Ms. Gladys M. Keeton received the Dance Legacy Award!
Gladys M. Keeton has served the dance profession for fifty plus years and remains active in promoting quality dance programs. She is Professor Emeritus of Dance at Texas Woman’s University and formerly taught at Memphis State University and the University of Tennessee-Martin with her undergraduate and graduate Dance, Physical Education, and Elementary Education degrees earned at Northwestern State University (LA). Her contributions to dance education have been made through leadership positions in state, regional, and national organizations, serving as president for both the National Dance Society and the National Dance Association. Gladys recently served as chair of the National Dance Society’s National Dance Education Standards Framework and has been involved in many facets of dance education in Texas as a charter cadre member of the Texas Center for Educator Development in Fine Arts and has served on the Texas Education Agency’s Fine Arts Advisory Panel, Review Panels for Dance TEKS, ExCET exams and textbook adoption. Recognition includes the following awards: National Dance Education Organization Lifetime Achievement, Texas Dance Educator Association Hall of Fame Award, TWU Distinction in Service, TAHPERD Dance Heritage Award, Brace Award, Outstanding University Dance Educator and Honor Awards, Southern District AAHPERD Outstanding University Dance Educator Award and Honor Awards. Professor Keeton was Director of the TWU Repertory Dance Theatre that toured Brazil and founder, artistic director, and performer with the TWU International Dance Company performing cultural dances throughout the country. Her scholarship includes several books and articles and over 300 presentations at national, district and state dance conventions and providing many professional development workshops in Texas school districts. She also founded and directed the TWU Community Dance Center, Pure Emotion Dance Company (special abilities) and Young at Heart Tap Dance Company (senior adults) and supports the Denton community by choreographing for United Way Dancing with the Stars and elementary school high/middle school musicals.