University of Minnesota TC: M

On the wall of the main floor reception area of the University’s soaring new dance center, an elegant, stained glass window at first seems artistically at odds with the building’s sleek, curved modern lines. To Maria Cheng, though, the window is integral to the story of this building. "We brought the entire history of Norris with us," Cheng says of the window, one of three transported from the dance program’s old Norris Hall headquarters to its exotic new home on the West Bank.

The story of the University dance program, which in April moved into its new home in the Barbara Barker Center for Dance, would be incomplete without its Norris roots. It is a story of transformation, from near oblivion into one of the nation’s most prestigious programs with a spectacular new building as its centerpiece.

"It’s a Cinderella story," says Linda Shapiro, communications coordinator of the dance program.

From its light-filled, 70-foot lobby to its three dance studios to the made-to-order sprung flooring, the 20,000-square-foot dance center is a spectacular tribute to what passion can build.

In 1985, there wasn’t much to dance about. Then under the umbrella of the Department of Physical Education, the 60-year-old dance program was housed in Norris Hall, where dancers shared a shin-splinting, wood-covered concrete floor in a gym used also for kinesiology classes and rec sports. Its home department decided to drop the program.

Undaunted, program coordinator Nadine Jette-Sween organized a "Keep Dance Alive" program and, with some generous support from Sage and John Cowles, got a chair endowed in dance, launched a dance major, persuaded the College of Liberal Arts and the Department of Theater Arts to take dance under its wing, and got two new faculty positions funded.

With this momentum, the program began to grow. After Sween’s death in 1986, the University recruited renowned dance scholar Barbara Barker in 1987. It was Barker who initiated plans to renovate a University-owned church a block south of Rarig Center for the dance program and who began the fund-raising campaign to make it happen.

By 1993, 1,000 students were taking dance classes—double the number in 1986. Even by 1991—when new director Maria Cheng took over—the church plans had become outmoded.

"It became evident we couldn’t be a program that functioned with only two studios," says Cheng, who served as director until 1997, "and the basement did not have enough head room. So the next step was to add an annex to the church."

As the building idea kept expanding, the fundraising drive continued.

By fall 1996—and another large grant from the McKnight Foundation—plans were in the works for a whole new building.

Today, the $4.5 million building is a tribute to many people, Cheng says.

"Nadine fought and saved dance," says Cheng, who holds the Nadine Jette-Sweet chair in dance. "With the Cowles chair, Barbara started the journey of our own building, and used the chair to bring in national artists. I continued the vision of these two women and identified how we can specifically build excellence in technique and performance, in creativity, and in intellectual inquiry. We couldn’t do it all at once. It’s a result of the passion of the people who have been given the stewardship of this program."

The program itself has grown both by numbers and by quality. Admission standards have been raised, says Cheng, and students must audition to be admitted to the program, which today includes 70 majors and serves 1,000 students a quarter.

Moreover, its involvement with the Twin Cities arts community is one of the key features to its success, Cheng believes.

"Pedagogically and artistically, the program draws from the thriving Twin Cities arts community," says Cheng. "Our program would not be what it is without the artistic excellence of this community. The dancers here are also our teachers. The dance program has shared residencies with the Walker and with major artists. We’re very proud of the fact that almost every dance program has used our space to create their work. We hope this community of professional artists will continue."

Cheng says the dance program’s invitation to the National American College Dance Festival for three consecutive years is a sign of the program’s quality. "Every other year there’s a national at Kennedy Center," Cheng explains. For a very young, small program to go to an invitation-only adjudicated festival four consecutive times speaks volumes about the program."

In 1997, Marge Maddux took over as interim and then as permanent director. It’s been under her directorship that the building has been completed.

"There are other dance buildings that have more square feet," says Maddux. "But this building is singular in what it says about dance."

—Mary Shafer

Building/program highlights

z Location: Riverside and 21st Avenues, on the U’s West Bank
z Architect: Joan Soranno of Hammel Green & Abrahamson
z Builder: Kraus Anderson Construction
z Features: 20,000 square feet; three new large studios with fully sprung floors like those used in professional studios; studio theater where students practice and which has retractable seating for 125; green room; offices and locker space.



