C Former Dance Council President Honored at State Convention


by LynneRichardson


Can you imagine an education systemthat has no sports pro- grams for children? Perish the thought!But the notion that all students should also have the opportunity to take dance has


evolved over a long time.Now,with some contributions by former DanceCouncil ofNorth Texas President (2011-2012),Dr. Janice La Pointe-Crump, opportunities are increasing.


For La Pointe-Crump’s efforts in organizing and suggestingways to make this dreama reality and advancing dance professionalism, the TexasAssociation ofHealth, PhysicalEducation,Recreation andDance (TAHPERD), is to bestowon her the prestigiousDavidK.BraceAward. Janice has been involvedwith TAHPERDsince 1980,when she joined theDance faculty of TexasWoman’sUniversity, rising through the DanceDivision of the TAHPERDto becomeVP in the 1990s. She has also advanced the organization’s representation on national and inter- national levels, speaking at conventions and symposia across the coun- try and in far-flung nations of theworld. Janice served asVice President of theNationalDanceAssociation’sDanceEducationDivision andwas Commissioner ofDanceEducation of the InternationalCouncil of Health, PhysicalEducation,Recreation,Dance&Sport.


This is only the second time theDavidK.BraceAward has gone to a dance professional. The previous honoreewas also fromTWU, Prof. GladysKeeton (LarryWhiteDanceEducator),whowas honored in 2011.


TAHPERDgave her and fellowdance educators the platformtowork on bringing dance to public-school students, enhance professional preparation and development for dance educators. “The Texas State Board ofEducation only allows changes every ten years or so, so the windowof opportunity to expand the role of dance education in the schools is very small,” saysDr. LaPointe-Crump, explaining the long process needed to prepare a proposal for change that incorporates all the desired components.


Standards and essential elements of curriculumwere all hammered out in innumerable committeemeetings, discussions and conference ses- sions, by professional dance educators under the TAPHERDumbrella, in preparation for presentation to the StateBoard ofEducation.


Janicewho is a renowned authority on the 19th century choreographer, AugustBournonville’s ballet technique and history,was an activemem- ber ofDCNTwhile carrying a full teaching, scholarship and service workload at TWU.As doctoral faculty, shewas privileged tomentor many students in theirmaster’s and doctoral research. Since retiring as ProfessorEmerita, she has only increased her level of commitment to theCouncil, chairing the recentDCNTHonors event for the sixth time and serving on theBoard ofDirectors. She received theMaryBywaters’ Award for LifetimeAchievement inDance in 2007, among accolades bestowed fromvarious bodies over the years.


Expanding dance education and deepening the study of dance history, performance artistry and aesthetics has been the focus ofmuch of LaPointe-Crump’s life-work. She continues to choreograph occasionally, will be published inDANCE: Current SelectedResearch (vol.8), andwill present the third in a series of conversations on contemporary and clas- sical aesthetics for ballet pedagogywithElizabethGillaspy, interim director of TCU’s School forClassical andContemporaryDance, at the TAHPERDconvention.


page 16 Nov-Jan 2015 www.thedancecouncil.org


“In the 1990s it took four years for approval to be granted to rework the EssentialElements of the four high school courses,” LaPointe-Crump recalls. Soon after, the state changed to the TexasEssentialKnowledge and Skills (TEKS). Following an overhaul of the FineArts TEKS, for which Janicewas a resource evaluator, the curriculuminDance educa- tionwill be approved forMiddle Schools throughout the State. For over thirty yearsDance has been approved as a body of study in Texas in grades 9-12. It has taken that long to expand the opportunities to stu- dents in grades 6-8.Nowitwill be up to local school boards and princi- pals to implement it, but the startingwhistle has been blown.


“Young people can express themselves in dance like no other art form


and bringing it into the school daymeansmany students,whowould never have the chance to take studio classes,will experience that for themselves,” says LaPointe-Crump enthusiastically.


We join her family, friends, former students and colleagues in congratu- latingDr. Janice La Pointe-Crump on this singular honor. TheDavidK. BraceAwardwill be presented at the TAHPERDConvention in Galveston,Dec 5, 2014.


LynneRichardson is a devoted dance aficionado and advocate for the artswho enjoyswriting aboutwhat she loves.


DANCE!NORTHTEXAS a publicationof the dance council ofnorthtexas vol 17 •no 4


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