“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
— Ecclesiastes 3
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May has garnered a lot of excitement within the BYU Department of Dance, from the Ballroom Dance Company bringing home gold at the Blackpool Dance Festival in its inaugural year to the establishment of a new endowment fund in honor of Maida Rust Withers.
BYU Ballroom Triumphs at Blackpool
In 1971, BYU became the first American ballroom dance team to win the British Formation Championships. Every three years since 1980, BYU Ballroom Dance Company (BDC) has returned to compete at the Blackpool Dance Festival. This year is no different, with the company competing at the 100th anniversary of the festival.
With all new medleys, the Latin Team was named the Latin Formation Champions and the Ballroom Team was named the Ballroom Formation Champions.
When the students weren’t rehearsing or competing, the team visited the Preston England Temple. On Sunday, they attended a local sacrament meeting in Preston before touring the Preston England Temple grounds and the neighboring landscapes in Downham.
BDC’s next stop is India, where they will be performing in New Delhi and Bengaluru. Follow along with @byuperformingarts and @byuballroom on Instagram for weekly updates on the students’ experiential learning.
Check out articles detailing their upcoming performances in The Slovenia Times and the Taiwan News.
New on Campus: Maida Rust Withers Endowment Fund in Contemporary Dance
This year, a new endowment fund was established by BYU Dance alum Maida Withers to help contemporary dance students “travel, research, collaborate, and develop original projects beyond campus.”
“This is unique,” Withers said. “It is not necessarily a tuition scholarship because the vision is to support student creative work.”
Withers was one of the first seven students to graduate with a dance degree from BYU. She later went on to get a master’s degree from the University of Utah and lead a successful dancer career for more than 50 years. She established the Maida Withers Dance Construction and became a central figure in the Washington, D.C. dance community, with her choreography being performed around the globe. The endowment “extends [Withers’] legacy, turning decades of experience into opportunity for the next generation.”
DancEnsemble performed at a luncheon to honor Withers legacy and introduce the new endowment in her name.
Read more about Withers and the endowment in this article published by Ellie Lallatin, CFAC External Relations.
Mark Your Calendars: Dates to Know
Uplifting Thought of the Week by Wyatt Jennings, BYU student and Ballroom Dance Company member [As shared on Instagram @byuballroom]
[The BYU Ballroom Dance Company] had the opportunity to hear the testimonies of fellow saints and hear about their experience being members of the Church in another part of the world. Seeing their faith helps me feel stronger in my own. I think that is what is so wonderful about the Church, that we have the opportunity to experience comradery and brotherhood in this Church and support each other in the struggles that we’re experiencing. I love that I got to feel the support of the saints here in England as I spent time with them here.
Hear more about Wyatt’s experience in England on Instagram @byuballroom
Living Legends kickstarted a series of upcoming BYU Dance tours and studies abroad with their tour to South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. The tour included performances, cultural exchanges, devotionals, and service opportunities, all while the students explored the rich landscapes of Africa. Living Legends visited Buhurutshe Cultural Village, where they learned about Botswana culture, traditions, and daily life. They participated in cultural exchanges with local Young Single Adult wards in cities such as Capetown. They performed in Johannesburg, Capetown, and Gaborone, among other cities.
In a video posted to the Living Legends’ Instagram page (@byulivinglegends), students and faculty spoke of a three-stake devotional where BYU students and local members shared their culture and testimonies with each other. One said, “To see the chapel just filled, they are so loving and it’s genuine love. But them welcoming us, coming to shake our hands, introducing themselves, and throughout the whole devotional, to hear them sing to us, it was so beautiful and felt like a glimpse of heaven.”
Check out more photos and videos from the Living Legends tour on social media @byulivinglegends @byuperformingarts @byudance
Photos Courtesy of BYU Performing Arts Management
CFAC Creative Works Contest 2026 Now Open
Click here for more information and to enter the contest.
Mark Your Calendars: Dates to Know
Uplifting Thought of the Week by Moni Tiatia, Artistic Director of Living Legends
Touring in Southern Africa—South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana—was an enriching experience for Living Legends. The cultural exchanges were not only educational but spiritually uplifting as well. In each city we visited, we were able to participate in cultural exchanges with the local Young Single Adult wards in the area. We shared a few songs and dances, and in return, they shared their cultural heritage and stories with us. We learned about different cultural practices, such as the marriage proposal process, the transition from boyhood to manhood, and some of the ways that different tribes or villages would pray over crops. What surprised me most was how spiritually uplifting these cultural exchanges were. Through the process of cultural sharing and celebration, there was a strong feeling of familiarity and connection. In these moments, it felt very clear that we are all children of the same God and that we are more similar than we are different.
