Pull on your bell bottoms, grab your favorite tie-dyed item and hop in the time machine — we are boogying back to an era when disco ruled, hair was big and BYU’s College of Fine Arts and Communications was making some groovy advancements. From founding new dancing and management groups to traveling to new countries, these fourteen years were fundamental in the CFAC’s history. It is time to dust off your records and blast this decade’s greatest hits. They’re more than just far-out — their legacies will last forever.
Theatre Ballet Dance Company Is Created | 1970
Founded in 1970 by Sandra B. Allen, BYU’s Theatre Ballet quickly became the university’s premier classical ballet company. Comprising some of the most talented dancers from the Department of Dance, the ensemble was established to provide advanced training and performance opportunities in classical and contemporary ballet. Since its founding, Theatre Ballet has become known for its artistic excellence and has performed both nationally and internationally, representing BYU at festivals, conferences and cultural exchanges.
Brigham Young Ambassadors Performing Group Is Founded | 1970
The Brigham Young Ambassadors (later shortened to Young Ambassadors) originated as a branch of BYU’s Program Bureau, created in 1970 to represent the university at Expo ’70 in Osaka, Japan. Directed by Janie Thompson, the group combined musical theatre with international diplomacy. Now, the group is a cornerstone of BYU’s international performing arts presence.
BYU Student Film “Ice Cream and Elevators” Launches | 1971
On the tail of the popular movie “Love Story,” BYU communications majors decided to film their own rom-com of sorts: “Ice Cream and Elevators.” Robert D. Starling (BA ’71), now owner of Trefoil Productions, produced the film with the late D. Dean Stubbs (BA ’71) as director and G. Dewey Pratt (BA ’71) as cinematographer. The crew aimed to capture the ever-romantic campus life at BYU. Now available on YouTube, the film remains a charming time capsule of student life, proving — even decades later — that love never goes out of style.
Performing Arts Management Is Established | 1971
Originally called the Office of Performance Scheduling, Performing Arts Management (PAM) spawned from the Program Bureau in 1971. PAM was created to facilitate the coordination of booking and coordinating travel as well as promoting all BYU groups that perform globally. Originally directed by Bruce Olsen, PAM now orchestrates more than 400 performances annually in 140 cities and 20 countries; over the past 50 years, BYU students have entertained and uplifted more than 15 million people in 101 countries.
Combined Choirs, Orchestra and Soloists Premiere Merrill Bradshaw’s “Restoration” Oratorio | 1974
In 1974, “The Restoration” oratorio premiered at the Mormon Festival of Arts. Composed by BYU professor Merrill Bradshaw, the oratorio was the product of two years of work and incorporated elements of jazz and popular hymns — the oratorio was even endorsed by apostle Boyd K. Packer. Bradshaw had a distinguished career as BYU’s first composer-in-residence and as John R. Halliday professor of music. Bradshaw as also the chairman of composition and theory from 1973 to 1983.
The Young Company Theatre Troupe Is Formed | 1974
The Whittlin’ Whistlin’ Brigade (now BYU’s Young Company) was founded in 1974 by Dr. Harold R. Oaks. Since then, this group has become a vital member of BYU's touring groups, touring elementary and junior high schools and sharing plays such as “Androcles and the Lion” and “Taste of Sunrise.” Young Company aims to introduce theatre to children at an early age to start a lifelong love of fine arts.
Construction of the Centennial Carillon Bell Tower Is Dedicated | 1975
For the university’s 100th anniversary, BYU built the Carillon Bell Tower, which stands at an astonishing 97 feet tall. Dallin H. Oaks, BYU’s president at the centennial, stated that the bell tower was “a landmark to signal the completion of our first century and to remind us of lofty hopes with which we inaugurate our second century.” In the tower itself, there are 52 bells, all of which were cast in Holland. The largest bell weighs nearly 2.5 tons (4,730 pounds) and the smallest bell weighs 21.5 pounds.
BYU Dancers Perform in Road Show in China | 1979
After a long international flight, BYU’s Young Ambassadors, Living Legends and Ballroom Dance Company pulled together an impromptu performance for Chinese officials in a crowded Guandong Airport. After finishing their performance, officials requested that they perform the next morning at the Peking Minorities Institute. With no official performance commitments on their schedule, BYU performers were both relieved and grateful at this request. When BYU’s performing groups returned to China in 2019 (40 years after their first visit), the Chinese minister of education told then-president Kevin J Worthen that their performances led many Chinese citizens over the age of 55 to believe that BYU is one of the premiere universities — on par with (or even ranking above) the likes of Harvard and Yale.
Barlow Endowment for Music Composition Created | 1983
Milton A. and Gloria Barlow establish the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition at Brigham Young University. Since then, the Endowment has been dedicated to promoting excellence in music composition. The Board of Directors and Board of Advisors employ the endowment to support four programs: the Barlow prize, general commissions, Latter-day Saints composer commissions and education grants. Then in 2023, the Barlow Endowment celebrated its 40th year in existence with a reflective video. Newell Dayley, former CFAC dean and Barlow Endowment chair, clarified that “the Endowment was not just one of them — it was named for Milton and Gloria.
Sharlene Wells Is Crowned Miss America | 1984
Born in Paraguay and fluent in both Spanish and English, Sharlene Wells was crowned BYU Homecoming Queen in 1983, Miss Utah in 1984 and Miss America in 1985. For her talent, she played the Paraguayan harp and sang in Spanish. Wells returned to BYU to finish a degree in communications, graduating magna cum laude in 1988. She went on to earn her master's degree in integrated marketing communications from the University of Utah and was the first woman commentator for ESPN.
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