One Columbia gives Terrance Henderson the 2016 Steve Morrison Visionary Award

From The Free Times

Article by Kyle Peterson

The arts and history non-profit One Columbia has announced its 2016 Steve Morrison Visionary Award winner is Terrance Henderson, a dynamic creative presence in Columbia as an actor, dancer, educator and choreographer. The annual award, now in its third year, is presented to an individual who is a true leader in driving the artistic growth and vitality of the city.

Born in Newberry and a Columbia resident since 1996, Henderson has served as a long-term artist in residence at both Logan and A.C. Moore Elementary Schools where he teaches dance and drama, but his role in the arts community extends far beyond that. He has long focused on art that illuminates provocative societal issues in both his theatrical work and original creations, while also striving to provide opportunities for those not formally trained in either dance or theatre. Along the way he’s won awards from the Jazz Dance World Congress in Chicago, the South Carolina Arts Commission’s Fellowship in Performance, Broadway World and Jasper magazine (where, full disclosure, I serve as assistant editor). Some of his more recent creations include The Black Man … Complex at Trustus Theatre, Ruins as part of Harbison Theatre’s MTC Performance Incubator, and Blank Page Poetry: Words and Shadows at the 701 Center for Contemporary Art.

Henderson’s selection marks a turn from past award winners like Columbia City Ballet Artistic and Executive Director William Starrett and Riverbanks Zoo Director Satch Krantz, both of whom are more senior figures in the community. As a vital and contemporary artistic force in the, and one explicitly engaged in political and social issues, this perhaps indicates a shift towards more daring and cutting-edge figures that are being celebrated for their work in the moment and their future potential, rather than people with long histories in the Columbia arts scene.

Henderson will be formally presented with his award Nov. 12 on Main Street in Columbia during the Jam Room Music Festival.