Spring term has begun for our BYU Dance students but we’re still reminiscing about graduation. Relive the happy moments with photos below, celebrate our alumni, and learn about upcoming events and performances happening this spring.
Looking Back: BYU Dance Convocation 2026 in Photos
Excerpt from CFAC External Relations Convocation 2026 recap article, featuring dance education major and Convocation speaker Jordan Halterman
“Dance has increased my capacity in ways I never imagined possible. It has taught me to overcome mountains of fear and challenge and has pushed me to do more than I ever thought I was capable of.
“When I was a freshman, I watched the Contemporary Dance Theatre concert. One piece in particular captured my imagination. It was titled ‘Vanish.’ As I watched the movement unfold on stage, I thought to myself, ‘I am going to be in that company one day.’ For four years, I auditioned. And in those four years, I built resilience. I developed patience. I learned to perform with deeper artistry. This semester, I stood on the RB stage performing that same piece, ‘Vanish,’ as a member of Contemporary Dance Theatre. I achieved my dream.
“I believe that artists are able to increase their capacity so much because they are dreamers. They are dreamers who strive to achieve impact and connection. Being an artist is challenging—and it always has been. Artists must have the capacity to keep trying and keep dreaming. Often, we must convince the world that our work has value. But I truly believe that in a world increasingly shaped by technology and artificial intelligence, experiences in the arts will only become more meaningful. In a world quickly devaluing humanity, art can provide space for communities to reconnect.”
Read the full Convocation recap article by CFAC External Relations, including more from Halterman’s address, here.
Ballroom Dance Company: Blackpool Preview Showcase
May 15 at 7:30 p.m. in the Marriott Center | Purchase tickets here.
Get a sneak peek of Ballroom Dance Company’s new competition medleys on May 15, when they debut as part of the Blackpool Preview Showcase. The 2026 tour will begin in Blackpool, England where the company will compete in the British Formation Championships during the 100th anniversary of the iconic Blackpool Dance Festival.
“Creating a new Latin and Ballroom medley isn’t just about the final performance – it’s about the journey,” said Holman. “From music selection to choreography, with guest coaches and technical mentors guiding the way, our students pour months of creativity, practice, and heart into every step.”
Photos by Jenna Van De Graaff | CFAC External Relations
Dance in the News
CFAC News | ‘The Outsiders’ Broadway Performer on His BYU Experience
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CFAC News | Living Legends 55th Anniversary Celebration Connects Students and Alumni
Mark Your Calendars: Upcoming Events
Uplifting Thought of the Week by Curt Holman, Department of Dance Chair
We proudly congratulate our graduating majors and celebrate the remarkable accomplishment this milestone represents. Their years of dedication, discipline, and artistry have not only refined their talents but have also deepened their capacity to advocate for the art of dance in meaningful and lasting ways.
We are confident that wherever their paths lead, they will carry forward the creativity, work ethic, and vision cultivated during their time at BYU. We also hope they will always retain a special place in their hearts for the Department. They are, and will always remain, an important part of our family.
The 2026 Winter semester is coming to a close with Convocation for our seniors right around the corner. Meet the Dance graduating seniors, celebrate the semester with Cosmo, and look back on this semester’s performances.
Celebrate the 2025-26 Department of Dance Graduating Seniors
CFAC Convocation Information | April 24, 2026 | Concert Hall, Music Building
Communications | 9:00 a.m.
Dance, Music and Theatre and Media Arts | 12:00 p.m.
Art and Design | 3:00 p.m.
Meet the 2026 Department of Dance Convocation Presenter Jordan Halterman
Interview by Chloe Kearns, CFAC External Relations
Jordan Halterman is a dance education major (K–12), with an emphasis in contemporary dance. Jordan is currently starting a dance program at Karl G. Maeser Preparatory Academy in Lindon, Utah, and plans to continue developing that program upon graduation. She also plans to continue teaching dance to people of all ages and skill levels.
Describe your BYU experience in five words or less: Fulfilling, opportunity, challenging, growth, joyful.
What do you feel is your biggest takeaway from your education? My biggest takeaway is that getting involved opens doors. The best skill I have learned through my education is how to take any opportunity that I might be interested in, and allow myself to grow and be challenged in new ways through those opportunities.
