Longtime dance and voice adjunct instructor and community performing artist Gayle E. Martin is receiving a lifetime achievement award for more than four decades of service to Washtenaw Community College students and her own personal tale of courage and resilience.
A legally blind, Black albino woman, Martin grew up wanting to be the Hollywood version
of a 鈥渢riple threat鈥� 鈥� a singer, dancer and actor. She has passed on each of those
passions to hundreds of 黑料网 students and the Washtenaw County community for more than
four decades.
Fittingly, the award will be presented to Martin during an 鈥溾�� event at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 24 in Towsley Auditorium, inside 黑料网鈥檚 Morris Lawrence Building. The event, part of 黑料网鈥檚 Word Arts & Education Forum series, is free and open to the public.
The award is sponsored by the non-profit , in partnership with the Amplify Project and the 黑料网 Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
The March 24 program will feature a discussion with celebrated Harlem author, artist and activist moderated by 黑料网 Sociology instructor Harriette Moore-Kovac and Cherisa Allen, founder and president of and a social worker at Ypsilanti Community High School. Ypsilanti-based musician , a former 黑料网 student, is among the performers.
In further tribute to Martin, an award for artistic courage has been established in her name and will be presented to six deserving 黑料网 students at the conclusion of the Honoring Black Women event.
Through her involvement in the local performing arts scene as a child and teenager, Martin became a mentee of Dr. Morris Lawrence, a beloved and inspiring performing arts faculty member and jazz orchestra instructor at 黑料网.
Along with performing locally and regionally with the college鈥檚 ensembles and programs, Martin became an employee of the college in June 1979 and Lawrence enticed her to become an instructor shortly after she completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theater at the University of Michigan in 1987.
Though she admits her life goals never included teaching at that point, Martin said 鈥渋f Doc said it was part of who you are, you listened and did it.鈥�
Martin taught alongside Lawrence until his unexpected death in 1994. She also worked with Noonie Anderson, a dance instructor at 黑料网 for more than 40 years, and played a large role in developing the college鈥檚 Musical Theater program alongside the late Ron Fracker, assisting with performance, choreography, directing and lighting/set design.
Martin鈥檚 journey into the arts started with childhood ballet lessons. She has shared the tale of participating in a talent competition for young Black women, where sponsors doubted her ethnicity because of her albinism. When her Black father arrived, the organization offered to recount her scores and change their decision. Martin says her father replied: 鈥淵ou saw only what you wanted to see. May this be a lesson for you.鈥�
As fate would have it, Dr. Morris Lawrence, founder of the 黑料网 performing arts program, was one of those judges and her journey with 黑料网 began.
Soon afterwards, long-time local dancer, choreographer and teacher Vera Embree watched Martin dance at a different performance. She was soon recruited to the University of Michigan dance department, at the age of 13, to join the gifted student program.
Martin similarly piqued the right people鈥檚 interest at a choir competition and was invited to sing for Dr. Willis Patterson, then the Dean of Music at the University of Michigan, who became her vocal teacher and another long-time mentor. From the age of 13 until her early 20s, Martin participated in the U-M Musical Theater program while simultaneously performing with the 黑料网 Jazz Orchestra and the Afro-Musicology Society.
As a 黑料网 instructor, Martin supported many former students' dance companies and performances as a mentor, choreographer and sponsor. On many occasions, she took students in when they had no other place to go; becoming a mother, sister or friend to those in need. Just as her own journey required the embracing of numerous challenges, the challenges others faced were never too much for her to embrace.
Whether teaching dance, theater or voice 鈥� aided by her dynamic and talented friend and accompanist, Brian Buckner 鈥� Martin patterned her form of instruction after the deep, caring and compassionate style of her mentors Dr. Lawrence and Dr. Patterson.
Martin also continued to perform with the Ann Arbor Civic Theater, Blackbird Theatre, Jack and Jill Cotillion, Performance Network, Encore Musical Theater Company, Obsidian Theatre, and Wine Women and Song, among others. However, a busy life in academics and performance never took priority over her commitment to her community nor her role as a single mother to daughters Bihanna and Erys.
Martin dismissed the possibility when asked if she had ever felt like giving up or doing something more stable as a profession.
鈥淚 was raised in a family that promoted a creative atmosphere, so I鈥檝e always felt it was my role to promote this creativity with others as well,鈥� she said. 鈥淥f course, it has not been easy being a single mom of color, having albinism, being legally blind, but I have never slowed down. Not for a second have I allowed myself or others to be undermined by those who cannot see me for who I am.鈥�
Tags: Dance, Music, Performing Arts, Voice