Karen Peterson received a Choreography Fellowship Award from Division of Cultural Affairs, Florida Department of State, in 1995 and 2005 and a Miami Dade Department of Cultural Affairs Choreography Fellowship in 2006. Her company has received many invitations to perform and has traveled widely as a "mixed-ability" Miami representative. The venues include: New York City ("Mobility Junction Festival" at the Vineyard Theatre 1997), Atlanta (American Dance Therapists Annual Conference 1993), Cleveland (CI 25th Anniversary at Oberlin College 1998), São Paulo, Brazil (Estacão Especial Da Lapa School - teaching residency 1998), São Paulo, Brazil (Officina Cultural, performance 2001), São Paulo, Brazil (Nova Danca Studios roof-top theatre, performance 2001), Carpi, Italy ("International Festival of Different Abilities" 2002) showcase and workshop, Edinburgh, Scotland ("Fringe Festival" August 2003 at the Garage Theatre, Barcelona (The 28th International Choreographers Festival 2005), Madrid (Teatro Cuarta Pared, 2005.)

Ms. Peterson has also received a "danceAble" Award, June 2004, New Forms Florida Grants (1990 & 92), Artist Access Development grant (1998) to study "mixed-ability" dance at Axis, Women's Fund of Dade County Award (1999), to work with young women at the Easter Seals in Dade County, "Stay Pure Award" from the South Florida Art Center (2000), "50 over 50" grants (2001 & 2002) for new and innovative work, City of Miami Honoree (2002) for her work with persons with disabilities, National Foundation for the Advancement for the Arts – Adjudicator (1995 - 2003). Karen conducted workshops for the VSAarts International Conference in Washington, D.C. in June 2006 and has served as panel member for the State of Florida, Division of Cultural Affairs, Choreography Fellows in October 2006.

"Karen Peterson's troupe is redefining dance"
—The Miami New Times, 4/20/06, Joanne Green, Associate Editor
"'Perfume de Gardenias' features a wheel chaired dancer, all innovative and accessible"
—The Scottish Newspaper Daily Dance Reviews 8/03/06
"... an engaging blend of synchronicity and spontaneity"
—The Miami Herald 7/5/06, Mia Leonin, special writer to the Herald

Click here to read description and photo from the 2003 Edinburgh Fringe Festival performance

Click on these links to see videos of the Company's work:
Passionate Diversions ("My Guy"), 8 min.
"Shadow Memories", 12 min.

Karen Peterson and Dancers Excello Dance Space8700B SW 129th Terrace, Miami, FL 33176-5904305-298-5879