Kalamazoo holds the unique distinction of being home to one of the nation’s longest-standing, small professional modern dance companies. Celebrating its 40th year in 2021, Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers, hails from a distinct lineage of pioneer modern dance companies. In the early years of her career, Wellspring’s founder, Cori Terry, studied and performed across the world with the Erick Hawkins Dance Company. This experience and the training she received firmly established her among an elite group of nationally acclaimed professional dancers.

With the vision of one day starting her own company, Ms. Terry left the Hawkins company to serve as an artist in residence at Western Michigan University. A year later, in 1981, Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers was established and has since introduced thousands to the art of dance, enriched the Kalamazoo Arts community through collaborations with other professional artists and has become a platform for advancing postmodern dance choreography.