Carole Cascio Fund Donates $2,000 to Bolster CCBC’s Carole Drake Cascio Dance Scholarship and CCF Teaching Artists are featured on the CCBC Dance Concert

Essex, May 1 2026 The Carole Cascio Fund (CCF) recently announced a donation of $2,000 to the Carole Drake Cascio Dance Scholarship fund at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC). This contribution continues the CCF’s commitment to the scholarship, which the Carole Cascio Fund and the CCBC Foundation jointly established. The original Carole Drake Cascio Dance Scholarship was created in March 2023 with an initial $10,000 donation. The scholarship ensures that future generations of CCBC Dance Company members have access to the necessary training, artistic development, and performance opportunities they need to thrive. Since its inception, one to two Dance Company members have been selected each year to receive the scholarship.

The latest donation was celebrated at a post-show reception following the Spring Dance Concert. Held at the Robert and Eleanor Romadka College Center, the special reception honored supporters of the Carole Drake Cascio Dance Scholarship and provided an opportunity to meet the dancers, faculty, and scholarship recipients.

The reception was attended by key figures dedicated to upholding the scholarship’s mission, including Carole Cascio Fund Executive Director Peter Pucci and CCBC leaders Melinda Blomquist, Artistic Director of the CCBC Dance Company, and Irina Lapteva, the Director of the Arts program. The Dance Company members Kenea Dorsey, Sarah Harris, Charnel Marshall and Andre Payne are recipients of a scholarship and were honored at the event.

CCBC leadership was instrumental in making the event and the scholarship possible. Dr. Sandra Kurtinitis, President of CCBC, has been a tireless supporter of the Dance Program and helped provide the crucial support for the creation of the Carole Drake Cascio Dance Scholarship. Ann-Marie Thornton, Senior Director of Institutional Advancement, was instrumental in planning the reception and championed the idea of reacquainting the Carole Cascio Fund and the college to continue supporting the Dance Scholarship fund. Ann Marie reported recently that $900 was also donated at the reception in support of the Dance Scholarship.

The preceding CCBC Dance Concert featured choreography from several CCF Teaching Artists, which was a nice inclusion for the program. The CCBC Dance Company performed Adrienne Kraus Latanishen’s new dance, The Clockwork Garden. Guest Artist and CCF Teaching Artist Amy Kleinendorst presented her choreography, Impartial. Additionally, CCF Teaching Artist Gabby Pfeifer performed Peter Pucci’s solo Sing. Peter and Melinda worked closely throughout the year to develop the idea of teaming up with our CCF Teaching Artists to create new works on the CCBC Dance Company and have Gabby perform as a Guest Artist.

It was it was very successful evening of dance and support for the Dance Scholarship and a wonderful way to continue to honor Carole Cascio’s legacy with the CCBC Dance Program.

Dance photos by Amy Jones

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May 2, 2026 No Comments

Essex, May 1 2026 The Carole Cascio Fund (CCF) recently announced a donation of $2,000 to the Carole Drake Cascio Dance Scholarship fund at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC). This contribution continues the CCF’s commitment to the scholarship, which the Carole Cascio Fund and the CCBC Foundation jointly established. The original Carole Drake Cascio Dance Scholarship was created in March 2023 with an initial $10,000 donation.
The scholarship ensures that future generations of CCBC Dance Company members have access to the necessary training, artistic development, and performance opportunities they need to thrive. Since its inception, one to two Dance Company members have been selected each year to receive the scholarship.