UT Tyler, TJC Partner to Offer Master Class with Martha Graham Dance Company 

TYLER, Texas (October 27, 2026) – On Monday, Oct. 26, The University of Texas at Tyler R. Don  Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center and the Tyler Junior College Academy of Dance partnered  to present an exclusive master class with the Martha Graham Dance Company, which is performing  at the Cowan Center Tuesday evening.

“One of the most rewarding aspects of presenting internationally acclaimed artists at the Cowan  Center is creating opportunities for our local students to engage with them beyond the stage,” said  Jeff Noblitt, UT Tyler Cowan Center executive director. “We’re excited to partner with TJC once  again, following the success of last season’s Parsons Dance Company master class, to allow students  to learn directly from these artists in a classroom setting.”

One of the Martha Graham Dance Company members conducted the class for students of the TJC  Academy of Dance.

“Our students are buzzing with excitement over this special occasion, not only for the master class,  but for the opportunity to watch these dancers live on stage at the Cowan Center,” said Carolyn  Hanna, TJC Academy of Dance director. “Anytime a world-class modern dance company performs in  Tyler, it’s an exciting event, and we hope the community will join us in attending this exhilarating  performance.”

Sponsored by James I. and Margaret Perkins with support from the Cowan Center Performance  Excellence Endowment, the Martha Graham Dance Company will take the stage at 7:30 p.m.  Tuesday, Oct. 27.

The Cowan Center is also offering discounted tickets for all local students using the code MARTHA.  Tickets are available at the Cowan Center box office, by calling 903.566.7424 or online at  cowancenter.org.

A leader in modern dance, the Martha Graham Dance Company is the oldest dance company in the  nation. The company is embracing a new programming vision that showcases masterpieces by  Graham alongside newly commissioned works by contemporary artists. During its 100-year history,  the company has received acclaim from audiences and critics in more than 50 countries.

With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT  Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 11,700 students.  Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has  unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent

patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World  Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.