The dance department is wrapping up 2024 by naming the dance studio after Colorado Mesa University (CMU) stand out dance community member Ann Sanders.
Dance has drawn attention from across the country, bringing in guest artist Rennie Harris this past year for the Danceworks concert in November. Kathy Diehl, associate professor of dance also was responsible for designing the choreography used across the nation for the sixth bi-annual National Water Dance.
Sanders graduated from CMU with a degree in dance and has taught dance, yoga and kinesiology classes since then. She has been instrumental in growing the dance community both at the university level and the larger Grand Valley.
Sanders began to build the dance program at CMU in the 1970’s, and continued to help it grow as the department head until her eventual retirement in 2005. She was largely responsible for the program’s creation, and even helped the school implement its first official Bachelor’s degree in dance during the 1990’s.
“Ann is really a pioneer for the western slope and for the dance communities on the western slope. She is such a great dance scholar and such a great dance advocate that I feel such an honor and such a privilege to be dancing in the space that she essentially created for all of us to love and to share” said CMU junior dance major and Dance Society President Mallory Christopher.
In 2009, the Moss Performing Arts Center underwent a renovation, which included the addition of a state-of-the art dance studio that will be named after Sanders on the third floor of the building. The studio features two full glass walls so students in class or rehearsal can look out on the Grand Valley, which can be used to help draw inspiration from the environment that students find themselves in.
CMU’s dance program is a well-rounded and developed department with jazz, tap, ballet, West African, hip-hop, ballroom, modern, and theater dance programs, to name a few. It also has multiple student-lead dance clubs besides the Dance Society such as ballroom and swing dance club. CMU has Ann Sanders to thank in part for the robust program we have.
“Ann put CMU’s dance program on the map! Our beautiful dance studio would not exist, nor would our baccalaureate dance program. Former students and colleagues recognize her for her curiosity, passion and love of dance, which extended to her love of all the arts. She is a treasure to Colorado Mesa University.” Theatre Department head Mo LaMee said.
Ann Sanders and her family will be in attendance of a ceremony and ribbon-cutting at the dance studio in the Moss Performing Arts Center on May 14 at 5:00 pm. In addition to naming the studio after Sanders, CMU has created a dance scholarship for dancers from the Grand Valley and surrounding areas.
