UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON ARCHIVES
ORAL HISTORY PROJECT
Interview #1396
COWAN, KAREN
COWAN, Karen (1943-)
Undergraduate student; graduate student; professor emerita of UW-Madison Extension
At UW: 1950s (specific date unknown)-2007 (BS '62, MS '67, MFA '73, PhD '90)
Interviewed: October 21, 2014
Interviewer: Harv Thompson (professor emeritus of the department of continuing education in
the arts), Maryo Gard Ewell (daughter of Robert Gard, president of Robert Gard
Foundation), and Anne Pryor (folklorist at Wisconsin Arts Board)
Indexed by: Nichole Barnes
Length: 2 hours, 17 minutes
Abstract: In her 2014 interview with Harv Thompson, Maryo Gard Ewell, and Anne
Pryor, professor emerita of dance Karen Cowan discusses her early years in northern
Wisconsin and her career at the University of Wisconsin Extension. Cowan discusses her
role in community outreach and dance education from the 1950s through the 2000s.
Cowan also details the influences of Robert Gard on the UW-Extension Arts program
during his tenure. This interview was conducted for inclusion into the UW-Madison Oral
History Program.
Key words: Karen Cowan; dance; University of Wisconsin-Extension; Robert
Gard; Wisconsin Idea; University of Wisconsin System integration; education;
continuing education; outreach; programming; adult learning; Wisconsin Dance
Council; Wisconsin Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and
Dance; Green Bay; Green Bay Packers.
Interview Session: Tape 1
Tape 1/Side 1 Keywords
00:00:04
Interviewer Harv Thompson introduces fellow interviewers Maryo Gard Ewell
and Anne Pryor and the interviewee, Karen Cowan.
00:02:07
Question: Can you tell us about your family and your background? Answer:
Cowan was born in 1937 in Sturgeon Bay and spent her childhood growing up in
her grandparents’ hotel during the Great Depression. Cowan’s family came from
Germany ancestry. Cowan describes her childhood in the diverse shipbuilding
town in Door County.
00:04:34
Cowan’s grandparents and parents had limited education, but she feels that from
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their time in rural one room schoolhouses, they received a broad education that
helped them in their varied careers. Cowan’s entire family valued education very
highly.
00:06:43
Cowan’s father worked three jobs, including one at a local tavern called the Owl
Tavern. The owner of the Owl was adopted by Cowan as another grandmother
figure and “Grandma Mann” often babysat Cowan as a child. Through this
connection, Cowan met many of the actors who played the munchkins in The
Wizard of Oz.
00:07:33
The local movie theater was close to Cowan’s home at the hotel and she spent
hours there with her father who was a film enthusiast. She became interested in
dance by watching films.
00:08:05
Cowan discusses her early dance lessons in Sturgeon Bay. Two instructors from
Milwaukee, Vesper Chamberlin and Dorothea Wittick (sp?), came to town and
taught dance lessons. Cowan began her first dance lessons at age five and knew
from then on that dancing was what she wanted to do with her life.
00:09:00
Question: Can you tell us the names of your parents and grandparents? Answer:
Cowan’s maiden name was Lautenbach. Her mother’s name was Graff. Cowan
talks about her family’s business history working in the restaurant industry.
00:09:42
Question: Were there particular dancers from the 30s or 40s that captured your
imagination? Answer: All of Judy Garland’s films, Anne Miller, Fred Astaire,
Ginger Rogers.
00:10:10
Follow-up question: Was it all of those films that got you interested in dancing
when you were as little as five? Answer: I would think so. As a child, Cowan may
not have recognized what an impression film made on her, but she was exposed to
the arts in many ways.
00:10:30
Dance was very important during her childhood, and her mother and father were
very good dancers. Cowan discusses the places where she and her family danced
in Sturgeon Bay, including the pavilion called the Grasshopper.
00:11:26
Question: Talk little bit about your elementary school years. What kind of a kid
were you and did you have opportunities to take dance all throughout that time?
