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ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University’s (LU) College of Fine Arts and Communication will mark a milestone this spring as Dean Golden Wright celebrates two decades at the university with a retrospective dance concert featuring students, alumni and original works spanning his career. 

The performance, scheduled for Friday, May 1 and Saturday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the University Theatre, will include 13 pieces choreographed by Wright over the past 20 years. The concert brings together current students and returning alumni, many of whom have worked with Wright during his time as a professor, department chair and now dean.

Wright said remaining at one institution throughout his career has allowed him to grow professionally while making a sustained impact on students and programs.

“Over the 20 years, it’s provided me an opportunity to make a change as a faculty member, as a department chair, and now as dean,” Wright said. “That gives me great pleasure in knowing that I’ve been able to serve the university and the students.”

Though his role has shifted into administration, Wright continues to maintain his identity as a working artist.

“I love being a dancer, and I continue to be an artist,” he said. “Whether I’m a faculty member or an administrator, I’m also an artist.”

The anniversary concert is not built around a single theme, Wright said, but instead reflects a range of ideas, emotions and experiences developed over time. Some pieces draw from personal moments, while others are intended to resonate more broadly with audiences.

“There’s something for kids, there’s something for adults,” he said. “I’m hoping individuals who come to the concert will find something that touches them — a story, a feeling, a moment.”

Planning for the performance began nearly a year ago and includes contributions from performers and collaborators across Wright’s career. Alumni will return to the stage alongside current students, and longtime colleagues are also involved behind the scenes.

“It’s been 10 and a half months of trying to bring people together,” Wright said. “What’s been special is having alumni and colleagues come back — people I’ve had the opportunity to work with over the years — and now we get to put it all together.”

Wright also credited students with shaping his perspective as both an educator and artist, noting that their varied backgrounds influence the work created within the department.

“Every time you interact with a student, you learn something,” he said. “A lot of times what our art is, is where we’ve come from.”

Wright started his formal dance training at 16 in Victoria, Texas, later performing with regional companies including Ballet Arkansas and Ballet Austin. He earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in dance from Sam Houston State University and later completed a doctorate in educational leadership at LU.

His choreography has been presented at festivals and conferences across the country, including the American College Dance Association, and internationally in Taiwan through collaborative partnerships that also created study abroad opportunities for LU students. His work has earned recognition for innovation, including a Friends of the Arts award for integrating technology into choreography.

The concert is open to the public. Tickets and additional information are available at .

For more on Golden Wright’s journey and impact at LU, listen to his episode of LU Moment: /news-and-events/lu-moment/lu-moment-s9-ep11.html