WT Dance Program Celebrates Outstanding Performers, Students

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — West Texas A&M University dance program wrapped up its year with an awards banquet recognizing its most on-point performers.

The April 29 banquet celebrated the department’s two major performances, “Falling into Dance” in October and “Portraits of Dance” in April, as well as its collaborations with other programs in the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities.

“We were so happy to return to in-person performances this year,” said Crystal Bertrand, director of the dance program. “Between our major concerts and our collaborations with Harrington String Quartet and WT Theatre, our students were able to refine their skills while entertaining audiences.”

Bertrand and fellow faculty members Edward Truitt and Leslie Williams selected Penelope Welch, junior dance major from Frisco, as the winner of the 3D Award, given to a dancer who exemplifies discipline, determination and desire.

Faculty members also selected Kynleigh Hilton, a junior dance major from Lubbock, as winner of the Treston Johnson Dance Award, given to a dancer who best exemplifies the heart and soul of the dance program. The award is named for a dance student who died in 2018.

Five other awards, with winners selected by dance majors, were presented, as well:

• Spirit Award: Jamison Uselding, a junior dance major from Amarillo, for encouragement and support of other dancers;
• Buff Dance Award: Alexis Ayala, a May 7 dance graduate from El Paso, for passion, dedication and the year’s most impressive performances;
• Diamond Award: Abbi Roe, a May 2021 graduate pursing a second degree in Dance, from Roswell, New Mexico, for modeling proper classroom and rehearsal etiquette;
• Discovery Award: Amon Fredinand, a freshman dance major from Amarillo, for making significant and unexpected contributions to the program; and
• Emerald Award: Hannah Hosnedl, a junior dance major from Downers Grove, Ill., and Emily Evans, a junior dance major from Amarillo, for embodying the highest aspects of artistry and skill in class, in rehearsal and on stage.

The dance program’s 2022-23 season will include “Falling into Dance” on Nov. 17 to 20 and “Portraits of Dance” on April 28 to 30.

Fostering an appreciation for the arts and engaging and retaining the best students are key components of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the five-year campaign — which publicly launched Sept. 23 — has raised about $110 million.

Photo: Dance majors Alexis Ayala, from left, Emily Evans, Jamison Uselding, Hannah Hosnedl, Penelope Welch, Abbi Roe, Kynleigh Hilton and Amon Fredinand were among those recognized at the West Texas A&M University Dance Program's year-end banquet.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degrees, including two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

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