How a Tiny College Hours Away Rescued a Philly Dance Legacy
A year ago this week, the University of the Arts in Center City announced that it was suddenly closing its doors, forever, due to financial problems. The decision shocked its students, faculty, and the city at large. But there was one bright spot: The UArts dance program was saved by a tiny college in Vermont. And now we’re told that the dance program is expected to return to Philadelphia from its current location at Vermont’s Bennington College in the 2026-2027 academic year. So we’re revisiting our conversation between host Trenae Nuri, Laura Walker, president of Bennington College, and Donna Faye Burchfield, director of the dance program, about how, and why, Bennington saved this Philly jewel.
Get Philly news & events in your inbox with our newsletter: Hey Philly
Call or text us: 215-259-8170
We’re also on Instagram: @citycastphilly
Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:
Advertise on the podcast or in the newsletter: citycast.fm/advertise
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Stay connected to City Cast Philly and get ready to join the local conversation.
Latest Episodes
How Much Are We Supposed to Tip?
The FIFA World Cup is in full swing, and soccer fans from around the world are here in Philly. But some countries have a different tippin...
'Your City Could Be Better': Why Every Region Needs A Park Map Tool Like Salt Lake’s — Presented By City Cast Philly
Do you know how many parks Philly has? Residents of Salt Lake County have wondered about their parks for years — that is, until City Cast...
‘Brutality’ at Pride, School Cuts Averted & D.A.’s Unusual Letter Delivery to the Mayor
For today’s Friday News Roundup, we’re looking at how City Hall found $50 million to avoid teacher layoffs, we’re discussing the aftermat...
Why You Need To Go to the Odunde Street Festival This Year
Odunde, the largest African American street festival in the nation, returns to Philly on Sunday, June 14, with hundreds of thousands expe...
Shapiro Wants Data Centers. Do Pennsylvanians Agree?
Gov. Josh Shapiro wants data centers in Pennsylvania, and he’s got a plan to incentivize developers to build. But does the governor’s pro...
World Cup Merch Hustle, $200M Police Headquarters & Philly Dem Chairman Clings to Power
What’s one thing we would ban from Center City? Why is the police headquarters costing the city so much money to buy? And will Bob Brady...
The World’s Game Comes to Philly
The FIFA World Cup is here! This weekend marks the first of the six matches that Philly is hosting for the most-watched sporting event in...
'Your City Could Be Better': How Las Vegas Saves More Water Than Any Other City — Presented By City Cast Philly
Philadelphia recycles some of its water, but not as much as Las Vegas, where the water there stays in the city. How else could a desert c...
Big Tech Victorious Over Mayor Parker, Bike Lanes Back in Court & Pride Controversies
Matt Katz and Abby Fritz are looking back at the week that was on today’s Friday News Roundup. Mayor Parker’s plan to raise taxes on Amaz...
The Ice Cream Crossing Guard, Mayfair Mayor & Other Viral Philly TV News Moments
When the TV cameras go live, interviews go viral. And that’s how we end up meeting some of the most interesting Philadelphians. Local Phi...