Answer: Cowan did take dance as well as figure skating lessons. Cowan was
coached by a semi-professional skater. However, funds were not available for her
to continue her lessons.
00:14:42
When Cowan was ten, her grandparents passed away and her family moved to a
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house right across from her school, which served grades K-12. Her school had
assemblies that were sponsored by UW-Extension and the Marvin Foster
Program.
00:17:23
Question: So then you went to college? And where did you go? Answer: Cowan
went to UW-Madison.
00:17:32
Follow-up question: And was that something that your family had aspired to for
you while you were growing up? Answer: They had, but when Cowan was eleven
her parents bought a resort in Fish Creek that was a mecca for the arts and this
exposed her to excellent classical music and theater.
00:19:08
Question: Could we put a timeframe on this? What decade are we talking about?
Answer: It was about 1949 until the 1960s that the Cowan family owned the
resort.
00:19:28
While in high school, Cowan was invited by University of Wisconsin (as the
University of Wisconsin-Madison was called then) dance major Ginka Cohn to
dance in lecture demonstrations presented by Margaret N. H’Doubler who owned
a summer home in Door County.
00:22:22
Question: We’ve talked about the high school era for you and I’m curious, were
there courses or people in the school who supported your interest in the arts and
dance? Or did you have to propel yourself forward? Answer: Cowan discusses her
various influences during her school years. School, however, was very academic
and had few formal opportunities for dance instruction within the school. Yet,
Cowan immersed herself in the arts in other way, including marching band.
00:24:40
Question: So tell us once more, you selected Madison because of some
individuals you had met in your life? Answer: Cowan decided to attend UWMadison based on her interactions with her physical education teacher, Ginka
Cohn and Margaret H’Doubler.
00:26:20
Question: One of the things I’d like to focus on is dance education and how it
came into your life. Answer: Cowan’s degree program at UW-Madison was
focused on dance education as opposed to performance.
00:28:58
Cowan decided she wanted to go the academic route because she wanted to teach
at the college and university level. She had already experienced working in schools
[in Madison], including Marquette on Washington Avenue, which is now gone,
and Central High School. This experience made Cowan realize she wanted to work
with adults.
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00:29:28
Question: Were there any brilliant teachers that you had when you were a student
that really inspired you? Answer: Cowan’s program was very broad in that she was
required to take science classes in addition to her dance courses. Cowan took
classes with Louise Klepper, Mary Fee, Maya Schotta, Janie Eastem, and Tibor
Zana.
00:30:45
Follow-up question: Could we put the date on this? Answer: Cowan came to
Madison in the 1950s, left, then came back, and graduated with a BA in 1962.
Cowan went on for her MS at UW in 1967 and her MFA in 1973, all while
teaching.
00:33:16
Follow-up question: Where were you teaching? At UW? Answer: From 1963-1972
she was an ad-hoc specialist for UW-Extension. Cowan lists the various positions
she held during the 1970s.
00:33:39
Question: What kind of dance did you teach? Answer: All forms, including
children’s, ballet, modern, and creative.
00:34:49
Question: So talk about the programs at the UW centers (as the other campuses
across the state were known before integration into the UW System). Answer:
Intructors could use the expertise of the area and create non-credit programming
for dance all over the state.
00:35:54
Follow-up question: Could you just describe a little bit what arts and Extension
was like during that time? Do you remember some of the other programs and did
you interact with them much? Answer: Cowan described the other UW-Extension
programs as being creative, like dance, and how instructors could develop
interesting programming for communities across the state.
00:36:29
Question: Karen, how did you connect with the education department? Answer:
Fred Langfeld found Cowan working at a dress shop on State Street and asked her
to teach a couple of evening dance, fitness, and yoga courses for Extension. This
turned out to be a much larger job and she was then discovered by the arts program
at Extension, headed by Robert Gard.
00:38:39
Follow-up question: Can you talk about your first meeting [with Robert Gard]:
Answer: Gard was a special person and he recognized that dance needed to be
added to the program. Gard first interviewed Cowan for the Extension Arts
program.
