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Charlene Tarver, who studied extensively under modern dance pioneer Hanya Holm as well as Irmgard Bartenieff, Bob Fosse, and others, dedicated her life to educating young dancers, training teachers, and providing outreach to the communities in which she lived. In particular, she was indefatigably focused on building bridges between children’s dance and training programs in higher education. Former students from as far apart as Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA remember her as an inspirational teacher with uncompromising standards.
After studying tap and ballet as a child in Denver, Colorado, Tarver was first introduced to the Hanya Holm methods through her studies at Denver University with Martha Wilcox, where she earned a BA in drama/dance in 1952. Tarver also received early training and performing experiences with Anna Halprin in San Francisco, and a number of dance mentors in New York, including Nina Fonoroff, Bob Fosse, Peter Genaro, Luigi, Shirley Broughton, and Alvin Ailey.
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Tarver began intensive studies at the Hanya Holm School in New York in 1960, and remained as student and then teacher until 1967. She also was in the first class to receive certification in Laban Movement Analysis from Irmgard Bartenieff, in 1970. These years were pivotal in her career; she would continue to explore the Holm and Laban concepts for the remainder of her life.
Moving to Edmonton, Tarver became instrumental in founding the Dance Program at Grant MacEwan Community College, and during her twenty-year tenure there she also implemented programs in Dance Teacher Training, Children's Dance Education and Dance Outreach. Between 1972 and 1978, Tarver also co-founded and co-directed the Alberta Contemporary Dance Theatre with Jacqueline Ogg.
Retiring in Santa Fe, Tarver remained active in the dance community as an educator and mentor. She served on the board of the New Mexico Dance Coalition, coordinated a dance project for severely disabled adults, and served as artistic advisor to Dancing One Soul, a company directed by Julie Brette Adams. At the time of her passing, the Dance Art Museum in Santa Fe, recently founded by Kim Caffrey, had begun a dance heritage project to preserve and celebrate Charlene Tarver’s contribution to modern dance education.
Describing the concept of energy in space, she once said: “the energy travels through the dancer’s limbs and keeps going, far out into space, becoming immortal.” Now, Charlene Tarver’s energy, and her legacy, has become immortal.
-Tresa Randall
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