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Dance students practice a ballet combination with high leg extensions in a sunlit studio, with a pianist accompanying from a grand piano at left, beneath the building's distinctive radial wood-beamed ceiling.

New space gives UI Department of Dance room to expand

Thursday, September 17, 2026
The University of Iowa Department of Dance has moved into a newly renovated facility at 150 N. Riverside Drive, the former art museum building, featuring five studios, digital arts and motion capture spaces, and an informal performance venue, with a dedication ceremony set for September 24, 2026. Department Executive Officer Jennifer Kayle called it "a brand new era," while Assistant Provost Andre Perry noted the location creates an "arts neighborhood" alongside the university's other arts programs.
Kingsley Ibeneche dances to Paul Cunllife’s percussion at the Dance Building in Iowa City on Thursday, September 3, 2026. The Dance Building was formerly the old museum of art prior to the 2008 flood, and will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 24.

UI Dance Department relocates, enters new era of growth

Thursday, September 10, 2026
The University of Iowa's Dance Department is moving from Halsey Hall to a renovated space in the former Museum of Art building, with an opening ceremony set for September 24, 2026. The new facility offers five studios, better flooring, climate control, and natural light, upgrades faculty say will expand the program's teaching capacity, even as some, like longtime staff and students tied to Halsey Hall, feel the loss of that history.
Directors Emily Trapnell (left) and Eloy Barragan (right) pose for a portrait at FilmScene at The Chauncey during the International ScreenDance Festival, August 29, 2026.

The International ScreenDance Festival brought together global displays of film and dance for its eleventh year

Thursday, September 10, 2026
The International ScreenDance Festival celebrated its eleventh year at FilmScene at The Chauncey on August 29, 2026, showcasing 11 films from nine countries that blend choreography with cinematic techniques like editing and camera angles. The festival was founded by University of Iowa dance professor Eloy Barragán, who has directed it since its inception, and has been organized for the past five years by Emily Trapnell, a third-year Dance BFA student at the University of Iowa.
Yoshito Sakuraba portrait

Beyond the moving body

Tuesday, September 8, 2026
MFA student Yoshito Sakuraba looks beyond movement to explore what shapes the experience of dance.
University of Iowa professor Stephanie Miracle smiles at the camera.

CLAS's top stories from summer 2026

Thursday, August 13, 2026
CLAS's most popular articles from the summer of 2026 share a theme: people and ideas thrive with the right support. From humanities research funding to mathematics outreach, these stories show how expertise, mentorship, and community create new possibilities across CLAS and beyond.
Black and white image of Toni Pimble (left) and Alicia Brown in a North Hall dance studio, 1989

In memory of UI Department of Dance Director Alicia Brown-Matthes (1942 - 2026)

Monday, June 8, 2026
Alicia Anne Brown-Matthes, professor emerita of dance, passed away peacefully on May 8, 2026, in Iowa City at the age of 83. The Fall 2026 Dance Gala event will be dedicated in her memory.

Sound, colors and dance in front of old Wuppertal looms

Monday, June 1, 2026
Assistant Professor of Dance Stephanie Miracle directs FAKERS CLUB, a collaborative live cinema and dance project she created in Essen, Germany, which was featured in the acclaimed finale of the interdisciplinary project "SoundColorDance."