{"id":8654,"date":"2011-12-08T06:48:03","date_gmt":"2011-12-08T06:48:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/?p=8654"},"modified":"2025-11-26T14:59:26","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T21:59:26","slug":"ririe-woodbury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/ririe-woodbury\/","title":{"rendered":"Ririe Woodbury: The Message and the Medium"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dancing! (The Company) Bashaun Williams, Joseph ‘Jo’ Blake, Brad Beakes, Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Kelley-Wilberg, Tara Roszeen McArthur, Alexandra Jane Bradshaw.<\/p><\/div>\n

Imagine you land in a strange new country, or even a different planet. You don\u2019t know the local language, the culture, or the customs of this place. How would you react? Would you attempt to communicate, and if so, how?<\/p>\n

Most likely through movement. Your movements might tell a story, such as wrapping your arms around yourself and shivering, or moving your hand to your mouth. Your movements might be more subtle and ambiguous, reaching out a hand, touching, jumping. While your movements might be crude, you would, in a sense, be dancing.<\/p>\n

Modern dance is a refinement of that process of communicating through movement, through a universal language that transcends both verbal language and culture. While some modern dance tells a distinct story, more often it is open to interpretation, the dancers, choreographer and music interacting with your thoughts and experiences to create something as unique as you are.<\/p>\n

And dance is a way to communicate not just with others, but with yourself, with your soul. Martha Graham, one of the most influential modern dancers and choreographers, said that \u201cdance is the hidden language of the soul.\u201d Dance is also the only art form where the medium is the human body. Or, as the renowned choreographer of abstract dance theater, Alwin Nikolais said, (dance is) “the art of motion which, left on its own merits, becomes the message as well as the medium.”<\/p>\n

When I interviewed the dancers of Salt Lake City\u2019s renowned Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, they all agreed that dance allows them to express \u201cqualities that can\u2019t be expressed by any other means than body\u201d, and serves as a \u201cconduit for finding the deeper parts of (oneself).\u201d For many of the dancers, dance serves as their primary language. To quote company member Alex Bradshaw, \u201cSo much is lost in the translation from life experience to words. Dance allows me to express those experiences without words. Words are in the past; dance is new in every moment. I am most present and alive when dancing with a family of fellow artists.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many people think they need to \u201cunderstand\u201d modern dance. But \u201cunderstanding\u201d usually means attaching a \u201cstory\u201d to the dance, saying what it\u2019s \u201cabout.\u201d And because dance is a non-verbal language, translating it back into words can actually detract from the experience. Or as Ririe-Woodbury Artistic Director and choreographer Charlotte Boye-Christensen says, \u201cGet it out of your head that you have to understand dance.\u00a0I<\/em>\u00a0don\u2019t even ‘understand’ it. Be moved, engaged, remain in the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dance is also a form of problem solving, of overcoming obstacles, and of expanding trust. What are the limits of a human body? How do you adapt a dance choreographed for 13 dancers so it not only keeps its integrity, but communicates more with only 6 dancers? How do you develop the trust to fall face first at the floor and know that your partner will spin around just in time to catch you? How do you integrate movement, music, costumes, lighting, set design and architectural elements to form a cohesive whole? What happens if you add language, video, or props? Likewise, how do you take six strong, individual dancers and create a cohesive company?<\/p>\n

Under the skilled and passionate guidance of Boye-Christensen, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company has developed an impressive local, national and international reputation and performs original works by Boye-Christensen, as well as works choreographed by such noted artists as Tandy Beal, Steven Koester, Karole Armitage, John Jaspers, and Bill T. Jones. In addition, Ririe-Woodbury is currently the only company licensed to perform a full evening of dance by Alwin Nikolais, and recently completed a seven-week tour of France, as well as a four-week American tour of his works. The company will be performing more of the Nikolais oeuvre for the February and April performances.<\/p>\n

Ririe-Woodbury believes that \u201cDance is for Everybody\u201d and their mission stresses education. They hold workshops and residencies for students from K-12 throughout Utah, as well as performing for students at all levels throughout the state of Utah. They also have workshops for aspiring and semi-professional dancers. There are free matinees for Utah students throughout the year, and students can also attend any opening night show for as little as $5. In addition, all the dancers are trained not just as dancers, but also as educators and choreographers to ensure that they will continue to contribute to modern dance when their performing days are over.<\/p>\n

This year, as Ririe-Woodbury moves into its 47th year, there are lots of new developments. Jena Woodbury (daughter of co-founder Joan Woodbury, and herself a dancer) is taking over as Managing Director of the company. Three new dancers, Brad Beakes, Alexandra Bradshaw, and Bashaun Williams join alumni Jo Blake, Elizabeth Kelley-Wilberg and Tara Roszeen McArthur. The new dancers have added freshness, curiosity, strength and passion to the company, and have integrated so well that not even the most experienced dance experts can tell who is new. And after touring and living together nearly full-time for the past several months, everyone reports the company is stronger and more cohesive than ever.<\/p>\n