Jill Becker – Associate Professor of Dance
Where were you when you and what were you doing at 20?
It was 1969 and I was at State University of New York at Brockport studying as a dance major. I had been inspired to dance since I was about 15 when I saw an Alvin Ailey Dance Theater performance, and I was just blown away.
What kind of student were you in college?
I was a great student when I was dancing, and I was dancing a lot. So my dancing grades were great, but when it came to academics I was like a B student.
What was going on politically in 1969?
Vietnam was big, the civil right movement was still huge, and women’s rights were big. The times were very turbulent. When I was in college the Kent State shootings happened, so we closed down our school in support. Growing up my family was very political, and I was the artist and not as political as them, but I was still quite hippy.
What types of music did you listen to?
I was into Bob Dylan, Cream, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown; I loved all of the Motown stuff. I also listened to a lot of jazz in those days like Miles Davis, John Coltrain, and Thelonius Monk.
If it was an average Saturday or Friday night how would you let loose?
I would go out to clubs with friends and have a couple of drinks and dance.