Can you give us a teaser for your presentation? We live in a world that needs more dreamers. Art creates dreamers.
One of the most important things about a BYU education is the intertwining of the intellectual and the spiritual. How has that kind of education impacted you? This kind of education inspired my Honors thesis research. I found it necessary in my personal education to discover what the intersection of dance and spirituality could teach me. This exploration provided many rich opportunities to work with professors, learn how to research and increase my personal spirituality by increasing my dance artistry.
Read the full CFAC article here.
Cosmo Visits the Department of Dance
Written by Chloe Kearns, CFAC External Relations
The 2025–26 academic year marks 100 years of creativity and scholarship in the College of Fine Arts and Communications at Brigham Young University. To celebrate this major milestone, the CFAC welcomed one of BYU’s most iconic figures: Cosmo the Cougar.
Cosmo spent the day visiting classes across the college, exploring the many creative paths available to students in the CFAC. His tour highlighted the innovation, collaboration and artistry that have defined the college for a century.
The celebration began in a Theatre Ballet Studio Company rehearsal, where Cosmo joined dancers as they refined their technique and choreography. As students practiced, Cosmo followed along, working on his own moves and even performing a lift to the delight of both students and instructors. The rehearsal showcased the discipline, creativity and precision emphasized in BYU’s Department of Dance.
Read the full CFAC article here.
Winterfest Recap Pt. 2: Contemporary Dance Theatre, International Folk Dance Ensemble, and Theatre Ballet
All six of the Department of Dance’s mainstage performing companies have now returned from their Winterfest tours where they shared their light and talents with audiences off campus. Most recently, International Folk Dance Ensemble, Contemporary Dance Theatre, and Theatre Ballet returned from shows across Utah. These performances gave the students opportunities to perform on the road and connect with a wider audience.
“Getting to perform at Winterfest is always extra fun because it provides insight into the life of a professional company dancer,” said Kara Williams, a Contemporary Dance Theatre student. “We get to see and assist with the behind-the-scenes of production, perform in a beautiful theatre, and dedicate our day to doing what we love.”
Students enjoy the opportunity to connect with audiences on and off the stage during Winterfest. “My favorite part about Winterfest is talking to the audience following the show,” said Isabella Mudrick, a Theatre Ballet dancer. “The most precious thing to me after a performance is knowing that some aspect of the story touched someone or had a lasting impression.”
Both Williams and Mudrick commented that some of their fondest memories from dancing at BYU have come from Winterfest.
Contemporary Dance Theatre dancer Chloe Baddley added, “I was really sad when our team’s concert ended in February, so Winterfest felt like a meaningful final goodbye to all of our pieces. It was special to come together one last time to dance and celebrate everything we worked on throughout the year.”
To read about other students’ Winterfest experiences, click here. In addition to the photos below, watch an exclusive behind-the-scenes video of International Folk Dance Ensemble’s Winterfest performance on Instagram @byu_folkdance or click here.
Mark Your Calendars: Upcoming Events
Uplifting Thought of the Week, a letter from the College of Fine Arts and Communications Dean’s Office
Dear 2026 CFAC Graduates,
We are deeply proud of the remarkable dedication and creativity you have demonstrated during your studies in the College of Fine Arts and Communications!
We recognize the significant challenges many of you have overcome during your studies…Through it all, you have grown in your disciplines and as individuals, learning how to connect meaningfully with audiences at BYU and around the world.
We have deep faith in each of you as you move forward as artists, scholars, citizens and disciples. We look forward to seeing you continue to share your talents, knowledge, faith and light with the world…You will always have a home in the CFAC.
Read the full letter from the Dean’s Office here.
Dancers share the joy and light of Christ this April in final performances of the semester.
Ballroom Dance Company in Concert
April 9-11 at 2:00 and 7:30 p.m. in the Marriott Center | Purchase tickets here.
Ballroom Dance Company in Concert is a culmination of 160 students’ dedication and hard work over the past year. This performance will be your final chance to enjoy Ballroom Dance Company’s (BDC) current competition medleys, both the ballroom medley, “Fiddler on the Roof,” and the Latin medley, “Somebody to Love.” In addition to these medleys, the show will feature 18 other numbers showcasing a wide range of dance techniques from the Cha Cha to the Viennese Waltz to the Foxtrot.
“One of the things that makes this program special is its focus on ensemble choreography, where multiple couples move together to create something unified, seamless, and visually exciting,” said Department of Dance chair and artistic director of Ballroom Dance Company Curt Holman.
