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ENDOWMENT NAMED FOR FIRST DANCE TEACHERThe late Mela Sedillo Koeber was UNM's first dance teacher. She taught a variety of courses during the late 1930s and 1940s, including a survey of rhythmic theory and practice and Mexican and New Mexican folk dance. Although Koeber moved in 1949 to the Education Department, where she continued to teach Mexican and New Mexican dance until 1952, she never forgot where her teaching career began. Nor did her husband, Bob, who bequeathed upon his death a $50,000 endowment to the College of Fine Arts for dance scholarships in his wife's name. |
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Koeber, a New Mexico native, graduated in 1922 from Albuquerque High School. She earned a bachelor of arts degree from UNM four years later, and completed a master's degree in 1935. Koeber next headed to New York City foi post-graduate work at Columbia University Teachers' College. Along with her studies, she researched Mexican folk dances, seeking out experts and even traveling to Mexico numerous times to expand her knowledge. Her research culminated in Mexican and New Mexican Folkdances, published in 1939 by UNM Press. "Rich in detail and lovingly written, this book leaves one with the unmistakable impression that Mela truly lived the spirit of the dances she wrote about,” says Larry Lavender, head of the UNM Dance Program. "No doubt, she passed along that spirit to the students with whom she worked.” Koeber returned to Albuquerque in the late 1930s to begin her teaching career. In 1937, she planned, organized and established a Fine Arts festival at UNM, coordinating faculty in drama, music, art, history, physical education, Spanish, archaeology, home economics and English. "It's clear that Mela understood well before most others did the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to education in general, and to the education of an artist specifically," Lavender says. "It is in the spirit that Mela embodied throughout her career—a spirit of educating the whole artist—that the UNM Dance Program has designed its curriculum.” |
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Dr. Elsie Morosin & Mr. Bruno Morosin Dr. Mary Muller & Peter Muller Jim Murphy Dr. & Mrs. Homer Musgrave Dr. Edward S. Naimark Dr. Leonard Napolitano Susan F. Naumes Michael P. O'Brien Edward T. O’Leary Darren Owens William J. Padilla Mr. & Mrs. Jack Pearlman Joe R. Perea Drs. Stephen & Rae Perls Mr. & Mrs. Gilbert Pickering Mr. & Mrs. James Pinkerton James Ware Pitts Ada Carol Plotner Dr. & Mrs. Ashley Pond Antoine Predock Oliver Prezant Dana J. Pulliam Gina M. Puzzuoli, MD Mr. & Mrs. Ron Racca Mr. & Mrs. Larry Rainosek Roberta Cooper Ramo & Dr. Barry Ramo Elizabeth M. Randal C. K. Redd Veronica Reed Ray A. Reeder Dr. & Mrs. William Reid Penny Taylor Rembe & Dr. Armin Rembe Carol K. Richards Mr. & Mrs. Dan Richey, D.D.S., P.C. Mr. & Mrs. John Robb, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. William Ruminer Mr. & Mrs. Irving Saltzberg Dean Roger Schluntz Rebecca D. Schnelker David Schorr Susan Schroeder Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Sheinberg Mr. & Mrs. Russell Shelden, MD Estate of Palsy W. Sherman Yoshiko Shimano Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Short Mr. & Mrs. Robert Shotola Mr. & Mrs. O. Max Sloan Mr. & Mrs. Alan Stamm Mr. & Mrs. Robert Stamm Garrett Smith Janet Sue Sperry Arthur B. Steinman Mr. & Mrs. John Stephens Dennis Sterosky Mr. Jason Stevens & Dr. Kristin Stevens Howard Stump, Sr. Mr. & Mrs. Charles C. Simons Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Summers Mr. & Mrs. D. F. (Duffy) Swan Mary Davis Swayngirn Mary Ann Sweeney & Edward Ricco Dr. & Mrs. Douglas Swift Phyllis Taylor & Prof. Bruce Thomson Mr. & Mrs. Martin Threet Mr. & Mrs. Marvin Tillery, Jr. Dr. Chester C. Travelstead Karen H. Turner Linda Parker Tyler Professor Marilyn Tyler Thomas L. Waite Michael Wander Cynthia G. Ward Cheryl Warrick Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Webb Dr. Joann Weiss & Mr. Gerald K. Weiss Mr. & Mrs. Charles Wellborn Mr. & Mrs. Robert Wertheim Scott Wilkinson Arthur J. Williams Elizabeth Wills Josephine S. Wilson Mr. & Mrs. Alfred Winblad Joel-Peter Witkin Edward William Wolfe, II Lisa Michele Woodrow Beverly Yulman Mr. Greg Littlewood & Ms. Zelda Zinn Businesses/Organizations/
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NO IMAGES MAY BE COPIED WITHOUT EXPRESSED WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR. Newsletter Editor: Ellen K. Ashkraft; Writer: Nancy Harbert;
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