Renovated Lathrop Hall welcomes the public

UW–Madison dance faculty Li Chiao-Ping and Jin-Wen Yu will perform a duet Thursday through Saturday at Lathrop Hall as part of a Rededication Concert.

See also: Students and faculty in the UW–Madison Dance Program will pool their talents to open the 1998-99 season with a Rededication Concert in honor of Lathrop Hall. The collaboration will be presented Sept. 24-26 at 8 p.m. in Lathrop Hall’s recently reopened Margaret H’Doubler Performance Space. Read more

During his tenure as the University of Wisconsin’s first chancellor, John Hiram Lathrop put the “public” in “public higher education.” During his decade at UW’s helm, Lathrop became known for his strong advocacy of what later administrations shaped into the Wisconsin Idea.

Consequently, the campus building that now bears his name and houses the UW–Madison Dance Program will welcome citizens to a variety of activities Sept. 24-26 in celebration of the building’s renovation.

Visitors will find the 90-year-old Renaissance Revival sleek as New York City now. There’s the smashing terrazzo-like floor in the first floor lobby. There’s the Virginia F. Harrison Parlor, formerly a studio, now restored to its original function as a social venue. There’s the new 240-seat state-of-the-art Margaret H’Doubler Performance Space, opened in spring. There are the four creative movement studios, complete with wooden sprung floors to provide dancers extra elasticity and flexibility, and minimize the risk of injuries.

Community members will be able to view the improvements first hand during guided tours Sept. 25 between 3:30 and 5 p.m. Interested individuals are asked to gather in the lobby, where they will be met by School of Education staff, who will guide the tours. Another centerpiece of the weekend will be the Lathrop Hall Rededication Concert, a special joint effort of dance program faculty and students (see related story).

According to Maureen Noonan, SOE facilities and space coordinator, the weekend will provide a festive opportunity to celebrate the rededication of one of the most historic buildings on campus. Opened in 1910 as a social and recreational center for UW women, Lathrop Hall became home to the country’s first academic dance program in 1926 under the leadership of Margaret H’Doubler. For more information about Lathrop Hall rededication activities, contact the UW–Madison School of Education, (608) 262-0054.