The Willis Ballet
A
History of the Texas Tech University 
Dance Program
Brief History of Dance at
Texas Tech University
The
Department of Physical Education at Texas Technological College was
started in the fall of
1925, with Miss Johnnye Gilkerson as the
instructor. Miss Gilkerson’s physical education
program offered a
variety of activities to the students including the study and appreciation
of dance.
Instructors,
such as Miss Sue Rainey, helped to make activities, like the social Dance
Seeions held every Wednesday night, events to remember. Students paid an
admission of a dime which helped pay for records played on the
nickelodeon. The dance sessions were festive and entertaining. Square
Dance Week was another event looked
forward to each year by students as
well as residents of the Lubbock community. Athletes, as well as other
members of the community, were not just learning to dance, they were
actually enjoying it!
The expansion
of the Department of Physical Education introduced the addition of new
faculty members who had new ideas to share with the students in the area
of dance. Interest continued to grow in dance, and a college, club,
Orchesis 56, was formed in 1956. Under the direction of Dr. Dorothy Hoyle,
the club promoted contemporary creative dance by giving numerous
performances, in
conjunction with other departments, for organizations on
campus.
Because of
the increased interest in dance, it became evident that a dance specialist
would be needed. Mrs. Suzanne Aker joined the physical education staff in
the early 1960’s as the dance specialist. Mrs. Aker’s lunch hours were
spent teaching ballet classes without credit. The large number of students
attending these classes proved the interest in ballet and it was therefore
added to the curriculum and the high enrollment in all of the dance
classes indicated a need to establish a major in dance.
Through the
efforts of Mrs. Aker and Dr. Mary Dabney, Head of the Health, Physical
Education and Recreation Department for Women, two degree
plans were
approved. The Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education with a
specialization in Dance and the Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in
dance became realities in the fall of 1969.
Twenty-four dance majors and
five dance minors enrolled in the program that fall semester.
In 1971, Mrs. Diana Love Moore, with a B.F.A. Degree from Butler University and an M.F.A. Degree from Southern Methodist University, joined the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Department for Women and served as Chairman of the Dance Division. She was the choreographer for 75th Anniversary of Texas Tech University and many local organizations.
In 1972, Ms. Peggy Willis (now Willis-Aarnio), with a B.F.A. and M.F.A. Degrees from Texas Christian University joined the faculty as the ballet specialist. In 1977, she became the Chairperson of the Dance Division of the HPER Department.
In 1975,
Prof. Peggy Willis-Aarnio staged the first ever local full-length ballet,
Coppelia, in celebration of Texas Tech’s 50th Anniversary at
the Lubbock, Municipal Auditorium. In 1982, her original full-length
ballet, Dracula was carried live on P.B.S. and shown or recorded for
future viewing by over 70 per cent of the PBS Stations nationwide. In
1983, a local group of people formed the Willis Ballet, a 501C Non-profit
performing arts company in honor of the work of Prof. Peggy Willis-Aarnio
and to help support her work in choreography. The Willis Ballet has also
supported the dance program by making performance opportunity possible for
dance students at Texas Tech. The Willis Ballet has also represented the
Dance Program at Texas Tech to over 240 Cities nationwide presenting
Russian Classical Ballet and Prof. Willis-Aarnio’s original work to such
theatres as the Jackie Gleason Theatre in Miami and Pace University in New
York City. Her work has also been presented in Russia at such Theatres as
the Hermitage and the Pushkin Theatre and in Europe, such as Malta. Also,
Professor Willis-Aarnio is published internationally
and well known for
her educational products as well. Her first major book was published
in November 2002, by Edwin Mellen Press, Lewiston, N.Y.
The strong
dance program gives appreciation to its growth to Dr. Margaret Wilson,
former Chair of the Health, Physical Education and Recreation for Women,
to Dr. Martin McIntyre, former Chair when the Departments of Health,
Physical Education and Recreation for Men was combined with the Women, to
Dr. Richard Weaver, former Chair of the Department of Theatre, and to Dr.
Norman Bert, former Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance and to
Dr. Garry Owens,
Interim Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance. The
dance program, however, owes its existence to Dr. Jane Winer, Dean of the
College of Arts and
Sciences for her understanding and support of Dance Division both in the
Department
of Health, Physical Education and Recreation and when it moved
and joined the Department of Theatre (now Theatre and Dance) in 1992. The
talented, dedicated teachers such as Diana Moore and Peggy Willis-Aarnio
along with Folk Dance teachers such as Peggy Williams and Patsie Scales
Ross (during the years when dance was a division of the Department of
Health, Physical Education and Recreation) have all been instrumental in
the growth of Dance at Texas Tech. In 1992, too, Professor Peggy
Willis-Aarnio became the first American certified by Valentina
Roumiantseva, Senior Methodologist of the Vaganova Ballet Academy in the
Teaching Method of Classical Dance making Texas Tech University a vital
and leading force in dance education in America. In 2001, Galina Ragozina
Panova, internationally known and recognized dance artist, Gold Medal
Winner in Dance at the Varna International Dance Competition and star on
Broadway in New York and London for two years, joined the Dance Faculty as
Visiting Assistant Professor.
Dance graduates from Texas Tech University have gone on to enjoy careers in dance in ballet and modern dance companies and as Department Chairs/Directors in Dance Programs and Schools across the United States. For more information about the Dance Program in the Department of Theatre and Dance, contact: Prof. Frederik Christoffel, Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, P. O. Box 42061, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409; telephone (806) 742-3601 or e-mail Fred.Christoffel@ttu.edu.
Click HERE
to view video of
Professor Peggy Willis-Aarnio's
Retirement Benefit.