00:39:21
Question: So what might have been a typical thing that you would have done while
you were part of the Extension arts program? Answer: While there, Cowan did
numerous programming projects, like setting up classes and tours, performances,
and workshops across the state.
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00:41:37
Question: Could we put a timeline on your transition from Extension education to
Extension Arts, because it seems to correspond with the creation of the UWSystem in the early 1970s. Answer: Yes, in 1973, it was called
Education/Extension Arts and in 1976, it was all Extension Arts.
00:42:53
Follow-up question: I’d be interested to hear more about that transition for you
personally. How did you win over the arts people to the point that they hired you to
be part of their staff/faculty? Answer: Cowan was teaching in the in the basements
of professors’ homes and teaching their children to dance during her college years.
As such, she came to the attention of the arts faculty who later hired her.
00:46:43
Question: How did your work in the arts department differ from your work in
education? Answer: Cowan’s new position just broadened her ability to explore
the more artistic side of dance as opposed to focusing on the physical education
component.
00:48:06
Question: Do you have any recall about the first meetings that you attended as an
assistant professor within the group of all-male faculty? Answer: Cowan relays
how she was asked to make coffee at her very first meeting. She declined as she
did not consume the drink. She also asked her colleagues to be mindful of their
language and storytelling. She notes how supportive her department was of her
and her career from then on.
00:50:21
Question: Did you ever do projects across disciples? Answer: Yes, the different
departments worked together on many projects. She also worked with the Theater
Association and Dance Council. In 1962, Cowan became secretary of the
Wisconsin Dance Council. She went on to become the organization’s executive
director in 1975. For the Wisconsin Association of Health, Physical Education,
Recreation, and Dance, Cowan was instrumental in adding dance to the name
(since dropped) and she served as the executive director from 1974-88.
00:52:41
Question: I’m wondering if we might reflect on Bob Gard and the School of the
Arts for a few minutes. Answer: I worked at the Rhinelander School of the Arts
for twenty-five years. While at the school, she worked closely with Helen
O’Brien.
00:53:54
Cowan also toured a theater piece with O’Brien, a youth drama specialist, called
‘The Woman from 1870 to 1915: From Hoops to Hobble Skirts.’ The dances and
costumes of the pieces reflected women’s history from the late eighteenth through
the early twentieth centuries.
00:55:56
Question: Going back to Bob Gard and thinking of the School of the Arts, can
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you describe what his vision enabled you as a professional educator to offer other
people? How did adult students of the School of the Arts respond to it? Answer:
Bob was just unique and a very creative person so the School of the Arts brought
adults from all over to study in any area of the arts they may not have had the
opportunity to be exposed to. Cowan’s nephew worked with Bob directly in a
class and wrote a poem that Cowan still has framed. Bob was always very
supportive and supportive of young people moving into the arts.
00:57:11
Interviewer discusses Charles Van Hise’s assessment of Extension’s goals and its
relation to the Wisconsin Idea in developing whatever talents the citizens of
Wisconsin possessed. Question: Was this also the philosophy of the School of the
Arts and the philosophy of Gard? Answer: Yes, that’s very true. It was part of the
Wisconsin Idea that there were no walls at the University, arts were available to
all people. Cowan continues to discuss the importance of the arts and creativity
for all people.
01:01:31
Question: Can you describe any of your experiences with the Vietnam War
protests on campus? Answer: Cowan states that she did not really pay attention,
but recognizes that the situation was very serious on campus at that time. The
dance people would just lock the doors to the studio and go about their business.
01:02:33
Question: How were the Wisconsin Dance Council, Alliance for Arts Education,
and the Wisconsin Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and
Dance different? And what was your role in each of them? Answer: Cowan
started at Wisconsin Dance Council in 1962 and served as executive director in
1975-2007. She also served in leadership roles at the Alliance for Arts Education
and the Wisconsin Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and
Dance.
01:04:44
Interviewer: At this point in Cowan’s career, Extension’s function was statewide.
