1969: Gail George, dance therapist and the wife of Carl George, professor of biology, introduces a weekly non-credit class in modern dance in Old Chapel and Jackson’s Garden. The free course informally launches dance instruction at Union, and draws students from the all-male campus as well as engineers and physicists from nearby General Electric.
1972-73: The Arts Department offers a dance practicum for credit, taught by George and several other area instructors.
1978: A practicum in ballet is added, taught by Darlene Myers until 1983.
1984: “The Dance Experience,” the first regular credit course featuring both dancing and classroom work, is introduced. It is taught by Patricia Peterson, a widely experienced dance teacher and wife of philosophy professor Sven Peterson, and by Patricia Castelli, a member of the Capital Area Modern Dance Council.
2001: Miryam Moutillet, Montreal professional dancer, choreographer and teacher, joins the faculty.
2005: Moutillet creates the dance minor with support from Dean of Arts and Sciences Charlotte Borst.
2006: The Dance Program joins the newly named Department of Theater and Dance, chaired by William Finlay.
2013: The program takes a major step forward with the opening of the Henle Dance Pavilion, made possible by a lead gift from Joan and David L. Henle