Viking_Yearbook_78

"To develop the body to move beyond the regular walk , run or sit is very exciting to me," says 23-year-old Erica Paul– son . Erica started taking ballet lessons when she was 16 years old. Two years later, as a freshman at PSU , she became involved in the dance program here headed by Nancy Matschek. The program is designed to give a broad educa– tion in preparation for a career-or simply for pleasure. " Nancy and Cathy Evleshin, another PSU dance instruc– tor, were so supportive, even though I was a crummy dancer and overweight. They helped me with all my ques– tions and fears ." The turning point for Erica came when she attended a four-week summer session with the Utah Repertory Dance Company in Salt Lake City in 1975. "We studied all kinds of things : tai chai , performance techniques, creative dance for children, anatomy, lighting, jazz and modern dance . There were dancers from all over the United States, and I was one· of the few chosen to perform with the company at the end of the session. That proved to me I could do it-and from then I worked harder and planned eventually to go to New York." Since then Erica's days have been filled with PSU repertory dance classes and jazz and modern stud ies at Jefferson High School and other studios in Portland. She teaches jazz for the Park Bureau , Multnomah Athletic Club, and Portland Community Continuing Education . " I don 't have a good day if I don 't have a dance class. It's become an obsession with me," she said . Erica also attends classes part-time in General Studies. Erica recently formed a group with fellow dancer friends called " Dance Alive." Group members get together weekly and choreograph their own dances for community perfor– mances.