Associate Professor Emerita Pat Brooks has been part of the Ohio University School of Dance from its very beginning when the first Director, Shirley Wimmer, came to OU to create the first School of Dance as a part of the College of Fine Arts.  Working closely with Shirley, Pat dedicated herself to the vision of a school built on one basic intent:  to inspire and guide each individual student in developing his or her unique creative, intellectual and physical self as a whole, wherever that professional and artistic path may lead.

That dedication to the development of each unique individual applied to the dance faculty as well.  Starting with just Wimmer and herself and immediately bringing in visiting artists as teachers for periods of time, Pat had the thrilling opportunity to grow and change and participate in the evolution of the school as it selected more permanent faculty members who also in turn participated in the growth and nature of the school.  At times Professor Brooks served as Acting Director of the School when Professor Wimmer traveled on professional leaves to SE Asia to pursue her research in Dance Ethnology.  

Dedication to the vision and the school is Pat’s story.  Though she has taught all of the original School of Dance courses at some point, a natural outcome of her vision was the creation of the Honors Tutorial Program in Dance, a special individualized, opportunity for talented and highly motivated young dancers.  She served as Director of Studies from its inception in 1986 through her retirement in 1997.  Professor Brooks also created the Viewing Dance History course for majors and non-majors, and a senior level general education course, Social History Through the Arts.  She developed the pedagogy and non-major program in the School and developed her special love, the teaching of children’s creative movement with a community outreach program to the public schools. 

Pat’s early experiences in dance were instrumental in shaping her philosophy of life and dance, and her dedication to the arts.  Her teaching career began especially early, at the age of fourteen when she found herself assisting and teaching children’s classes.  Later, after a year at Northwestern University and ballet training in Chicago she began her professional performing career with the Theatre Guild National and Broadway Companies of “Oklahoma!,” going on to study, teach and perform regionally in modern dance.  In her academic life she taught at the Wayne State University, the University of Detroit, and Kingswood School, Cranbrook.  She has a B.S. with emphasis in dance from Wayne State University, is Certified in Advanced Labanotation and is a Certified Teacher of Labanotation.

Pat’s numerous choreographies, reconstructions from Labanotation and other reconstructions, her record of service on many University, College and School Committees starting from her first years at OU, and her guest lectures, grants and awards all reflect her dedication to young people and the role dance plays in their lives.

Pat is committee to community service as a mediator and former member of the Board of Trustees of the Athens Area Mediation Service.  Hearing about the role dance plays in the lives of her former students is an ongoing source of joy.