Six years isn’t a lot of time. Linda Smith has devoted her life to Repertory Dance Theatre. As I reflect about what I learned while working for Linda, about the company’s mission to keep American Modern Dance and about the teachings from fellow dancers and about conversations with world renown artists, it is difficult to sum everything up in a few words. There are many lessons that come hand in hand with the job. For example, we become more intelligent…
This year, I had the opportunity to be a rehearsal director during the restaging of “Theatre,” which is a Danielle Agami piece that was originally set and performed on RDT in 2016. This piece is special to me for many reasons. During the original staging Danielle brought her company, Ate9 of Los Angeles, to Utah for a two-week residency. I felt pushed to my limits in every way. I immediately connected with the drive that Danielle had in her rehearsal…
As I look back on the past five years of work with Repertory Dance Theater, I find one of the most interesting aspects of being a company member is the immense detail and full investment of artist and dancer during a choreographic process. Throughout each residency, a choreographer comes prepared in a way that is different and unique to them as a movement specialist. It is our job, as performing artists and humans, to absorb the task at hand; analyze…
I love the moment a new guest artist walks through the door. There is an air of excitement, an unknowing force that fills the room with anticipation and this was especially true for our latest guest, Bebe Miller. Not only have we had the privilege of working with Bebe Miller the past week and a half but Bebe also brought two dancers from her company, Angie Hauser and Bronwen MacArthur. These two women have helped us dive into Bebe’s interest of…
How does a first-year Company member work through learning dances that the rest of the Company has known for years? Daniel Do shares his valuable lesson that applies to more than just learning choreography. I recently started my first season as a company member with Repertory Dance Theatre. I am thrilled to be back in my hometown of Salt Lake City, Utah and to be dancing, training, and growing everyday as an artist. Already working with the company for a few…
Repertory Dance Theatre has over 300 dances in our repertory, or “library of dances.” So how do dancers keep it all straight? Second-year Company member Elle Johansen explains how she does it — especially in learning different roles in different dances as both a guest and full-time company member. If you ask an RDT dancer how long they have been on the company, most have a definitive answer, but I often struggle to find mine. I have been learning…