BDC’s new competition medleys will debut on May 15 as part of a preview performance to kick off their 2026 tour. The tour will begin in Blackpool, England where the company will compete in the British Formation Championships during the 100th anniversary of the iconic Blackpool Dance Festival.
“Creating a new Latin and Ballroom medley isn’t just about the final performance – it’s about the journey,” said Holman. “From music selection to choreography, with guest coaches and technical mentors guiding the way, our students pour months of creativity, practice, and heart into every step.”
Find tickets for both of these exciting shows, Ballroom Dance in Concert and Blackpool Preview Showcase, at onstage.byu.edu.
DancEnsemble Presents Where We Meet
April 9-11 at 2:00 and 7:30 p.m. in the RB Dance Performance Theatre | Purchase tickets here.
The mission of BYU DancEnsemble is mentoring and producing student contemporary choreography and Where We Meet, the 2026 DancEnsemble production, has stayed true to that long standing tradition. The show will feature original works by eight student choreographers who turned their focus to the natural world and were inspired by the question, “How do God’s creations inform and inspire contemporary choreography?”
Where We Meet will also feature assistant professor Jaclyn Brown’s piece titled “Pierced Skies, Painted Walls.” The work uses cardboard boxes to explore faith as a living landscape rather than a boundary. Guest artist Ruger Memmott and alum Brinnli Wosnjuk (’25) both choregraphed large group works.
This semester marks the end of Marin Roper’s tenure as DancEnsemble artistic director. Roper said, “Over the past four years, 63 student works have been presented on DancEnsemble, continuing a long legacy of developing students’ artistic voices in Contemporary dance at BYU.”
To get to know the student choreographers and learn about their works, attend the Q&A on Thursday, April 9.
Dance in the News
Daily Universe | Ballroom dancers Ava and Blake Mecham perform at BYU 150 Easter devotional
Mark Your Calendars: Upcoming Events
Uplifting Thought of the Week by Shayla Bott, Associate Dean of Faculty
On March 10, 2026, College of Fine Arts and Communications Associate Dean of Faculty and Department of Dance professor Shayla Bott gave the campus devotional address. Her speech, “Be Still and Know That I Am God,” centered on making our time special through the act of slowing.
“Slowing doesn’t mean giving up on worthy goals and ideals. It means widening your view and pausing long enough to notice what’s already there,” she said. “Slowing helps us uncover who we really are under all the worldly influences that sometimes permeate our minds and hearts and focus on our Savior Jesus Christ, who is mighty to save.”
Bott described a three-step pattern of slowing that she has adopted in her life to foster spiritual development. First, she encourages us to remove distractions in order to act deliberately rather than reactively, and hear spiritual promptings more clearly. Second, she advises that we use the act of slowing to consecrate efforts to become true disciples of Christ, including recognizing blessing and repenting when necessary. Finally, she explained that slowing can help us “let God prevail” in our lives.
“Slowing fosters the ability to be agents unto ourselves as we practice following in the Savior’s footsteps, instilling Godly confidence and spiritual self-reliance,” Bott said.
What small and simple ways have you practiced slowing in your life to intentionally seek the Lord? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.
To listen to her entire devotional, click here.
Calling all students, alumni, and patrons: Join us in historic events across BYU Campus. More information on performances, events, job opportunities, and auditions below.
Theatre Ballet Studio Company Presents Emerging Works
March 26-28 at 2:00 and 7:30 p.m. | RB Dance Performance Theatre | Purchase tickets here
Theatre Ballet Studio Company’s Emerging Works Series is a showcase of student excellence in choreography and performance. The show will feature original choreography by five student choreographers: Grace Covington, Hazel Torgerson, Abby Wardle, Maia McBride, and Gordy Felesina.
“The thing that has surprised me the most about this experience is just how much I have enjoyed it,” said Grace Covington. “It has been super cool to work with dancers I know really well and see them perform my choreography.” Covington is an exercise science major and dancer on Theatre Ballet Studio Company (TBSC). She said the choreographic experience has pushed her to be creative in a way that is both familiar and new to her. “I’ve learned how to make more deliberate artistic decisions and how to string those choices together in a way that portrays the message I am trying to put across,” she said.
The show will also feature adjunct faculty member Mira Larsen’s thesis piece. Larsen is getting her Master of Fine Arts from St. Mary’s College of California. Along with the student choreographed pieces, TBSC will perform an excerpt of Michel Fokine’s Les Sylphides. Theatre Ballet dancers will be guest performing George Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco.
