WVU Dance Archiving: Creating a Community of Memories

Olivia McCarty*, Maureen Kaddar, and General Hambrick

Elizabeth Moore Hall, Dance Department, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26505

Presentation Category: Human Engagement (Poster Presentation #141)

Student’s Major: Dance and Psychology

During the 1900’s dancers at WVU were unable to pursue dance as a major but dedicated much of their free time to dance by participating in the group “Orchesis”. The work that began the West Virginia University Dance Archive Project has involved scanning and documenting files, including images, posters, programs, and tickets from the mid-late 20th century. This documentation has led us to be able to preserve the history of the group that helped lead WVU to creating a dance major in 2014. This research has also led us to be able to create a large alumni list that we are actively compiling to reach out to and make plans for reunions in the near future. Creating a strong relationship among alumni will aid in future opportunities for the dance program in aspects of funding, and potential employment for current students in the program. Maureen and I are working to inform and encourage underclassmen to participate in the project so it can be ongoing after I graduate this May. The continuation of this project is essential for the outreach efforts, and to create a community with those who have been a part of dancing at West Virginia University. Dance at WVU has been taking place in the studio above E. Moore Hall for over 90 years. The dance program is continuing to grow and improve each year; it is important for us to also pay tribute to those who worked in the same studio we use years before us.

Funding:

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: WVU Work Study (not associated with RAP), Volunteer