the company forward under Melissa’s artistic leadership.”
BWDD Executive Director and co-founder Gayle Halperin expressed her enthusiasm about the new appointment.
“As we begin our 17th year, I’m thrilled to work with this phenomenal duo,” she said in the release. “Melissa and Joy bring deep expertise and a proven track record to their new roles. They will work closely to deepen our artistic impact, strengthen educational and outreach partnerships, and expand our exposure and opportunities nationwide.”
Young joins BWDD following a 30-year career with Dallas Black Dance Theatre, where she served as a performer, educator and, for six seasons, artistic director. She is Co-Founder and Chief Artistic Officer of Artistic Directors International and serves on the Dance Data Project Advisory Council.
Young will lead BWDD’s artistic vision and institutional planning while advancing audience development, fundraising, touring and the company’s national and international presence.
“I have admired Bruce Wood Dance from its earliest days—the honesty of the work, the caliber of the dancers, and the unwavering support of its audiences,” Young stated. “Stepping into this role feels like coming home to something I already loved. It is a privilege to join Joy and this extraordinary company as I honor what Bruce built and imagine boldly what comes next.”
Since becoming Artistic Director in 2018, Bollinger has guided BWDD through a period of artistic achievement and organizational growth, including creating 14 works of her own. Bollinger danced with the Fort Worth-based Bruce Wood Dance Company beginning in 2001 and was a founding member of the Dallas-based company in 2010. Under her leadership, BWDD has expanded its repertoire, commissioned acclaimed new works, cultivated artistic collaborations, strengthened educational and community initiatives and elevated the company’s profile.
“I am incredibly proud of everything we have built together over the past eight years,” Bollinger mentioned. “This new role allows me to devote even more energy to the work I love most — creating, preserving Bruce’s legacy, and mentoring the next generation of artists — while supporting Melissa as she leads the company into its next era.”
Young and Bollinger step into their roles with additional announcements about the company’s 17th season and recent national recognition coming later this month.
Young added, “I look forward to partnering with Joy, Gayle and the board of directors to uphold Bruce Wood’s incredible legacy while forging an exciting new era for the company in Dallas and beyond.”
For more information about the company and future performances, visit BruceWoodDance.org.
–Rich Lopez
Isn’t this the same artistic director who was fired from DBDT in 2024 for toxic leadership… the same leadership that drove the dancers to unionize over mistreatment?
If she couldn’t lead THEM how’s she going to lead BWDD?
Institutions have short memories. DBDT’s dancers don’t. Ask them how this leadership worked out.