FY24 Fellowship Panel Review - Dance and Theater

About our Panelists:
Jenn Freeman, Po' Chop.

Chicago-based burlesque artist Jenn Freeman also known as Po’Chop uses elements of dance, storytelling, and striptease to create performances and inspire students and collaborators across the country. Po’Chop is the creator and author of the blogzine, The Brown Pages and has performed at the Brooklyn Museum in Brown Girls Burlesque’s Bodyspeak, and headlined shows in New Orleans, Minneapolis, St. Louis and New York. Po’Chop is a Board Member & Cast Member, for Jeezy’s Juke Joint, an all black burlesque revue. Po’Chop performs on Netflix’s Easy (Season 2), appears in music videos for songs by Jamila Woods and Mykele Deville, and creates and performs experimental dance films such as LITANY. Jenn Freeman was recognized as a 2022 United States Artist Fellow,  a 2021 Foundation of Contemporary Art Grant for Artist, selected as a 2019-2020 Urban Bush Women Choreographic Fellow and as a 2018 Chicago Dancemakers Lab Artist. Po’Chop was voted #10 Most Influential Burlesque Artist by 21st Century Magazine and was dancer in residence at Rebuild Foundation in 2020. 

John Rice

John Patrick Rice created the Theatre Program at Great Basin College in 1996. Since then, he has served the college in many academic and administrative capacities. He is currently serving as a senior faculty member in the Arts and Letters department. He teaches theatre arts, humanities and communications. In 2015 he completed a successful tenure as GBC's Chief Development Officer and Executive Director of Great Basin College Foundation. There, he coordinated the college's fundraising activities, and oversaw more than $20 million in revenues from individual and organizational contributions, planned giving and public and private grants.

Rice is an effective institutional leader, advocating for the advancement of academic and career training programs.

Now returned to the faculty to revitalize the Great Basin College Theatre Program, he teaches a variety of Fine Arts and Humanities courses, produces and directs a full season of live theatre, engages guest artists to enhance student and community experience, and advocates for the strength and growth of Great Basin College