Leaving a Whole Person Legacy
Celebrating the Dance, Ministry and Life of Amy McIntosh
With a passion for dance and a desire to live a life of purpose, Amy McIntosh danced into the hearts of everyone who knew her. Founding Director of Dance and Associate Professor at Oral Roberts University,
McIntosh used her platform as an artist to minister and pour into the lives of other people. McIntosh was after being diagnosed with cancer in October 2014. On April 3, 2015 she took her last breath on earth surrounded by her husband and some of her fellow dancers from Living Water Dance Community, who danced for her one last time in her home. She was 37. She is survived by her husband Jacob McIntosh and sons Morgan and Justice.
“Amy had this real concept of whole-person living,” said Communications, Arts and Media Chair and Professor Laura Holland. “She really lived to merge her faith with dance.”
The Tulsa native received her B.F.A. in dance performance and choreography from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri and her M.F.A in dance performance and choreography from the State University of New York in Brockport. She danced professionally with many well-known artists. McIntosh was the Associate Chair of Dance and a tenured faculty member at Belhaven University in Jackson, Mississippi from 2001-2006. She was also an adjunct professor at the University of Tulsa from 2006-2007.
In the fall of 2007, McIntosh came to work at ORU. She became involved in the dance community in Tulsa and founded Living Water Dance Community, where she was the artist director. McIntosh was also involved with the praise and worship team at her church, West Tulsa United Methodist Church.
“She was a genuine person,” said Holland. “She believed in truth in dancing and truth in herself.”
McIntosh loved the vision and Whole Person education offered at ORU. Not only did she teach her students about Whole Person living, but she also was a living example of what it means to seek after wholeness. She believed marriage, motherhood and dance should all be integrated.
“Amy was a whole person,” said dance and nursing major Jessica Collier. “She taught us about the vision of ORU, but more importantly, she lived it. She never let work interfere with her family life. In fact, she combined them. I remember being cast in one of her pieces, and her bringing Morgan and Justice to rehearsal and having them learn the choreography as well.”
McIntosh’s legacy will continue to guide the ORU Dance Department. Her mission, vision and teachings will carry on for many years to come.
