TrevEchoes Podcast EP. 3: from banned ballroom to Broadway, dancing history at Trevecca.

Lauren Steinbrook

News and Engagement Editor

For decades, dancing at Trevecca Nazarene University was restricted by church guidelines that shaped campus life and student culture. Today, students rehearse high-energy Broadway choreography on the Benson stage — a transformation that reflects deeper shifts in how faith, art and expression intersect on campus.

In this episode, TrevEchoes reporter Lauren Steinbrook traces Trevecca’s evolving relationship with dance, from strict prohibitions in the late 20th century to modern productions like Newsies. Through interviews with Dr. Lena Hegi Welch, dean of the School of Arts and Social Sciences and a Trevecca alumna, senior theater education major Jules Twining and longtime theater professor Jeff Frame, the episode explores how students and faculty navigated changing expectations around movement, performance and faith.

Interviewees (in order of appearance):
Dr. Lena Hegi Welch, Dean of the School of Arts and Social Sciences; Professor of Communication Studies; Trevecca theater alumna
Jules Twining, senior theater education major, cast member in Newsies
Professor Jeff Frame, Professor of Dramatic Arts and Communication Studies, School of Arts and Social Sciences

Audio Websites used:

“The Time Warp” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) — for reference and contextual discussion only
Archival clip from The Music Man (1997), American Musical Theatre of San Jose — publicly available source
“Late Brew” by Danny Shields and Friedee — licensed royalty-free through artist.io
Trevecca theater department rehearsal recordings — used with permission

Host & Writer:

Lauren Steinbrook

Producer / Audio Editor:

Lauren Steinbrook

Recorded at:

Trevecca Nazarene University

© [2025] Trevecca Nazarene University – All Rights Reserved