Dance Department Records

Records restricted to use by office/department of origin for 25 years from date of record creation.

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Historical Note

Prior to the 1965/1966 academic year, few dance classes were offered through Mount Holyoke College's Physical Education Department. These courses were not given academic credit, but rather were used to satisfy physical education requirements at the College. At this time, however, students could use dance classes as part of an interdepartmental drama-dance major. In 1965/1966, the Physical Education Department was expanded and became the Physical Education and Dance Department, with a significant increase in the number and scope of dance courses offered. In addition to the dance courses formerly offered, the department offered courses in Dance Theory and Composition. Students were at this time given the option of creating an interdepartmental major by combining courses in dance with courses in another subject, such as theater or psychology. In the 1970/1971 academic year, an independent Dance Department was established. This department was officially called the Five College Dance Department, and students at Mount Holyoke could at this time earn a degree from Mount Holyoke with a major in dance. The curriculum in the Dance Department again expanded to include the two areas of study: Dance Theory and Composition and Individual and Group Performance Studies. The purpose of the department was to encourage in their majors an intensive study of the field of dance within the context of a liberal arts education. The Five College Dance Department has encouraged students to utilize facilities at all five institutions. The Five College Dance Department coordinates performances, classes, guest artists, workshops, and lectures. Still a Five College major, a major in dance at Mount Holyoke includes the study of Dance Theory and Performance Studies.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Mount Holyoke College Dance Department Records contain programs; advertisements; calendars; brochures; newspaper clippings; a videocassette; reports; and photographs. The records provide information about and programs for Faculty Dance Concerts and Student Dance Concerts. The annual reports of the department to the President of the College, which contain information about personnel, facilities, curriculum, interdisciplinary activities, faculty activities, accomplishments of the department's majors, guest artists, performances, lectures, the Five College Dance Department activities, and faculty activities, are included in the records. Event calendars and descriptions of department performances and other events are included in the records in addition to copies of the five college publication "DANCEFEVER." Information about the Dance Department faculty's work is included, and faculty members Jerry Bevington, Jim Coleman, Karen Dearborn, and Theresa Freedman are highlighted. A videocassette of 1990's Spring Student Dance Concert can be found in the Dance Department Records in addition to photographs of Mount Holyoke dance classes and performances.

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