Rodger Belman Fund in Dance

Rodger Belman, Assistant Professor of Dance and Choreography since 2013, passed away in October of 2017 after a courageous battle with cancer. FSU’s College of Fine Arts has been deeply enriched by Rodger’s dedication and commitment to his work and to his students.

To celebrate Rodger's life and to continue to share his love and passion with others, Florida State University is establishing an endowment to support students in the School of Dance. The principal of an endowed fund is never spent. Instead, the principal is invested, and the earnings are used to fulfill the purpose(s) for which the fund was created.

The Rodger Belman Fund in Dance will be used to support the activities of FSU Dance faculty and students engaged in dance making practice that embraces collaboration, non-traditional spaces, and/or working across disciplines within the community.

Florida State University is elated to announce that through the generosity of the Belman Family and the School of Dance, the Rodger Belman Fund in Dance has been endowed. Please consider supporting the next generation of dancers by donating!

About Rodger Belman

After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in French from George Mason University and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Rodger began to teach and perform around the world. These travels took him to China, Korea, and the UK before he returned to the United States. Upon returning, Rodger conducted dance instruction and choreography at the University of Mary Washington, George Mason University, University of North Carolina Greensboro, the University of Georgia, the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and the Milwaukee Ballet. Rodger danced with Laura Dean Dancers and Musicians in New York. He also performed with the dance companies of Twyla Tharp, Rachel Lampert, Mark Taylor, Joy Kellman, and Kristin Jackson. He was also a faculty member of American Dance Festival (ADF) and spent six years as a dance educator for the New York Board of Education.

Prior to teaching at FSU, he was a professor at East Carolina University, Hollins University, and Long Island University. His choreography has been presented in venues all across the United States. The most recent collaboration was with artist Trevor Bell, at the Museum of Fine Arts at Florida State University. Bell's multi-panel 125-foot painting Southern Light was accompanied by Rodger's choreographic work, performed by his associates from the FSU School of Dance.