Sunflowers and Dance for Everyone: Houston Met Dance Honors jhon r. stronks 

“I’ve always liked sunflowers,” says jhon r. stronks, Director of Programming at Houston Met Dance. “I think what I like about them the most is how many kinds there are, the wild colors they come in, the wild sizes they come in, giants and teddy bears. They also follow the sun, which in a way is looking forward.”

This form of heliotropism in the young stages of sunflowers is a fitting metaphor for stronks’ twenty years of service to Houston Met Dance. The organization has forged ahead over the course of forty-six years and has seen its mission materialize in the form of significant services for the local dance ecosystem, especially for adult dancers both professional and recreational. 

stronks has been instrumental in guiding Houston Met Dance into its current iteration, and with a twenty-year tenure to celebrate, the organization’s annual fundraiser will bloom into the Sunflower Ball being held September 26 in the Phoenix Studio of its 4916 Main Street address. 

One might think this may be the perfect moment for reflection, but honoree stronks will be the first to tell you that they seldom look backwards. “I don’t have a lot of time to think about all the things I’ve been involved in or have been able to facilitate because I’m always looking forward,” says stronks. “Going forward is this dynamic rollercoaster.” 

That rollercoaster has included teaching Houston’s longest-running jazz dance class, creating work on professional dance companies throughout the city, directing the organization’s former pre-professional ensemble, production management, and forays into arts administration that has led to their current positions at Houston Met Dance and Dance Source Houston, the city’s resource organization for the local field. 

But reflection is a tall order, especially when stronks is also in the thick of planning and programming the Sunflower Ball. It might be unorthodox for an honoree to be in the throes of planning their own celebration, but they wouldn’t have it any other way. The evening begins at 6pm with an honors reception for stronks, including cocktails and a performance by the Virtuosi Youth Orchestra. At 7pm the ball gets underway with performances, lite bites, a silent auction, and raffle; the Houston Met Dance Adult Ballet Ensemble, as well as longtime stronks collaborators Jonesha Hawkins-Minter, Nicole McNeil, and Lori Yuill will perform. 

No stronks celebration would be complete without a dance party, and this year DJ Michele McKnight will mix, blend, and curate until midnight. In the spirit of the organization’s inclusive programming, tickets to the Sunflower Ball are available at a sliding scale, and there is no paywall for any part of the celebration. 

The theme of this year’s fundraiser is fitting for many reasons, not least of which are that sunflowers are often associated with joy, loyalty, happiness, optimism and growth. “He’s my sunshine, and always has been,” says Houston Met Dance Founder and Executive Director Michelle Smith. “Even when there is super dark stuff going on, he walks in the door, gives me a hug, and it’s OK.” 

That optimism was much needed in 2019 when Houston Met Dance restructured its programming in a very radical way. When the organization decided to move forward without a professional dance company in tow, stronks steered Smith and her board of directors toward six organizational models from around the country that could serve as a blueprint for such an entity in Houston. 

One of the ideas that germinated out of this revamp was to use their excess space as an incubation residency for independent artists. The original cohort of seven artists in 2023 made use of the opportunity in varying, but long-lasting ways. Out of those seven practices, two collectives have emerged: Riddles Three, headed by Persi Mey, and NMLY.dance, a duet practice by Nicole McNeil and Lori Yuill. Both collectives have been steadily producing work ever since. 

Whereas most studios focus on their children’s and pre-professional programs, stronks noticed that within the adult program there was a real thirst to dance more and even to perform. In mining the organization’s history, especially its first fifteen years as the Delia Stewart Dance Company, they came to another realization. “The foundation of the MET is the adult program,” says stronks. “Delia was passionate about jazz and tap, and those were the vehicles she used to engage people.” 

After one of Houston Met Dance’s early adult showcases, it was clear to stronks that for a significant group of student dancers, ballet was the vehicle they were using to build community. “There was a group of ballet folks who were rabid to spend more time together,” says stronks. Understanding that it was the act of building together, and not necessarily the performance, that was the focal point of their commitment, the Houston Met Adult Ballet Ensemble was formed. This came on the heels of TerraForm(ed) Collective, another ensemble formed out of the studio’s Tuesday evening contemporary dance class and headed by Associate Director of Programming Lori Yuill. 

With high commitment from its members, both ensembles now have their own full seasons of performances. Another big development that has emerged from Houston Met Dance’s newfound identity? “Michelle is back in the studio and teaching and making dances,” says stronks. “And being in community with people who are interested in being in community through ballet.” 

There will be a lot to commemorate and celebrate and dance for on September 26, not the least of which is the continued renewal of Houston Met Dance and the reconfiguring magic of stronks. The sunflowers, again, ring true. “I don’t remember sunflowers being so prolific here before the freeze of 2021,” says stronks. “Sunflowers have always been here, but when the freeze hit, they were emancipated and are all over the place now.” 

And sunflowers are for everyone, just like the dancing being propagated by stronks and Houston Met Dance. 

Proceeds of Houston Met Dance’s Sunflower Ball will support the nonprofit’s core programs: artist residencies, scholarships, and educational outreach. Tickets and sponsorships are available now at MetDance.org.