Iris Garland: Modern Movement

From 1965 to 2002, Iris Garland was a determined advocate for dance at Simon Fraser University (SFU), in the broader community of greater Vancouver, and at a national level. From humble beginnings in Chicago, Garland went from physical education teacher to dance pioneer. She joined SFU as a charter faculty member and created, along with her colleagues, western Canada's first credit program in dance. She taught courses, led non-credit dance workshops, invited prominent guest artists to the university, and, along with her students and in collaboration with the Centre for Communications and the Arts, choreographed full-length productions at the SFU Theatre. She was a strong mentor who influenced countless students, encouraging them to pursue dance no matter their previous training. Her partnership with husband James Felter, the university's first art gallery director, provided a strong foundation of artistic inspiration and mutual respect.