39th Anniversary Celebration

 Heidi Duckler Dance will celebrate its 39th Anniversary Celebration, Dance in the Light of the Harvest Moon, at the iconic Frank Gehry-designed campus of Loyola Law School on Saturday, September 21, 2024 at 5 pm.

The redesign of Loyola’s campus in 1978 marked a pivotal moment in Gehry’s career, showcasing his radical use of unconventional materials and his visionary approach to architecture. This project helped catapult Gehry to national and international acclaim, as he transformed Loyola’s downtown Los Angeles site into a neo-traditional campus that redefined the boundaries of architectural design.

Both Duckler and Gehry are pioneers in their respective fields, pushing the boundaries of how we experience art, architecture, and movement. Their work challenges us to reimagine our surroundings and our connections within them.

This evening will offer a glimpse into the future of our vibrant Los Angeles community of artists, designers, community advocates, and academics. The event will feature a cocktail reception, performances, and an awards ceremony while blending artistry and community spirit.

Enhancing the evening’s allure, new works will be showcased, choreographed and directed by Madison Olandt, and Alejandro Perez. These performances promise to engage the audience with their distinct artistic voices and creative approaches to movement. Additionally, guests will be treated to a dynamic original piece titled School of Fish, created by transdisciplinary choreographer Shoji Yamasaki, known for his innovative approach to storytelling through dance.

OR Mail a check made out to “Heidi Duckler Dance” to 1206 Maple Ave. Suite 1100B, Los Angeles, CA 90015

Questions: Please email Raphaelle Ziemba, Managing Director, at raphaelle@heididuckler.org or call 213-373-0366

Heidi Duckler Dance is a non-profit organization with a 501(c)(3) classification from the Internal Revenue Service. The portion of the contribution that exceeds the fair market value of $50 per individual ticket is tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Heidi Duckler Dance – Tax Identification Number: 95-4152270

Meet the Honorees

Marla Bleavins is a proud native of Los Angeles, having grown up in the greater Crenshaw area where she still resides. She was raised by two dedicated public servants –a retired educator and a retired Lieutenant with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. She attended local schools, graduating from St. Bernard High School and from there she went on to earn her degree in Public Policy at Stanford University. Upon returning to Los Angeles after graduation, she soon continued her family’s proud legacy of public service by starting her 25-year career with the City of Los Angeles. She also earned a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School. 

Marla takes great pride in having “grown up in the City” professionally, having started her career as a management assistant in the Office of the City Administrative Officer and eventually taking on key roles in other departments such as Debt & Treasury Manager at LAX, Assistant General Manager at the Los Angeles Convention Center and most recently Deputy Executive Director  & Chief Financial Officer at the Port of Los Angeles. She also served as Executive Officer, serving the second in command at the nation’s busiest container port.  

In May, Marla returned to Los Angeles World Airports, the City agency that runs LAX, to serve as Chief Airports Administrative Officer where she will lead human resources, procurement, supplier diversity, risk management, and commercial development.

Alex M. Johnson is Vice President of Public Affairs at The California Wellness Foundation where he brings nearly twenty years of successful cross-sector experience working with policymakers, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and the philanthropic sector to solve problems and advance change. Johnson returned to Cal Wellness in January 2024 after serving as vice president at Bryson Gillette, a strategic communications and public affairs firm where he led efforts to support clients working to create change across multiple sectors, including education, government, philanthropy, and nonprofits. Before his time at Bryson Gillette, Johnson served as a senior leader at Cal Wellness for nearly five years in various grantmaking roles, including as Chief of Staff and Program Director.  Alex led efforts to address gun violence as a preventable public health issue, reimagine the youth justice system, and address issues ranging from health equity, environmental justice, and immigration.

Alex serves on the boards of Southern California Grantmakers, Urban Peace Institute, Trust for Public Land, Wiley Center for Speech and Language Therapy, and the UCLA Luskin School Board of Advisors. He previously served two terms on the Los Angeles County Board of Education, including time as President, working to effectively shape policies and programs in the best interests of students and families.  Born and raised in Los Angeles, Alex is a graduate of Morehouse College and American University, Washington College of Law. His writing has appeared in the Huffington Post, The Guardian, Los Angeles Daily News, San Jose Mercury News, Juvenile Justice Information Exchange, California Health Report, and the Sacramento Bee.

Therese H. Maynard is the Leonard Cohen Chair for Law and Business at LMU Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, where she teaches Business Associations and Mergers & Acquisitions, as well as advanced courses focusing on venture capital financing and the role of in-house lawyers. Maynard is a nationally recognized business law scholar having written numerous law review articles and is also the author of two widely-adopted casebooks: Mergers & Acquisitions: Cases, Materials and Problems (now in its 5th Edition); and Business Planning: Financing the Start-Up and Venture Capital Financing (now in its 4th Edition with her co-author Shannon Trevino).  Both casebooks are well known for providing a thoughtful approach to educating law students so that they are well-prepared to practice corporate law.  In addition, as Founder of Loyola’s Transactional Lawyering Institute, Maynard has developed a new and innovative curriculum for educating Loyola’s students so that they are ready “to hit the ground running” when they graduate and start practicing business law in a transactional setting.  

Professor Maynard received her J.D. from UCLA School of Law, where she was Order of the Coif, and her B.A., Summa Cum Laude, from the University of California, Irvine. After graduating law school, Maynard practiced with the law firm of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher. 

Artists Sponsors

Joyce and Aubrey Chernick

This celebration is supported in part by Red Bull, Polsinelli Law Firm, and Loyola Law School