Not every Tufts professor remembers a time when Jackson College was listed on female students' diplomas or when the Hill lacked Tufts Dance Collective performances. Associate Professor and Director of Dance Alice Trexler has seen it all. After 34 years at Tufts, she plans to retire in May.
Trexler's career in dance has spanned decades. She first fell in love with dance at the age of four, and recalled repeatedly listening to the song "Tina the Ballerina" on a children's record.
"My parents didn't want me to [dance]," Trexler said. "But I begged and begged and begged, and my parents finally relented when I was in the first grade."
Beginning with dance lessons in her home state of North Carolina, Trexler explored all types of dance, including jazz and ballet. She aspired to become a Broadway dancer and majored in dance at New York University (NYU). During that time, she performed on multiple stages, even en pointe in the ballet "Giselle." However, while under the tutelage of professors at NYU, Trexler realized her real passion was teaching.
"I just got captured by the whole world of dance education … and by everything going on in the world of education" Trexler said.
Before coming to Tufts in the fall of 1978, Trexler taught at Wellesley College and Bryn Mawr College.
At Tufts, Trexler has been instrumental in improving and updating the dance department, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2008.
"One of my top goals [when I got to Tufts] was to add non−Western dance," Trexler said.
Trexler was successful, and currently there are a variety of non−Western dance classes offered, including African, Salsa and Indian. These courses culminate in a World Dance Night, where students demonstrate samples of the dances they learn throughout the semester.
In addition, when Trexler arrived in 1978, studio dance courses could not fulfill the arts distribution requirement, unlike music or art classes. She petitioned to get dance classes recognized and succeeded in doing so in 1980.
Originally held in Jackson Gym's wrestling room, dance classes also benefited from Trexler's organization and are now held in the gym's studios.
Trexler is especially proud of the university's 15 student dance groups.
"There were no extra−curricular dance groups when I came here. TDC was not a performing group. They were a programming board," she said. "Now, over 75 percent of student dance groups rehearse in [Jackson's] spaces."
Trexler has also been involved in many facets of Tufts outside of the dance department.
"I guess I've been sort of the unconventional dance faculty member in ways. I didn't stick clearly with dance all the time," Trexler said. "I kept myself very busy."
Trexler has headed various Arts and Sciences committees and has also taught one of the first courses for the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, "Challenging Boundaries," with Professor Emeritus of English Jesper Rosenmeier and Professor of Biology, Francie Chew.
Trexler and Chew also jointly developed a cross−listed dance and American studies course, "Viewing African−American Dance: Perspectives from Art and Science." The course delves into the histories of dance, social politics, medicine and biology. Trexler and Chew aimed both to show how the natural sciences have reinforced differences and to shed light on the Civil Rights Movement.
Chew relayed one example from the class, saying that Rosa Parks did not just choose randomly to refuse to give up her seat. According to Chew, it took years of preparation on the part of Parks as well as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
Trexler and Chew also looked at the use of dance as self−expression by African−American choreographers and dancers. Both Trexler and Chew have a long−standing interest on this topic and are interested in pursuing it further in the future.
"We both have a long−trailed history of being interested in and committed to eliminating racism," Chew said. "I think our point was any social movement has its rock bottom and some very committed people with a lot of hard work. Leaders are made, they're not born."
Chew had nothing but praise for Trexler.
"She's enormously creative … and has a sly sense of humor," Chew said, noting that she is especially impressed by Trexler's ability to use movement to both help people understand each other and to create trust.
"She has a very deep understanding that we live an embodied existence, meaning we are in our bodies … but once you've danced with somebody, you can sit and talk," she said. "She's the sort of person who would do something because it needed to be done, even if there was nobody to do it except her."
Trexler's colleague, Daniel McCusker, senior lecturer and head of Dance Performance Activities, agreed.
"I was amazed by her level of energy and commitment to the dance program at Tufts. There was a point when she was the only person teaching dance, and that says something about her perseverance and vision," McCusker said.
Furthermore, Trexler has made an impact on many alumni and continues to maintain relationships with past students. In fact, she noted that she would miss the students most.
"I love my students, I really do," Trexler said.
She has even left an indelible mark on Tufts' newest students.
"After I took [her] class, I wanted to continue taking dance," freshman Cokie Nanka, who had little dance experience before taking the class, said.
"She definitely cares about everyone," freshman Kirk Jackson said. "She gives us hugs, and [her attitude] is more like, ‘We're going to go through this experience together and explore what we can create.'"
Trexler said that her proudest accomplishment at Tufts is breaking down stereotypes of dancers by teaching students across various disciplines. She is excited to begin working for political campaigns and environmental and social justice causes after retirement.
"My philosophy has always been just do what you have to do, do as much as you can and stop worrying about things you can't control," Trexler said. "So I'm trying to really enjoy my students and get to know my new group."