Dancers Share Their Light During BYU 150 Cultural Celebration
As part of the 150th anniversary celebration, BYU has held several “Nights of Light.” One such event, coined “The World of Campus,” consisted of international-themed experiences, exhibits, and performances. Living Legends and International Folk Dance ensemble were invited to perform alongside Rhythm N Soul Collective, Mariachi Band, and student choirs performing in a vast array of languages from Welsh to Tagalog.
In a video shared on the BYU Dance Instagram account, one student said, “Dancing helps me share my light by helping me celebrate the gifts God has blessed me with and share them with other people.”
“I feel so much joy when I’m moving, when I’m dancing, when I’m representing my culture,” another student added. “My family in from Jamaica. I feel a lot of light and connection with my ancestors when I dance.”
Check out the photos below and visit @byudance on Instagram to see a reel recapping the “Night of Light.”
Calling All Living Legends and Lamanite Generation Alumni!
The current Living Legends invites all Lamanite Generation and Living Legends alumni and their families to come celebrate the group’s 55th anniversary on March 26-28. This three day reunion will provide the opportunity for alumni to reflect on the blessings that came into their lives because of their contribution to the group, renew friendships, reconnect, and reach out to lift each other up. The schedule of events includes a ticketed banquet, a free alumni showcase performance, a ticketed performance of the current Living Legends’ “Seasons” show, cultural dance lessons for youth and family members, and a morningside presented by Living Legends students.
For more information, to reserve your tickets, and to sign up to dance in the alumni showcase, visit @byulivinglegends on Instagram and onstage.byu.edu.
Mark Your Calendars: Upcoming Events
Job Opportunities and Auditions
Dance in the News
Uplifting Thought of the Week by Jeanette Geslison, Associate Professor
The other day as I was walking across campus, I noticed the birds singing. It felt like a small blessed and peaceful moment and reminded me of the beauty that surrounds us every day when we take a moment to notice. It is easy to get caught up in all the business that our lives demand, but it feels rejuvenating to find small moments to appreciate nature and people. It doesn’t have to carve out tremendous amounts of time but can be done any time during our day and even during our work. It is these moments that can give us strength to carry on and help us remember what really matters. The human connection we can establish with people is essential and it is these relationships that will make an imprint on our heart and soul. The connections we take time to make with nature and people feel divine and will help us to see better with an eternal perspective, in turn focusing more on our Savior. This will in turn help us to prioritize what is more important as we navigate our way through this life.
I resonated with Associate Dean Shayla Bott’s devotional message this week when she shared: “Slowing helps us uncover who we really are under all the worldly influences that sometimes permeate our minds and hearts and focus on our Savior Jesus Christ, who is mighty to save.”
May we be more mindful about noticing the beauty of nature and people and may it remind us that these are some of the most essential and divine blessings we can enjoy.
Enjoy Winterfest photos, purchase tickets to Living Legends’ Seasons, Young Ambassadors’ Imagine, and Dancesport Championship; and celebrate our students on their recent accomplishments.
Each winter, BYU Dance performing groups tour across Utah and to nearby states as part of Winterfest. So far this year, Living Legends, Young Ambassadors, and Ballroom Dance Company have shared their light and talents on stages in Utah, Arizona, and Wyoming. Scroll through the photos below for a glimpse into their time on stage.
When asked to share their favorite memories from Winterfest, students commented on the joy of getting to meet audience members and bonding with their fellow dancers.
“During Winterfest we draw a name and secretly give a sweet treat, gift or nice message to that secret friend,” said Ballroom Dance Company member Carter Hooper.
“My favorite memory is greeting the audience members and getting to know the people who support our program,” added Miori Kennedy, member of the Young Ambassadors.
Catch Theatre Ballet, Contemporary Dance Theatre, and International Folk Dance Ensemble in Winterfest in March. For more details visit https://pam.byu.edu/.
Young Ambassadors Present IMAGINE
March 11-14 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in the RB Dance Performance Theatre | Purchase tickets here
The Young Ambassadors are taking audiences on a music and dance journey through Adventure, Fantasy, and Celebration in their upcoming performance of Imagine. The program includes a wide range of musical favorites from pop favorites like Queen, Elvis, and Adele, to Broadway hits from Singin’ In The Rain, Wicked, and The Notebook.
Student of the company have been involved in every aspect of the show, from the planning to the performing. What makes this year’s performance unique is that it incorporates live music played by members of the Young Ambassadors. “We hope to make audiences feel welcome in engaging with us as we perform,” said Young Ambassadors performer Miori Kennedy.
