Former faculty member Leona Holbrook’s initial donation generates prolific endowment providing unprecedented opportunities for students and faculty
Over 150 BYU students had a lot to celebrate as they participated in this year’s World of Dance – a colorful, upbeat dance performance featuring five of BYU’s premier dance companies: Theatre Ballet, Contemporary Dance Theatre, Ballroom Dance Company, International Folk Dance Ensemble and Living Legends. Three sold-out shows and two matinees had audiences and dancers themselves clapping, cheering and whooping. Diverse pieces ranged from the Bollywood tribute “India: Bhangra & Discowale” to the “Sleeping Beauty Waltz” ballet to the thrilling “Come Alive” ballroom number from “The Greatest Showman” phenomenon.
This year was particularly meaningful as the Department of Dance also celebrated the initiation of the Leona Holbrook Endowment for Experiential Learning in Dance. This landmark gift is the result of Holbrook’s donation to the BYU program in 1980.
In 2017, Ed Adams, Dean of the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications, along with support from the chair and faculty of the Department of Dance, created the Leona Holbrook Endowment for Experiential Learning in Dance – a fund that has grown exponentially over 38 years – to have a much greater impact than she ever would have imagined.
“This is the largest endowment in the history of the College of Fine Arts and Communications,” said Adams. “The Department of Dance will be able to create experiential learning opportunities on an unprecedented scale for generations to come with this amazing legacy endowment.”
A special celebratory luncheon was held to honor Eldon Holbrook, 92, Leona’s brother, and five of her other relatives on Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018, between the two matinee performances of World of Dance at the de Jong Concert Hall. It was a fitting backdrop for the festivities with all five of BYU’s performing dance teams represented and a community of dance enthusiasts and patrons in abundance.
“Ten of our World of Dance performers – in costume – met with Leona’s family after lunch for a short program where we honored this amazing woman and her vision of excellence,” said Curt Holman, current chair of the BYU Department of Dance. “Eldon was very touched, in very good spirits and loved hearing from the students.”
The luncheon program finished with the reveal and presentation of a large wall hanging – a grand tribute to Leona – that will have a permanent place in the Richards Building on campus.
“This felt like a culminating event worthy and fitting of such a generous gift,” Holman said. “The faculty in the Department of Dance feels extremely blessed. Eldon is also honored and happy with our response and efforts.”
At the conclusion of the program, Marilyn Berrett, recently retired Chair of the Department of Dance and a leader in creating the endowment, escorted Eldon and his relatives down to the de Jong Concert Hall for the final performance of World of Dance. After the show, the students again had an opportunity to interact with Eldon and take photos in the gallery.
—Erin McClellan