It found ways to support all seventy-two Wisconsin counties through the 4-H
Development Program. Question: I’m sure you worked with those people as well?
Answer: It was mainly Helen O’Brien, but Cowan also helped with art activities
for the 4-H Youth Development program.
01:06:09
Interviewer discusses the Wisconsin Alliance for the Arts Education. Question:
That organization was unique, and you were one of the key leaders in helping that
happen, what was it all about? Answer: The Wisconsin Alliance for Arts
Education represented all the different arts in order to ensure that arts programs
were visible and viable in the schools. Unlike music and art, dance did not have a
structure of teachers around the state so it was difficult to gain traction.
01:09:36
Interviewer: One topic we’d like to explore more is working with Robert Gard.
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Question: Can you elaborate on your impressions of working with him? Or any
specific experiences or events that illustrate was it was like to work with him?
Answer: Gard was the chair of the department when Cowan arrived and he was a
presence, making him a fabulous role model and mentor. He supported the staff to
articulate their artistic vision and develop creative projects.
01:11:37
Question: Can you describe some of the creative programs you tried? Answer:
Early in her career, Cowan did a series with WHA-TV called “Movement
Explorations: Dance” on space, time, and different phases of an individual’s
discovery of their body. The program was directed at teachers grades K-3. There
was a second program in the series aimed at high school students.
01:13:08
Many years later, Cowan developed an online distance learning course for dance
that was grant supported.
01:16:10
Question: Well is there anything else you would like to mention? Be it the Green
Bay Packers, your classes, or your parents, or your family, or education. Answer:
Cowan was a Packer Golden Girl. There are only three Golden Girls left who do
the old routine. They performed over the summer [2014] at the 150th anniversary
of St. Willibrord Catholic Church, where Vince Lombardi attended, in Green Bay.
01:17:02
Question: Can you describe your routine? Answer: The old routine involves the
old Packers song and it is a pompom routine. They also have been doing senior
center tailgate parties. When she was with the Packers, the costume included
skirts to the knee, tennis shoes, and thick sweaters with a P on the front.
01:18:49
Interviewer: Tell us the years you were a Golden Girl. Answer: Cowan performed
on the Packer’s field while in grade school and then through high school. The
performers were on television and always had a chaperone for all events.
01:21:35
Interviewer explores the department and the component pieces of who was in the
department within Extension. Question: As I recall, you became part of the Green
Bay campus: Answer: No, Cowan never became part of the Green Bay camps.
She always belonged to Madison. Cowan details her professional relationship
with Green Bay.
01:23:15
Question: How did you get to Green Bay in the first place? Answer: It was
because Michael Kazar was ill. Cowan worked at Green Bay for seven years
while still performing her duties in Madison and working for local professional
organizations.
01:25:15
Interviewer discusses the integration of the University of Wisconsin System in
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1985. Question: I’m trying to remember if you were still in Green Bay at the
time? Answer: No, Cowan returned to Madison in 1982. Cowan discusses the
reasons for her move back to Madison. She continued her programs in Green Bay
until 1985.
01:27:00
Interviewer discusses the changes that came about to integration and the change
of the department’s name to Continuing Education in the Arts. Question: I think it
became more challenging to work statewide with the Madison campus more or
less controlling the department’s work. Did you sense that? Answer: Cowan never
sensed that but acknowledges that integration was a change as the department was
no longer doing statewide programming. Yet, these changes did not prevent
Cowan from engaging with dance education at the national level through
conferences, symposiums, and workshops.
01:32:05
Question: Were you still encouraged to work with the Dance Council, etc. after
integration? Answer: Absolutely, she continued to work with these organizations
because service to the community was important at UW-Madison, particularly the
national and international connections of the faculty.
01:34:35
Question: Do you remember any of the politics of integration? Answer: The
politics of integration in Madison were complicated. Many professors chose to
stay with Extension instead of moving into the larger Madison departments of
dance, art, etc. Gard would have been proud of the decision.
01:37:30
Question: The department now had to serve two masters, is that how you felt?