Artistic Director of the Young Ambassadors, Nathan Balser, said that the new structure of the show has resulted in a more “cohesive theatrical experience” that is “thoughtfully anchored in the transformative power of imagination and hope.”
Don’t miss this fast-paced, emotional, and hopeful showcase of American pop and musical theatre!
Dance in the News
CFAC News | TikTok Sensation: BYU Alum Gary Brotherson’s Journey Back to Dance
Mark Your Calendars: Upcoming Events
Uplifting Thought of the Week by Keely Song, associate professor
In a 1995 devotional by Phylllis Jacobsen (Former Department of Dance Chair), she stated: “In the south foyer of the Richards Building is a portrait of Stephen L Richards and a plaque with this quote: The human body is sacred—the veritable tabernacle of the divine spirit which inhabits it. It is a solemn duty of mankind to develop, protect, and preserve it from pollution, unnecessary wastage and weakness.”
I hope you might take a jaunt down our hallway in search of the portrait and plaque hidden in plain sight. These two artifacts serve as a remnant and memory of why Exercise Science and the Dance Department find themselves in the same building. Sacred is the body, a tabernacle of the divine and through the sciences AND the arts we are charged to develop, protect, and preserve the bodies, our bodies, from pollution, unnecessary wastage and weakness. The Lord promises each of us that if we humble ourselves before God, He will make weak things become strong (Ether 12:27). May we all trust in this promise and find joy and delight along the way.
As February rolls into March, look forward to campus performances by Contemporary Dance Theatre and Living Legends. Read a recap of President Oaks’ BYU devotional address below.
Contemporary Dance Theatre: Aperture
Feb. 25-28 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. | RB Dance Performance Theatre | Purchase tickets here
Long before Harry Styles announced his new song, “Aperture,” BYU Contemporary Dance Theatre was hard at work creating an exciting new dance production with the same name. CDT presents Aperture, an performance that explores human connection and emotion through expressive movement, music, and visuals. The program features works by BYU faculty, CDT alumni, and renowned guest choreographers: Jesse Obremski, Keely Song, Steve Bangerter and Hardy, Adam Dyer, Nicole Von Arx, Cindy Welik-Salgado, Laja Field, Kate Monson, Bonnie Story, and Mo Crump.
Living Legends: Seasons
March 4-7 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. | RB Dance Performance Theatre | Purchase tickets here
After four inspiring shows on tour in Arizona, Living Legends is bringing their show, Seasons, to the RB Theatre. Seasons is a production filled with vibrant costumes, infectious music, and traditional Latin American, Native American, and Polynesian dances.
Interested in dancing with Living Legends? Audition applications are now open. For more details, click here.
International Folk Dance Ensemble Performs in BYU Russian and German Department Maslenitsa Celebration by Sam Devenport, BYU Russian major and dancer on IFDE
I thought the celebration was special for me since I am a Russian major and also on IFDE, so it was cool to have those work together to celebrate world cultures. I really enjoyed dancing a traditional folk dance, a khovorod (ховород), all together as dancers and other participants united in this tradition. Performing our two Ukrainian pieces was also really fun because it was an intimate setting in which we could see and interact with our audience members. They really enjoyed it, so it was fun to share it with them.
I think it is really important to have these types of cultural activities on campus because it can be really easy to get stuck in own little bubble of life experiences and worldview. It is just wonderful to remember the variety of experiences and traditions of all of God’s children. Such events and experiences help me feel more empathetic for others, and they expand my world, one small experience at a time.
Mark Your Calendars: Upcoming Events
Uplifting Thought of the Week by Dallin H. Oaks, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
On Feb. 10, 2026, President Dallin H. Oak gave his first public address as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the BYU Marriott Center. In his address he gave four simple actions to help us come closer to the Savior and “overcome present or future doubts.”
Watch President Oaks’ full address in the video below.
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Theatre Ballet’s Romeo & Juliet
Feb. 10-14 | 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. | RB Dance Performance Theatre | Purchase tickets here
BYU Ballet Alumni Mixer | Feb. 13 at 6:00 p.m. | Register here
BYU Theatre Ballet is brining the classic Shakespearean story of love and conflict to life on the RB Dance Performance Stage this Valentine’s Day weekend. Can’t make it to campus? You can also enjoy the performance in Taylorsville, UT on March 10 and Ivans, UT on March 20.
