Celebrating a 50-year ‘Legacy’ of dance

By Phaedran Linger ’22 on November 18, 2022

Founded in 1972, the TU Dance Company celebrates its 50th anniversary with “Legacy,” a commemorative concert running through Nov. 20 in Stephens Hall Theatre. The company was formed to produce theatrical dance concerts, educate diverse audiences and provide professional-level experience for its members. 

Alongside the show, the weeklong celebration includes a variety of master classes with returning alumni and ends on Nov. 19 with an alumni reception.

From humble beginnings to a nationally recognized dance company, “Legacy” reflects the department's journey throughout the past half-century.

We spoke with current and former dancers to learn how the company impacted their TU experience.

When the student becomes the teacher

Tracie Burton-Hooper ’93 is a dance teacher and adjunct faculty member at TU. She graduated with a BFA in dance performance and was in the TU Dance Company for four years. During that time, she says, the company practiced a variety of styles and only had one show at the end of the spring semester.

 “It was awesome. I felt so special,” Burton-Hooper says. 

The company has now blossomed to two large-scale on campus performances every year, in combination with other smaller performances. 

According to Burton-Hooper, the company is beneficial to students' education because they get to perform in front of live audiences, work with guest artists and get a feel for what it’s like working in the professional world of dance.

Burton-Hooper recalls a special memory of her senior year in the dance company at TU. She was put in a back-up group for one of her favorite dances, which fueled her to work harder and eventually she made it to the main performing group. She looks forward to resetting the dance for current members sometime in the future.

“I'm getting emotional thinking about it now. I was so invested in the dance when I was performing it that I started crying,” she says. 

Carrying on the legacy

Lacee Buckholz ’23 is a senior majoring in dance performance and choreography at TU.
This is her second year as a company member, and she is a performer in “Legacy.”

“This program brings people together. We’re here for so many hours a week that it’s impossible not to get close to your peers,” she says.

Buckholz says the underclassmen look up to the company dancers and being accepted into the company is a reflection of your hard work and professionalism. “This collegiate company is meant to reflect the rigor of companies out in the real world,” says Buckholz.

This experience has allowed Buckholz to pick up choreography faster and to trust in her dance experience. She also values working with multiple artistic directors because it allows her to experience different working environments.

“Being in company fills me with so much joy. The rigor of the program allows me to focus on my craft and further develop my artistry and passion,” she says.

Partner dancing has been her favorite part of being in the company this semester. She is featured in a partnering section in the final piece of the performance, and she’s grateful for the ability to gain that experience. “I like this show because of the community we have built within the company,” Buckholz says.

“I have made so many amazing friends and have mentored and supported so many underclassmen,” she says.