In loving memory: Kathleen McClintock McCormick
Always in our memory.
Kathleen McClintock McCormick.
We called her KJ. She was a dancer with Repertory Dance Theatre from 1967-1974, during the formative years. Her beautiful dancing and vivacious spirit, her dynamic energy and charisma helped put RDT on the national dance map. Whether she was performing the seductive movement of John Butler’s The Initiate, or creating edgy drama in Richard Kutch’s The Brood, our KJ was incomparable.
Smart and funny, spirited and genuine, Kathleen was and will be unforgettable.
1967-1972 | Member of Repertory Dance Theatre
1982-2012 | Mills College, Professor of Dance
Joan Moon
Very lovely, but didn’t she also serve as Chairman of the Modern Dance Dept at Mills?
Kathryn Vagneur
When we were students at the University of Utah, Kathy and I shared a groundfloor flat in an old house located in an off-campus area called ‘The Avenues’.
Kathy was delightful to be around – energetic, funny and always busy. I have fond memories of her, the stories she told about growing up in Cheyenne and the people I met through her. But most of all, I remember the first time I saw her perform. I was stunned by how expressive and controlled this small bundle of fun and constantly moving energy became when she performed.
Recently, after attending a wedding in Park City, I drove by our old ‘digs’ and was amazed to find it has not changed one dot in all of these years. It was every bit as scruffy and sagging now as it was those many years ago.
At the time, I wondered what Kathy was doing and determined that I would try to find her. Alas, this memorial has answered my question. Thank you for sharing the photos which must have been taken around the time I first met her.
My thoughts are with Kathy and those who will miss her.
David Pace
Thanks for ypur comment Joan. You are right. According to her obituary in Wyoming News she earned an MFA degree in Dance from Mills College, taught dance there from 1979-2006 and was head of the dance department for three years. Upon retirement, she was named professor emerita of dance.
David
Here is Kathleen’s obituary in Wyoming News:
https://www.wyomingnews.com/milestones/obituaries/kathleen-mccormick/article_55c36ed0-4b6d-11e8-9de9-0b52d2e14817.html
Edward Augustyn MFA Mills College 2003
Kathleen was my teacher at Mills College while I earned an MFA. She helped me through the painful transition from having been a professional dancer for years to becoming a college professor. She helped me to broaden my understanding of dance, to allow myself to evolve to become and educator and embrace my new roles in life after performance. I will miss her.
Nick Cendese
Thank you so much for sharing! She was an important part of many people’s lives!
Thomas K. Hagood, Ph.D
Yes, Joan, she did but her title at Mills was ‘department head.’ Kathleen and cohort hired me as director of graduate studies in dance in 1997. I joined the faculty that fall with Mary Cochran. I enjoyed my time there, and completed some good projects. The chief among them as founding president of the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) in 1998, and publishing the first comprehensive history of dance in American higher education; “A History of Dance in American Higher Education: Dance and the American University” (Mellen Press, 2000), a text that would have been very difficult to publish had I not been at Mills. Kathleen gave me her support for both, acting as a very sharp ‘sounding board’ for the development of my ideas. Kathleen was a very intelligent, thoughtful, caring, and talented department head. She was also a ‘hoot’ in her quick and astute humor. I will always be appreciative of the time I spent with her. And you, too, for that matter.
Anne Mitcheltree
To the dancing world:
I don’t know why it took me a year to find out about this. Kathleen McClintock was such an inspiration in Salt Lake City in the 70s. As performer and as a teacher… she loved her jazz.
Opus Jazz Loves Bach … and the Nightbirds -Paul Sanasardo.
I am proud to be able to remember the good times.