This rendition of the beloved story is choreographed by five BYU ballet faculty — Maile Johnson, Mira Larsen, Ashley Parov, Brooke Storheim, and Hilary Wolfley — and will be performed by Theatre Ballet, with special guest performers from Theatre Ballet Studio Company and BYU Department of Theatre and Media Arts.
Theatre Ballet Artistic Director Brooke Storheim and Assistant Director Maile Johnson said that, “This production has pushed our students to grow not only as technicians and performers, but as young artists capable of expressing the depth, tenderness, and tragedy at the heart of Shakespeare’s story. Their artistry, vulnerability, and dedication bring fresh life to a timeless story.”
Prior to the 7:30 p.m. performance on Feb. 13, there will be a BYU Ballet Alumni Mixer held in the RB. The event is a catered dinner where alumni can mingle, catch up, and reminisce about their time at BYU. Following dinner, attendees are encouraged to attend the Romeo & Juliet performance. Register for the Alumni Mixer here. Romeo & Juliet tickets sold separately.
BYU Alum and Faculty Shared Their Stories at Dance Career Panel
As students of dance, the world is your oyster; but in a career so nebulous and varying, with so many paths to choose from, it may be daunting to think of your future beyond the BYU classrooms. In an effort to open students eyes to the abundance of ways they can use their dance degree, the Department of Dance held a Dance Career Panel on Jan. 30, 2026, during which faculty and alumni shared their stories and offered advice. The first session featured Ryan Hatch, Jocelyn Smith, Susan Lloyd, and Alex Hatch; the second session featured Jessica Heaton, Susan Lloyd, Brooke Storheim, and Nathan Balser. Both sessions began with a presentation by CFAC Career Director Derek Jack. He introduced the “Holland Code” or RIASEC model, a career aptitude test that helps people find career satisfaction through matching their personality and work interests into six types: realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, and conventional.
Following his presentation, Liz Dibble spoke on navigating rejection, referencing Alma 8:13-22. She then led the panel of guest speakers through a question and answer session. The guests came from a variety of dance backgrounds and were each at a different stage in their careers. They gave their insights on how to navigate the transition from student to professional, find a career in dance, and deal with rejection.
Clock this link to watch a video that was shared during the panel featuring BYU Dance alumni.
Mark Your Calendars: Upcoming Events
Uplifting Thought of the Week by Hilary Wolfley, Assistant Teaching Professor
We are the curators of the art we consume. We select, organize, and present ourselves and others with art that is meaningful to us through the playlists we keep, the shows we watch, and the ways in which we engage with dance. Carefully curated art has the capacity to enhance our lives through increased inspiration, knowledge, peace, and joy. It can also have the power to move people to reflect, act, or change in some way. And how satisfying is it when someone appreciates the same kind of art that we love and share?
That intentionality, that curation, can be applied to our relationship with God. Author James K. A. Smith talks about this in his book, You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit: “Discipleship, we might say, is a way to curate your heart, to be attentive to and intentional about what you love.” As we are intentional about turning our focus toward Christ, making conscious decisions to be like Him, and helping others to do the same, our discipleship will enhance our lives in similar ways that art can: by bringing added inspiration, peace, hope, and mobilization for change. During this Valentine’s season, I invite you to consider how you might curate your choices to be more attentive to and intentional about what you love.
BYU Photo published a roundup of their best work of 2025 and our BYU dancers have truly left their mark. See the stunning photos below. Plus, don’t forget to get your tickets to Ballroom Dance Touring Company’s “Rhythm” and International Folk Dance Ensemble’s “Journey,” both of which are happening on campus in January.
Dance Featured in Best of BYU Photo
See the full “Year in Pictures” album here.
Ballroom Dance Touring Company: Rhythm
Jan. 23-24 | RB Dance Performance Theatre | Tickets here
Come get a taste of what Ballroom Dance Touring Company will be sharing with the world during their upcoming off-campus tour! 31 BYU Ballroom dancers are bringing the highest level of ballroom dance to BYU stages this month with “Rhythm.” This performance showcases the style, grace, and infectious energy that BYU Ballroom is known world-wide for.
“Rhythm” will feature a wide variety of repertoire, from elegant waltzes to sizzling Latin American dances. This year the show will feature a new foxtrot solo piece performed by students Justin Goodrich and Ava Mecham. The company also had the opportunity to work with guest choreographers Oskar Wojciechowski, Karolina Holody, and Alexander Chernositov on a new Paso Doble/Tango piece.
