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Three businesses founded by Florida State University College of Fine Arts alumni have been honored as part of the 2024 Seminole 100, which recognizes the 100 fastest-growing FSU alumni-owned or alumni-led businesses with a special celebration on campus. The annual awards ceremony honors FSU’s entrepreneurs and allows them to share valuable business insights with each other.

The College is excited to celebrate its alumni who were honored this year:

Sara Dimmick, Physical Equilibrium

Sara Dimmick (BFA Dance 2000) is the founder of Physical Equilibrium, a New York City-based fitness center offering personal training, Pilates, run coaching, nutrition and more. Dimmick, an avid triathlon competitor herself, is a nationally recognized leader in the fitness community and is dedicated to designing safe and effective programs for her clients.

Brandi Markiewicz, CI Group Orlando

Brandi Markiewicz (BS 2002) is Managing Partner of Corporate Interiors of Orlando, LLC. The firm specializes in business interiors, with a mission of “creating environments that cultivate success, inspire work, invite play and encourage all to stay.”

“As a proud alumni of Florida State University and a graduate of the Department of Interior Architecture and Design, it is so exciting to represent our design profession amongst a stage of so many successful alums,” said Markiewicz in an Instagram post celebrating the announcement. My notorious team has worked so hard these past five years creating an inclusive group of creative individuals that work hard and play harder. I’m so very proud of all the success we have accomplished together.”

Brett Player, Play, LLC

Brett Player (BS 1993) is the founder of Atlanta-based communications agency, Play, LLC. The firm, recently recognized with an Award of Excellence at the Annual Communicator Awards, serves a wide variety of clients nationwide, including household names like Coca-Cola, the Home Depot and Spanx. Play is dedicated to creating breakthrough content that makes a difference for their clients.

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All three honorees also serve the College as members of advisory boards, Markiewicz on the Interior Architecture & Design Advisory Council and Player and Dimmick on the Dean’s Advisory Council. Learn more about how you can get involved at cfa.fsu.edu/connect.

By: Anna Prentiss, La Toya Davis Craig, Jasmine Hur, Rodrigo Santa Maria

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Florida State University’s School of Dance presents “An Evening of Dance,” featuring a lineup of seven live works restaged by retired and current faculty ranging from classical ballet to postmodern choreography.

Performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 3 and 4 in the Nancy Smith Fichter Dance Theatre in Montgomery Hall on the FSU campus. Each performance will have a facilitated pre-show discussion with choreographers and rehearsal directors.

“It has been an honor to bring retired faculty in to work with our current students,” said Anjali Austin, chair of the School of Dance. “The pieces that are being restaged have traveled the world and appeared on some of the biggest stages.”

This year’s Evening of Dance will include restaged works by retired faculty Lynda Davis, Anthony Morgan, Gerri Houlihan, Dan Wagoner and Nancy Smith Fichter. The lineup also features work restaged by School of Dance Krafft Professor Suzanne Farrell and work choreographed by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor and Nancy Smith Fichter Professor.

Nearly 60 dance students worked with retired faculty to prepare for the performances, learning works that have been showcased on the Nancy Smith Fichter stage throughout the dance program’s history.

“Providing students with the opportunity to have such an in-depth experience with these legends in the dance field is something that will stay with them throughout their careers,” Austin said.

Farrell, a legendary ballerina and founder of the Suzanne Farrell Ballet company, will showcase an excerpt from “Divertimento 15,” a George Balanchine ballet piece with assistance from former company members Kristin Gallagher and Michael Cook.

Zollar, a MacArthur Fellow and the founder of Urban Bush Women, choreographed “Give Your Hands to Struggle,” a call to examine themes of legacy and lineage — a tribute to civil rights leaders. The title is based on a speech by Adam Clayton Powell “What’s in Your Hands.” FSU alumna Bennalldra Williams, a former Urban Bush Women company member, restaged the piece.

“This is sure to be a year to remember,” said James Frazier, dean of the College of Fine Arts. “The works featured in the program showcase the school’s long and celebrated history. As a School of Dance alumnus myself, I am incredibly proud, and I can’t wait to see the show.”

This year, the School of Dance celebrates their 90th anniversary of dance on Florida State University’s campus, 60 years of professional degree programs and 20 years since the formation of the Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography.

The school is highly regarded for the creation, reconstruction and execution of first-class eclectic dance repertories. For the past 60 years, students have had the opportunity to be rewarded for the creation of such repertoire by pursuing degrees in the field of dance.

Tickets for “An Evening of Dance” performances are $20 for adults, $18 for senior citizens, $12 for children and non-FSU students and $10 for FSU students with ID. All seating is general admission.

For tickets or more information, visit tickets.dance.fsu.edu.