8A NEWS
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FINE ARTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2008
Centennial celebration honors dancer's life, legacy
BY ANDREW WIEBE
awiebe@kansan.com
Elizabeth Sherbon wasn't born in Lawrence, but it was on this campus that the de facto mother of the dance program in the department of music and dance made her mark on countless students.
This weekend the University of Kansas will celebrate the Elizabeth Sherbon Centennial 100 years after her birth, honoring one of the pioneers of modern dance through student and guest performances, art exhibits and the rededication of the Elizabeth Sherbon Dance Theatre.
After graduating from the University in 1930, Sherbon moved to New York City to dance professionally, working along the way with dance luminaries such as Martha Graham and Ted Shaw. In 1961, Sherbon returned to
the University to head the dance program, where she taught until her retirement in 1975. She lived in Lawrence until her death in 2000.
Janet Hamburg, professor of dance, said Sherbon's contributions were the reason the 50 students currently declared as dance majors had the ability to earn their degrees from the School of Fine Arts. Under her leadership, the department of music and dance began admitting men into a program previously limited to women and grew until her retirement.
"She laid the groundwork, the foundation, for one of the most comprehensive dance programs in this region," Hamburg said.
Previously, students interested in studying dance, Sherborn included, could only take classes through the School of Education. Sherborn built a curriculum that encouraged the creation of "artist scholars" as well as magnificent dancers, Hamburg said. Her textbook, "On the Count of One," is still used in classrooms across the country.
Bill Evans, a world-renowned tap dancer and Sherbon's longtime friend, has returned to the University periodically to teach and perform since Sherbon invited him to teach at a dance camp nearly 40 years ago.
"She was truly a pioneer at KU," Evans, a guest artist and choreographer of the centennial, said. "She had to fight to give dance a place of respect and dignity in the University, and she was up to the fight. Along the way she inspired countless numbers of students and young artists with whom she shared her passion and wham she encouraged."
Mary Sheldon, Overland Park freshman, rises above her fellow dancers in a rehearsal Wednesday night at the Lied Center. The dance called the Capriccio is presented in the University Dance Company's "A Tribute to KU Dance Legend Elizabeth Serbon," which is showing April 17 to 18.
Jessie Fetterling/KANSAN
Elizabeth Sherbon centennial
7:30 p.m. April 17 and April 18 University Dance Company (UDC) Concerts at the Lied Center featuring
- Solo performance by dance luminary Bill Evans
- Restaging of Karole Amitagits*
2001 work for the UDC, Power Surge
2:30 p.m. April 19
In addition to this year's centennial celebration, each year a dance student is awarded the Elizabeth Sherbon Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance. Michelle Hefner Hayes, associate professor of dance, received the award in 1989 and used the financial leeway provided to attend the American Dance Festival — an experience she said changed her life.
- Dance choreographed by Bill Evans for members of the UDC
2:50 p.m. kpm 19
* Rededication of the Elizabeth Sherbon Dance Theatre by Bill Evans, who performed in Sherbon's honor at the dedication in 1985.
Call 864-4264 to reserve a $10 ticket.
- Informal performance by KU faculty, Bill Evans and Beau Hancock in the Elizabeth Sherbon Dance Theatre following the rededication.
Heffner Hayes returned to Lawrence to teach in 2006. She said Sherbon's vision of incorporating every aspect of the world around you into dance remained the goal of the department today.
"In her vision of the degree program there was always this idea that as dancers, as artists and as art makers we are an important voice in any culture," Heffner Hayes said. "We are working in response to the world around us and
that we have a certain responsibility in that role. It was never this idea that you were in an ivory tower or isolated from the world around you. There has always been a very strong humanities
component to this degree program. We are thinkers as well as movers"
Edited by Katherine Loeck
》 TRACK AND FIELD
Kansas Relays to showcase student, professional athletes
BY LUKE MORRIS
Imorris@kansan.com
Track and Field athletes kicked off the 81st annual Kansas Relays Wednesday in Memorial Stadium. The meet, considered the fourth-largest in the country, will run through Saturday.
Milan Donley, meet director said the quality of competition at this year's meet was very high.
"The level of competition across the board is better this year at high school and collegiate level." Donley said.
He said about 5,000 athletes, including high school and college students and elite performers, were scheduled to compete at the meet.
The most popular event at the
Athletes from about 150 colleges and universities participate in the Kansas Relays, including four schools from the Big 12.
Kansas Relays is the Gold Zone, which features elite track and field athletes. The Gold Zone will take place from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Donley said that about 60 Olympic athletes, including national record-holders and world champions, were scheduled to participate in the Gold Zone this year.
Kristen Rash, co-chair of the Student Relays Committee, said that work for the meet began in
September.
"We started planning in the fall," Rash, Lee's Summit, Mo, senior, said. "Our work really picked up in February when we were funding sponsors."
others to go to the meet.
Rash said the hardest part in the beginning was lining up promotions and finding volunteers for the meet. She said this year's committee was smaller than in previous years, and now they're focused on spreading the word and encouraging students and
"Most students don't know about the Relays unless they competed in it in high school," Rash said.
Donley said promotions included a raffle for tickets and a ride in the pace car at an Indy Racing League race at Kansas Speedway.
Donley said attendance at the relays dropped last year, but he hoped that fans would come out again this year.
"We're hoping to draw a good, strong crowd," Donley said. "Weather looks like it will be fine. It would be a great time for people to come and watch."
Admission is free with a KUID,
and $10 for the general public. Events
will begin around 8 a.m. Thursday,
Friday and Saturday and will continue
through the evening.
—Edited by Madeline Hyden
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