Mrs. Elizabeth (Liz) Finklea
President
Liz Finklea, originally from Scotland, has lived in Morgantown since 1986 when her husband joined the Chemistry Department at West Virginia University (WVU). She is one of the founders of the Northern West Virginia Dance Council, Inc., the parent organization of Morgantown Dance, and has been involved with every aspect of the operation since its inception in 1991. Her two daughters grew up dancing at Morgantown Dance.
Besides her interest in dance, Liz was for many years a Girl Scout leader and served on WVU’s Council for Women’s Concerns. Liz worked for WVU’s Office of International Students and Scholars, as well as the Center for Women’s and Gender Studies, until her retirement in 2019 and continues to volunteer with the International HomeStart Closet, the International Street Festival and is on the Sister Cities Commission.
She has enjoyed watching the dancers of Morgantown Dance grow and develop, not only as professionals but as well-rounded contributing members of society.
“I have seen the values instilled in young people through dance develop their self-esteem and confidence,” she says, “and now I am watching the next generation pass these values on to their children. Our goal is to bring the joy of dance to as many people as possible. To this end we try to make the experience as affordable as we can and our donors, sponsors and grant funders are an important part of that part of our mission.”
Commenting on the history of Morgantown Dance, she says, “Thirty plus years on we count a number of professional dancers in our alumni as well as former dancers who are now dance parents both here and throughout the country.”