Lilesville Native, Dance Professor Lula Wall Dies

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Lilesville native Lula Margaret Wall, professor emeritus of dance at The University of Alabama, died Thursday, Dec. 6.

A graveside service will be held at Forestville Cemetery in Lilesville, N.C. on Saturday, Dec. 15, at 11 a.m. Arrangements are by Leavitt Funeral Home, Wadesboro, N.C., phone (704) 694-2524.

Wall, who served as a professor of dance at The University of Alabama for 30 years, oversaw the development of UA’s dance program, taking it from a set of courses in the University’s Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation to a complete program in UA’s Department of Theatre and Dance. In 1967 she began the University Dancers and their annual concert, Evening of Dance, became a feature on the University’s arts calendar.

After retiring in 1989, she returned to her home state and resided in Carrboro where she actively pursued another of her life-long interests, fiber arts. She was active in the Triangle Weavers and exhibited regularly. She was the recipient of blue ribbons in fiber arts at the North Caroline State Fair a number of years. She served as a volunteer with Weaver Street Market, at the Carrboro Arts Center, Interfaith Council, Playmakers Theatre, and at the American Dance Festival.

The daughter of Margaret and James Bradley Wall, she was born on July 25, 1933 in Lilesville, North Carolina in the house built by her great-grandfather. She graduated from Lilesville High School and attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she earned her undergraduate degree and a master of fine arts degree in 1957. After teaching a year at Wilson College in Pennsylvania she joined the faculty at The University of Alabama.

Throughout her career Wall continued to study and regularly attended the summer programs at Connecticut College in what became the American Dance Festival, and studied in studios in New York City. She worked with such major dance figures as Martha Graham, Jose Limon, Doris Humphrey, Louis Horst and others. In 1986 Wall was presented with the Governor’s Arts Award, and in 1989 she received the Druid Arts Award as Dance Educator from the Arts Council of Tuscaloosa County.

Lou Wall is survived by her sisters, Anne Wall Thomas and Mary Wall Garren, her brother, Dr. Joe T. Wall and wife Peggy, all of Chapel Hill, and two nephews, two nieces, three grand-nephews and three grand-nieces.

Memorials may be made to the American Dance Festival, Box 90772, Durham, NC 27708-0772 or to the arts group of the donor’s choice.