Dance program receives Silver Star Award
Released: December 20, 2005
Barb Grubel receives the Silver Star Award from Kim Hixson
A dance program affiliated with the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater has received the Wisconsin Parks and Recreation Association's Silver Star Award in the category of youth enrichment recognizing the community for its creative programming. Barbara Grubel, the program director and assistant professor of dance at UW-Whitewater, accepted the Silver Star Award on December 6.
“The program is an incredible example of using the university as a resource to help the community,” said Grubel. “I am so proud of the students who are the backbone of the program.”
The Whitewater Parks and Recreation department approached Grubel about a partnership to provide the community with a dance program last fall. The program began with 30 students and has grown to nearly 200 children and adults in its third semester. The dance program provides the community with a variety of classes including ballet, tap, modern dance, jazz and even a composition class. As the director, Grubel organizes classes and selects UW-Whitewater dance minors to teach them. The program is designed to utilize the talents of the dance students at the university and to provide a continuous student base to help maintain an ongoing program with the community.
“This is a great program because it is a win-win situation for everyone. The dance minors gain experience teaching and the community is offered a variety of dance classes,” said Deanna Brunner, program coordinator.
“Dance is a part of us all,” said Grubel. “Historically it has been a community builder. The dance program unifies the university and the community.”
For more information, contact Grubel at (262) 472-1189 or grubelb@uww.edu.
- Shauna Stevens,stevenssm26@uww.edu