International Folk Dance Ensemble: Journey
Jan. 29-31 | RB Dance Performance Theatre | Tickets here
Mosaics, roots, and branches: these are the images that the International Folk Dance Ensemble’s new “Journey” production will conjure up in the audience’s mind. We are all an amalgamation of those who have come before us and both their and our own experiences will shape future generations. Through traditional dance numbers from around the world, BYU folk dancers will tell a story intergenerational connectedness and the passing on of traditions.
“The roots bind us to our ancestors and the branches connect us to our posterity. Time falls away and we are one. These university students are carrying on living traditions on the stage,” said International Folk Dance Ensemble artistic director Jeanette Geslison.
Alexandra Mackenzie Johns from the BYU Department of Theatre and Media Arts wrote a new script and Erin Bjorn created new image designs to accompany “Journey.” The show will feature new dances, including a Hungarian piece choreographed by BYU Idaho faculty member Gary Larsen, a medley of Danish dances, a clogging piece, and a classical Bharatanatyam dance from India. Several students will showcase their skills in solos; plus, favorites from Christmas Around the World 2025 will make their return.
Mark Your Calendars: Upcoming Events
Uplifting Thought of the Week by Marin Roper, Associate Professor
May I share two recent experiences that have taught me about faith? For my LMA students, they are also related to the Shape Qualities of Advancing and Retreating.
First, I had a partial knee replacement on December 15 and began physical therapy two weeks later. Physical therapy is hard for me, mentally, physically, spiritually. I laugh-cry through E-Stim. I wince during kneecap manipulation. But the machine that shreds me every time is the genu bender. Or as I call it, the Medieval Self-Torture Device.
Do you know what I’m talking about?
Sitting on a platform, your foot is strapped into a harness. Then, as you turn a crank, your knee bends back beneath you. You turn that crank as far as you can and hold for ten seconds to help restore your range of motion.
And for these ten seconds, I’m convinced this is the hardest thing I’ll ever do in my life.
For ten seconds, I’m holding that crank, pressing just a bit more, breathing, sweating a bit, crying a bit, then after ten seconds, reversing the crank and returning to full knee extension. Ten seconds to recover. Then I do it again. 1 second, crank…2 seconds, stretch…3 seconds, hold…4 seconds, breath…5 seconds, press a bit more…6 seconds, sweat a little…7 seconds, cry a little…8-9-10 seconds, cry a little more. Then release back to full extension. Ten seconds to recover. Then repeat.
I swear, in the 10 minutes I spend on the genu bender, my body’s entire history of trauma, heartbreak, loss, disappointment, sadness and sorrow come gurgling up and out of me like a Yellowstone mudpot. I’m a mess.
It’s so hard.
But I close my eyes, drop my chin, and press forward into the discomfort, into the headwinds. I Advance.
The second thing I did this Christmas break was begin couples’ counseling with my husband. We do this every so often to strengthen our communication and tackle challenges together. A new counselor, a new approach, a new white board with new diagrams to draw. We’ve had a few sessions now, and what I’ve noticed in these sessions is the counselor’s focus on Fear. Fear of this, Fear of that. We’ve talked all about our Fears, stirred every Fear up inside us again. And while I know it’s helpful and good to understand fear, I also feel like focusing on fear has set us up for Retreat. I feel it in these sessions and in the hours that follow. I feel it in my chest, in my breath, in the way I hold my weight. I Retreat.
I’ve been thinking about the hard things we all face in our lives. And so much around me feels hard right now. And I’ve been wondering, how do we set ourselves up to face these hard things?
Martin Luther King Jr. said:
“If you can’t fly, then run;
if you can’t run, then walk;
if you can’t walk, then crawl,
but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.”
Moving forward, as described here, is an act of faith. Like the experience on the genu bender, Advancing is not always easy. We don’t float forward, we don’t ease forward, we don’t glide forward. As the hymn beckons, we Press Forward. Feel into that. How does it feel to press? ‘Pressing’ requires effort, exerted with intention, over time. It is singular in its focus. It goes right to the edge, right to the limit of comfort, ability, or range, and continues to exert. Press Forward.
I’m thankful to have felt this kind of deep intention during my physical therapy these past few weeks. And to be reminded that I can do hard things. I know all of us are capable of doing these kinds of hard things – of persevering and pressing forward through the difficult times.
Here at the beginning of the semester, I want you to know that you’ve got this. You have what it takes to Advance forward in faith.
So let’s go!
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