The University Wisconsin-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts has announced that Ed Burgess, longtime chair and professor of its Dance Department died suddenly at the age of 58. Burgess joined the faculty in 1989. He was a well known and respected choreographer both locally and nationally.
Before arriving in Milwaukee, Burgess spent several years touring with Jennifer Muller and the Works of New York City and taught internationally in Ireland, Norway and Taiwan. Burgess began his dance training in 1974 at the Houston Academy and then received a scholarship to attend Southern Methodist University in Dallas from 1975-1977. He joined the Connecticut Dance Theatre in 1977 in Hartford and then moved to New York City in 1979 to join Muller.
Burgess choreographed, directed or performed with Milwaukee Shakespeare, Wild Space Dance Company, Milwaukee Dance Theater, Your Mother Dances, Milwaukee Ballet, The Skylight, Renaissance Theaterworks, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Danceworks, The Cleveland Playhouse, The Monomoy Theatre on Cape Cod, The Hartt School in Hartford, CT., and the Bay View Music Festival on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Arrangements are being made and will be announced as they become available at arts.uwm.edu/edburgess
