Stevie Eller Dance Theatre
A building that seems to move as gracefully as a dancer on the stage was dedicated formally on Sept. 19 and celebrated its opening with a formal gala on Oct. 4. The Stevie Eller Dance Theatre at the UA, designed by the architectural firm of Gould Evans of Phoenix, has received the 2003 Citation Award from the American Institute of Architects, Arizona Chapter. According to the design team, the structure "redefines movement at every corner of the complex and acts as a moving backdrop for the nationally recognized University of Arizona dance program."
in splendid comfort
Photo by: Timothy Hursley
Occupying 28,600 square feet on the east gateway to campus and the UA Mall, adjacent to the Ina Gittings Building, the new teaching and performance space boasts a 300-seat theatre with orchestra pit; full fly tower and control suite; indoor/outdoor lobby and catwalks; an outdoor stage; a scene shop; and a costume shop. Another of the innovative design features is the studio on the second floor, which is a glass box that functions as a display window to the UA Mall. The glass is protected from the elements by a scrim of woven wire rusted fabric.
Jory Hancock, head of the School of Dance, who has lived and breathed the concept, design and completion of the new Dance Theatre building for the past five years, says that the UA's nationally ranked dance program now has a world-class facility. "Our new Stevie Eller Dance Theatre provides a brilliant blend of form and function. The Gould Evans team created an atmosphere where their art and ours could be fused resulting in this stunning achievement. This building will change our lives and lives of future generations of students, artists and art patrons."
Photo: Beneath the exterior catwalk of the Stevie Eller Dance Theatre. Photo by: Timothy Hursley.
Maurice J. Sevigny, Dean of the College of Fine Arts, comments, "This glorious new space has the power to transform the lives of all who experience it. The Stevie Eller Dance Theatre will make this outstanding program even more desirable for prospective faculty and students. I look forward to watching the program excel during the coming inaugural year, and I congratulate the visionaries--architects, administrators, and patrons--who made this dream a reality."
Stevie Eller's love of dance prompted a gift of one million dollars to the new nine-million-dollar complex. While a student at the UA, Eller was a member of Orchesis, the UA's student dance organization. She and her husband, Karl, have been strong supporters of the UA for decades in business education and now in the arts. The building was funded from a combination of six million dollars in private donations and three million dollars from the university.
Season tickets for the School of Dance's regular performance season, The Looking Glass Series, are now available from the Fine Arts Box Office. The season opens with In the Season, which showcases the best of faculty choreography December 4-6, and In the Season: Student Spotlight, choreography from the best and brightest students December 7. The inaugural year in the Stevie Eller Dance Theatre includes guest dance companies, guest choreographers, live orchestra, opera, and many styles of dance, including ballet, jazz, and modern. Tickets for individual performances go on sale November 17.
Photo: The dance studio of the Stevie Eller Dance Theatre looks out on the UA Mall. Photo by: Timothy Hursley.
Visit the Dance Facilities Images page for more images, including images from the Gala and Dedication.