	DANCING ON On the wall of the main floor reception area of the University’s soaring new dance center, an elegant, stained glass window at first seems artistically at odds with the building’s sleek, curved modern lines. To Maria Cheng, though, the window is integral to the story of this building. "We brought the entire history of Norris with us," Cheng says of the window, one of three transported from the dance program’s old Norris Hall headquarters to its exotic new home on the West Bank. The story of the University dance program, which in April moved into its new home in the Barbara Barker Center for Dance, would be incomplete without its Norris roots. It is a story of transformation, from near oblivion into one of the nation’s most prestigious programs with a spectacular new building as its centerpiece. "It’s a Cinderella story," says Linda Shapiro, communications coordinator of the dance program. From its light-filled, 70-foot lobby to its three dance studios to the made-to-order sprung flooring, the 20,000-square-foot dance center is a spectacular tribute to what passion can build. In 1985, there wasn’t much to dance about. Then under the umbrella of the Department of Physical Education, the 60-year-old dance program was housed in Norris Hall, where dancers shared a shin-splinting, wood-covered concrete floor in a gym used also for kinesiology classes and rec sports. Its home department decided to drop the program. Undaunted, program coordinator Nadine Jette-Sween organized a "Keep Dance Alive" program and, with some generous support from Sage and John Cowles, got a chair endowed in dance, launched a dance major, persuaded the College of Liberal Arts and the Department of Theater Arts to take dance under its wing, and got two new faculty positions funded. With this momentum, the program began to grow. After Sween’s death in 1986, the University recruited renowned dance scholar Barbara Barker in 1987. It was Barker who initiated plans to renovate a University-owned church a block south of Rarig Center for the dance program and who began the fund-raising campaign to make it happen. By 1993, 1,000 students were taking dance classes—double the number in 1986. Even by 1991—when new director Maria Cheng took over—the church plans had become outmoded. "It became evident we couldn’t be a program that functioned with only two studios," says Cheng, who served as director until 1997, "and the basement did not have enough head room. So the next step was to add an annex to the church." As the building idea kept expanding, the fundraising drive continued. By fall 1996—and another large grant from the McKnight Foundation—plans were in the works for a whole new building. Today, the $4.5 million building is a tribute to many people, Cheng says. "Nadine fought and saved dance," says Cheng, who holds the Nadine Jette-Sweet chair in dance. "With the Cowles chair, Barbara started the journey of our own building, and used the chair to bring in national artists. I continued the vision of these two women and identified how we can specifically build excellence in technique and performance, in creativity, and in intellectual inquiry. We couldn’t do it all at once. It’s a result of the passion of the people who have been given the stewardship of this program." The program itself has grown both by numbers and by quality. Admission standards have been raised, says Cheng, and students must audition to be admitted to the program, which today includes 70 majors and serves 1,000 students a quarter. Moreover, its involvement with the Twin Cities arts community is one of the key features to its success, Cheng believes. "Pedagogically and artistically, the program draws from the thriving Twin Cities arts community," says Cheng. "Our program would not be what it is without the artistic excellence of this community. The dancers here are also our teachers. The dance program has shared residencies with the Walker and with major artists. We’re very proud of the fact that almost every dance program has used our space to create their work. We hope this community of professional artists will continue." Cheng says the dance program’s invitation to the National American College Dance Festival for three consecutive years is a sign of the program’s quality. "Every other year there’s a national at Kennedy Center," Cheng explains. For a very young, small program to go to an invitation-only adjudicated festival four consecutive times speaks volumes about the program." In 1997, Marge Maddux took over as interim and then as permanent director. It’s been under her directorship that the building has been completed. "There are other dance buildings that have more square feet," says Maddux. "But this building is singular in what it says about dance." —Mary Shafer Building/program highlights z Location: Riverside and 21st Avenues, on the U’s West Bank z Architect: Joan Soranno of Hammel Green & Abrahamson z Builder: Kraus Anderson Construction z Features: 20,000 square feet; three new large studios with fully sprung floors like those used in professional studios; studio theater where students practice and which has retractable seating for 125; green room; offices and locker space.