100 years, going strong: Sara Carpenter embraces a lifelong philosophy of movement and dance

On Dec. 23, 2021, a crowd overflowed from The Price Center’s 1910 Room as family and friends gathered around a tiny, vibrant woman dressed like a queen.

The woman, Sara Carpenter, received her guests with bright-eyed smiles, including Dr. Denise Trauth, president of Texas State University, and Mayor Jane Hughson, who presented Carpenter with a certificate commemorating her 100th birthday. As the event progressed, Carpenter’s family and friends continued to file in, necessitating the addition of more tables and chairs to accommodate them. All the while — flanked by her daughters Dr. Cindy Gratz and Lani Hill — Carpenter continued to observe them with the poise borne from a long life’s experiences as well as a dancer’s grace.

Carpenter is a member of the Price Time Dancers, a troupe that formed in 2015 with choreography based on the abilities and interests of those who attend rehearsals. Dr. Gratz brought the group to the Price Center in 2017, which helped bring more dance offerings to the center since its inception.

“Prior to COVID, Sara attended several dance classes a week,” said Clay Destefano, executive direction of the Price Center. “At its peak, dance was available nine times a week. Different classes included Zumba, clogging, aerobic, tap, line, ballet, and jazz. Not all were PTD classes.”

This aligns neatly with Sara Carpenter’s outlook for how to have a healthy existence.

Sara Medellin, in high school. Sara Carpenter, in a recent painting class. Photos submitted by Dr. Cindy Gratz

“Mom’s philosophy of life,” Dr. Gratz said, “Dance. Always dance. Dance because it is what you love to do and dance as long as you are alive.”

Sara Carpenter takes this philosophy to heart, and it is one to which we can all aspire.

Carpenter was born Sara Medellin on Dec. 25, 1921 at a ranch in South Texas. “The ranch was called San Antonio Viejo, but since it was in the country, she is registered as being born in Hebbronville,” Gratz said.

According to Gratz, her mother grew up in a time and place where it was common to ride horses to school. She could recall when electricity was installed, as well as the first telephone and lights.

“Until then, it had been her responsibility to clean the glass globes around the kerosene lanterns,” Gratz said.

When the family moved into town, Carpenter attended Hebbronville High School where she enjoyed being a cheerleader and traveling to all the games in the area. She graduated from high school in 1941 and went on to attend Texas State College for Women, known now as Texas Women’s University in Denton. From there, she earned a degree in Physical Education with an Emphasis in Dance in 1950.

“One of her favorite memories about being a dance major was taking class with guest artist, Martha Graham, who wrote in her yearbook ‘To Sara, who shows great promise in dance,’” Gratz said.

Carpenter returned to her hometown of Hebbronville, where she began teaching and sponsoring the cheerleaders at the high school.

“She swore to herself that she would only stay for one year,” Gratz said. “Then she met the new football coach for the Hebbronville Longhorns.”

She and Regan Carpenter married in 1951 and remained together for 52 years. While the Carpenters lived in Hebbronville, they continued to teach, but also purchased the first drive-in theater in the town.

“She distinctly remembers their opening film was ‘The Day the Earth Stood Still,” Gratz said.

Regan Carpenter received his Ph. D. from the University of Colorado, where Gratz said her mother was “first introduced to snow and pizza.” Upon Regan’s graduation, he accepted a position at the University of Hawaii, Manoa. There, Sara Carpenter studied hula dance with Kumu Hula Nona Beamer. In 2018, Sara performed one of the hula’s she learned from Beamer at The Price Center’s “International Women’s Day” at the age of 97.

In 1960, Regan and Sara Carpenter returned to the mainland. Regan taught at Fresno State University, but they soon move again, this time to Illinois, where Dr. Carpenter had been invited to be a founding professor at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. Sara joined the faculty as an Adjunct Instructor in Dance.

“They called her ‘The Master Teacher,’” Gratz said. “She taught for many years.”

The couple retired to Sun Lakes, Ariz., where they lived together until Dr. Carpenter’s passing in 2003.

Sara returned to Texas, specifically San Marcos, in 2013. In 2014, the Daily Record named her “Mother of the Year.” Currently, Sara resides at the Ashford Wellington, where she still drives her own car to do her shopping and to attend Mass at St. John’s Catholic Church.

Embracing the life philosophy of dance also includes embracing many other forms of movement. Until COVID forced closures of public facilities, Sara played pickleball and took classes in tap, clogging, jazz, line dance and dance fitness at the Price Center.

In Oct. 2021, Sara returned to perform with the Price Time Dancers. Sara and the rest of the PTD troupe has also appeared in one of the earlier Mermaid SMTX parades.

In the meantime, while Sara waits for dance classes to resume, Gratz said that she continues to keep busy, playing Mexican Train, walking the trail at the Wellington and entertaining her friends at home.

“She is a doll who deserves all the accolades,” said Destefano.

Dance. Always dance. Dance because it is what you love to do and dance as long as you are alive.

– Sara Carpenter

Price Time Dancer