Answer: Yes, Continuing Education, as the division became known, was fortunate
to have the strength of faculty, like the legacy of Gard, and the history of the
Wisconsin Idea.
01:41:08
Question: So had you gotten your PhD by this point? Answer: During her busy
career, Cowan also fit in doctoral studies. Her research focused on the current
state of dance in Wisconsin and the early developmental influences.
01:43:04
Question: So you finally got your PhD when? Answer: 1990. Her studies were
interrupted by a diagnosis of breast cancer in 1987.
01:43:25
Follow-up question: So you said your thesis was on the state of dance education
1990, what did you conclude? Answer: Through her doctoral research, Cowan
concluded that by 1990, the state of dance in Wisconsin was in a period of
change. Non-credit programming was enhanced with the opening of private dance
studios, run by quality dance instructors, in many communities.
01:45:02
Question: So you’re still dancing on stage? Answer: Yes, Cowan still performs on
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stage in shows like Nutcracker, among others. She details her current activities
and how she does it all for children.
01:45:55
Question: It may be useful for you to share your continuing education curriculum.
How did you decide that the adults of Madison, or Green Bay, or other particular
areas needed a particular class? Answer: When developing her dance curriculum,
Cowan offered what was available in her field that would attract children and
adults. Cowan details her classes, number of students, and types of instructors she
hired.
01:48:44
Question: After the1985 integration, were you suddenly given dance studios in
which to teach and hold classes? Answer: Cowan had been programming in
Lathrop Hall for a long time and that continued until she was moved. Classes
moved from Lathrop Hall and were held in various off campus locations across
Madison. Continuing education students were not happy with this decision. Fees
were raised to pay for rented class space. Integration brought changes and
challenges to the continuing education dance program.
01:53:11
Question: You served on many committees during you career. And you also
served on the faculty Senate, is that right? I wondered if you would talk about
those and why you felt it was important. Answer: Cowan did serve on campus
committees, including the Faculty Senate as she felt it was important to do so as
part of UW-Madison. She also served on tenure committees as part of the
Humanities Divisional Committee. Cowan was a useful resource for people
within her department looking to achieve tenure.
01:58:19
Question: I wanted to revisit your PhD work. Could you comment on your
dissertation defense and your committee? Answer: When working on her
dissertation, Cowan had been very selective in forming her committee. She
selected Arthur Prieve from the School of Business, Anna Nassif, Loni Gordon,
and two others.
02:01:38
Question: What challenges do dance educators face in 2014? Was it the same as it
was thirty years ago? Five years ago? Answer: In 2014, Cowan believes there are
more difficulties facing dance and dance instructors than in the past; physical
education programs do not typically include dance so learners must take private
lessons.
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02:03:06
Follow-up question: So as you think about dance education now versus when you
were doing your thesis, it sounds like everything shifted to the private sector, like
the dance studio, because there isn’t going to be any in the K-12 public schools or
outreach from the university. Answer: Cowan would agree. There is very little
outreach and very few school programs. She believes that Milwaukee may be the
only city in Wisconsin that still offers dance in the schools.
02:04:19
Question: What year did you retire? What were some of the reasons that led you
to retire from the university? Answer: Age. At sixty-five, her ability to do that
much physical work changed. Cowan retired from the university in 2002. She
stayed on as a professor emerita until 2007.
02:05:21
Follow-up question: So you moved back to Green Bay at that time [2002]?
Answer: Cowan returned to Green Bay in 2007 to take care of her mother. Green
Bay is her current home and she remains active by performing and taking classes.
02:06:24
Through the classes she takes, Cowan noticed how teaching is different now. The
people that are trained now have not had the background in anatomy and
kinesiology, that instructors like Cowan did so they can give classes, but they
cannot train. There is a real difference between training and giving a class.
02:14:41
Cowan also still performs ballroom dance professionally with her long-term dance
partner, Vivian Tomlinson. Cowan has made many other friendships through
dance and she hopes they remember her as being supportive of them and their
talents.
02:17:23
End interview.
END OF ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW #1396
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