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OSU Dance mourns loss of Dr. Vera Maletic

October 15, 2015

OSU Dance mourns loss of Dr. Vera Maletic

Dr.Vera Maletic

With heavy hearts, we mourn the passing of Dr. Vera Maletic. Vera served the OSU Department of Dance as a faculty member from 1977 to 2000.   An internationally renowned dance scholar, Vera wrote the definitive book, Body – Space – Expression: The Development of Rudolf Laban’s Movement and Dance Concepts.  She developed Laban Studies as a central focus of the curriculum during the eighties and nineties, with courses in Effort, Space Harmony, and Labananalysis. Vera’s insatiable quest for new knowledge kept her research at the cutting edge of the dance field, developing the first OSU Postmodern Dance course and embracing emerging practices in performance art and multimedia.

Vera Maletic grew up in Croatia, studying in her mother’s renowned modern dance school in Zagreb, training in Dalcroze Eurhythmics, Laban Movement, and Choreography while also performing the rich and varied folk dances of her country. After receiving her undergraduate degree in Art History, she pursued advanced Laban training in England and served on the faculty of the Laban Art of Movement Studio (now the Laban Centre of Movement and Dance) for ten years.  She moved to the US to pursue her doctorate at OSU and subsequently joined the faculty.

Body – Space – Expression: The Development of Rudolf Laban’s Movement and Dance Concepts.  By Dr Vera Maletic.

Susan Hadley, Chair, shares “Dr. Vera Maletic's scholarship and teaching influenced generations of colleagues and students working in Laban Studies, movement analysis, dance theory, education, performance, and choreography. We mourn her passing and celebrate her great legacy to the OSU Department of Dance and the wider professional field.”

* excerpts from a letter of support by Lucy Venable

 A celebration of Vera Maletic was held on Sunday Oct 22nd.