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…
RDT dancers perform repertory spanning 102 years. How do dancers find the right emotional qualities in such a wide range of choreographic styles? Fifth-year company member, Dan Higgins, explores what works best for him in our latest dancer blog post! Often throughout our artistic endeavors we are faced with subject matter that is daunting, unfamiliar, and challenging to connect to. Perhaps one of the most difficult notions to grasp as a dance and movement artist is how to portray an…
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…
In this final video post, choreographer and former RDT dancer Francisco Gella talks about his inspiration for choreography, as well as offers advice to young choreographers about the creative process. Gella has been commission to create choreographic works for Repertory Dance Theatre, Ballet Pacifica, California Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet’s Shut-Up and Dance Production, PHILADANCO’s Danco on Danco program, Laguna Dance Festival, Tucson Regional Ballet, University of Utah Ballet Ensemble, University of Washington Faculty Concert, Irvine Valley College, Ballet East, DANCO/II, Booker…
by David G. Pace Pilar Davis admits to being an adrenaline junkie. She loves art and she loves live art, and you can tell. In a planning meeting late last year for RDT’s annual choreographer competition and fundraiser, she talked fast, expressively, and yet somehow maintained a gracious coherency as she factored in the needs and opinions of others. Still, sometimes when you’re working with Pilar you feel like you need to wear a helmet. Dont get me wrong: it’s…