During the 2024 spring semester, Ohio Northern University will be celebrating the 30 year anniversary of its dance department. A “hidden gem” of the University, the ONU dance department participates in the annual ONU Holiday Spectacular show and hosts annual spring recital showcases.
The ONU dance department also annually presents its spring recital showcase, each show revolving around a different theme. he show will be titled “Looking Back, Moving Forward” this year. When asked what this theme means to her, Director of Dance Elizabeth Cozad-Howard said, “When I realized this anniversary was quickly creeping up, I started thinking about, what does 30 years look like? What does my part of 30 years look like? What did it look like before I got here?” Elizabeth then decided to focus a large portion of this year’s show on the reflection of years past. The first act of the show is called “Looking Back”, and will consist of pieces that have been previously “set”, or showcased, at ONU. These pieces will feature current students, previous faculty, and ONU dancers. The second act of the show, “Moving Forward”, will feature new works from guest choreographers and student choreographers.
Upon reflecting on their time as ONU dancers, many students drew fond memories of the community that has been built within the department. Dance minor, Caylee Born, said “[The Dance Department] is so welcoming. I walked in on the first day and knew absolutely nobody. Eventually, everybody became my best friend.”
Students and faculty alike believe that this aspect of friendship and connection is one reason the department has been able to thrive for so long.