Fabian Barnes on Dance Teacher’s Feb 2007 cover, celebrating the Dance Institute of Washington’s 20th anniversary

Congratulations to Fabian Barnes, founder and artistic director of The Dance Institute of Washington, on his 2013 Pioneer Award! Presented by Amtrak and the Washington Wizards NBA team, the Pioneer Awards honor positive community leaders in the Washington, DC, area.

Barnes was a member of Dance Theater of Harlem at age 18 and credits the experience with steering his life in a positive direction. He founded DIW as a way to offer similar opportunities to underserved youth in DC. The organization celebrated its 25th anniversary last fall.

Photo by John Woo