Mission Statement
Dance Partners is dedicated to supporting the students, faculty and programs of the School of Dance through scholarships, increased visibility, audience development and special projects.
Dance Partners, an OU alumni Club Affiliate, was founded in 2003 as a vital new support group for students and programs of the University of Oklahoma's School of Dance. Its prime focus continues to be on scholarships and audience development.
The Executive Board has taken an active role in promoting and fulfilling the organization's mission. In the 15 years since its inception, our membership has grown to over 300 active members!
How have Dance Partners members contributed to the School of Dance?
"Adopted" our dance students
Attended performances, classes, studio rehearsals, auditions and technical rehearsals
Introduced their friends to the School of Dance
Provided food for our dancers and crew members following final performance "strike"
As of January 2021, Dance Partners has generated over $1,300,000 in much-needed funds for scholarships given to our deserving dance majors!
Each year we celebrate Dance Partners' anniversary with an exciting event. We also present our new slate of officers, share some of the exciting developments in the School of Dance and offer special opportunities for members only, such as:
Invitations to open rehearsals
Special events with guest artists
Program listing
The knowledge that you are creating extraordinary opportunities for our students
Being a Dance Partner also provides the opportunity to become an integral part of the promotion and preservation of the arts in general and dance in particular.
With Dance Partners' help, the School of Dance has risen to become one of the top dance programs in the nation. Member support continues to supply encouragement and the financial means to provide an increasing variety of pre-professional experiences for our students and entertainment for the public.
Since prospective students from all over the United States and abroad annually audition for the School of Dance, scholarships are essential in attracting students who will benefit most from our rigorous, pre-professional programs. Schools with which we compete for the best dance students include Julliard, Southern Methodist University, The University of Utah, New York University and Indiana University.
Scholarship recipients come from states such as Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, Michigan, Connecticut, Tennessee, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Hawaii. Former scholarship recipients currently perform with professional companies across the United States and beyond.