History of TWU Dance

This timeline serves as a living document showcasing the presence of dance at Texas Woman’s University dating back to the establishment of the university in 1901. This document expands upon the original timeline created in 2001 by former TWU professor of Dance Janice LaPointe Crump, PhD, for the university’s centennial project.

This version of the TWU Division of Dance timeline was created by MFA Dance alumna Hayley Duplantier, directed by Dance Division Head, Professor Jordan Fuchs, and edited by MFA Dance alumna Annalise Boydston.

This is intended to make accessible the impressive history of dance at TWU. Rather than a last word, this timeline is meant to be a starting point to an ongoing process of better understanding our past to better prepare for our future. If you’d like to offer revisions or additions to this document, including photographs, please email them to dance@twu.edu.

Key Dates:

• 1901 - Girls Industrial College established.
• 1903 - First year classes were held; dance courses consisted of social dance and folk dance.
• 1905 - Girls Industrial College renamed College of Industrial Arts (CIA).
• 1934 - College of Industrial Arts renamed Texas State College for Women (TSCW).
• 1953 - Master of Arts in Dance and Related Arts is established.
• 1957 - Texas State College for Women renamed Texas Woman’s University (TWU).
• 1957 - Undergraduate Dance major created.
• 1958 - PhD in Dance and Related Arts established.
• 1977 - Bachelor of Arts in Dance with Education certification available.
• 1988 - Master of Fine Arts in Dance instituted.

Thank you to the current and former faculty and staff interviewed for this project and to the University Archives department in the TWU library.

The timeline

1901-1929  |  1930-1959  |  1960-1989  |  1990-present