Open Horton Classes

Diane Mahoney-Grisby

Guest Instructor

Dianne Maroney-Grigsby, LADA Choreographer, Artisti-in-Residence. A native of Norfolk, Virginia, Dianne left for New York in 1973. After joining the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, she toured extensively with that company. Dianne also performed with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

In 1983, Dianne left her positions with Ailey as soloist, assistant artistic director of the Ailey Repertory Ensemble, and full-time faculty member at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center to become artistic director of Orchesis Dance Company at Grambling State University (GSU). Since moving to Louisiana, Dianne received her BA degree from GSU and her MA degree in theatre from Louisiana Tech University (LTU). She is currently on faculty as dance instructor for both GSU and LTU’S School of Performing Arts.

Dianne taught at Louisiana Dance Foundation’s Summer Dance Festivals from 1983-2007 and has set numerous award winning ballets on LDF’S resident dance company, Louisiana Dance Theatre (LDT) including I Won’t Let Go of My Faith, World Hunger, Red, Red II, Obsessions, Lacrimosus, Immortalis, Apotheosis, Many Different Roads, Long As I Got King Jesus, and I Believe I Can Fly.

LDT has performed Dianne’s choreography in Russia, Austria, and throughout the U.S. in Chicago, IL; Washington, D.C.; Orlando, FL; throughout Louisiana; and throughout Texas in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Galveston, Amarillo, and Abilene. LDT performed Dianne’s choreography at the Jazz Dance World Congress at the Kennedy Center in 1996 and in Chicago in 1994 earning the Silver LEO Award ($1,000) for her choreography, Red. LDT was also selected to perform Dianne’s choreography, Apotheosis, on the Gala performance of Regional Dance America’s first-ever National Festival at Jones Hall in Houston. LDT recently received Gala status at the 2006 RDA/SW Festival for their performance of Lacrimosis at the Dorothy Chandler Woodland’s Pavilion in Houston.

LDT and Grambling’s Orchesis Dance Company have collaborated in more than 25 workshops and performances since 1983. The 1995 Living Legend recipient and director of Orchesis has taken the 58 year-old company to a new level. As an ambassador for Louisiana, Orchesis has performed in Japan and throughout America from New York to California. Orchesis has been featured in Proctor and Gamble national TV commercials, live appearances with recording artist Vicky Wynans, and with the GSU Tiger Marching band in the hit movie, Drumline. Dianne recently choreographed and appeared in Denzel Washington’s new movie, “The Great Debator.”