Dear TDPS Community,

Excellence in the performing arts is synonymous with inclusivity and in-depth research that illuminates multidimensional expressions of being human. In the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies we reveal human stories through our embodied creative research in dance, performance, design, and critical scholarship.

The integrity of our research, teaching, and our work relies on clear and authentic communication. Yesterday, the day after the 2016 Presidential elections was a day of stunning despair for some, and validation for others. In the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, we invited all members of the community to a Town Hall where a safe space was created in which each individual’s unique relationship with the outcome of the election could be spoken.

The impact of this 2016 presidential election changes the conversation of this nation. This national shift does not change the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies’ mission or vision. Rather we must intensify our commitment to research that is inclusive of different gender, race, ability, economic background, sexuality, and point of view. As scholars, educators, staff, artists, and students, we must aim for even stronger ethical standards, acknowledge our biases, and work toward a fuller sense of who we are within the framework of the art and scholarship that we teach, learn, and express. Only then will we truly contribute to the the efforts towards mending the nation's deeply divisive wounds and the complex societal issues we encounter every day. We can no longer afford to look away.  Let us now work together to develop stronger bonds of acceptance of each other and ourselves and in doing so, strengthen our educational offerings.

Many students, faculty and staff in the days since the election have expressed their fears. I want to share with you that whatever your background, whatever your race, whatever your sexuality, whatever your gender, whatever your political leanings, you are a valued member of our School and your essence is what makes us strong and unique.  

Let us continue to talk, to hold Town Meetings (next meeting is 12:30 to 1:30 PM on Monday November 28 in the Choreography Studio – room 1611), and to affirm our commitment to embracing a multiplicity of ideas, cultures, and people in order to further our mission and our understanding of the human condition about which we create our art and scholarship.

I leave you with the words of the great Frederick Douglass:

Sincerely,

Leigh Wilson Smiley