Brigham Young University. Dept. of Dance.

The Mutual Improvement Associations of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were organized in the 19th century. The Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association was established in 1869 as the Young Ladies' Cooperative Retrenchment Association, and the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association in 1875. The organizations provided recreational and faith-promoting activities for Mormon youth. Beginning in the 1930s, the Mutual Improvement Associations included a number of dance activities and training. Both organizations were reorganized in the early 1970s, removing the terms Mutual Improvement Association from their names.

The Department of Dance at Brigham Young University was originally established as the Department of Physical Education--Dance in 1980. Prior to that time, dance instruction was administered by the Department of Physical Education for Women, though it was treated as a division of the College of Physical Education. The department provides instruction in dance, dance education, and music dance theater.

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