Marilyn Berrett

Brigham Young University announced Jan. 24 that it has appointed Marilyn Berrett as the new chair for the department of dance.

Berrett joined the dance faculty at BYU in 1985, a year after receiving her master’s degree from the school. Three years later she also became the director of The Dancers’ Company, now the Contemporary Dance Theatre.  In 2002 she founded Kinnect, an educational outreach program where BYU students teach the creative dance process in public schools.

She replaces Lee Wakefield, who has been chair for the last 11 years. Wakefield will return to full time teaching and coaching as artistic director of the Ballroom Dance Company.

According to a news release issued by BYU, Berrett ‘s scholarship and work has focused primarily on dance education, curriculum development and choreography. She has both lectured and taught studio courses in dance history and philosophy, modern dance, pedagogy, composition and improvisation.