Wow, wow and wow: Repertory Dance Theatre’s Gamut closes 58th season on a thrilling emotional note

In 2021, when the Repertory Dance Theatre (RDT) premiered Ihsan Rustem’s ebullient Hallelujah Junction, it was the evening program’s closing work and it drew a rousing roar of applause from the audience. Last week, Hallelujah Junction opened RDT’s Gamut show, a performance that immediately guaranteed a record mark was about to be set for a … Read more

Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company set to close 60th anniversary season with Ascent, including two world premieres, live performance by Salt Lake Electric Ensemble

Set to close out a superb 60th anniversary season, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company’s Ascent show is pulling out all the stops for a thriller. There are two world premieres: Chapters of Being by Charlotte Boye-Christensen, who served as the company’s artistic director for 11 years, beginning in 2002, and Storyograph by current artistic director Daniel Charon. … Read more

Repertory Dance Theatre’s Gamut to feature world premiere commission by Yusha-Marie Sorzano, along with works by Ihsan Rustem, Lar Lubovitch

For Gamut, its spring show, Repertory Dance Theatre (RDT) will present Solfège, a new commission from choreographer Yusha-Marie Sorzano, who is making her first appearance with the company, along with two outstanding audience-pleasers from the repertoire: Ihsan Rustem’s Hallelujah Junction and Lar Lubovitch’s Marimba. Performances are scheduled daily at 7:30 p.m. April 11-13, in the … Read more

Never one to shy away from risk: Repertory Dance Theatre’s newest twist in Regalia: So You Think You Can Choreograph

In its 58 years, Repertory Dance Theatre (RDT) has never shied away from taking risks on stage. Likewise, RDT has embraced risks for its annual fundraiser in ways that few dance companies would dare attempt. In 2006, Charette was launched, in which guest dancers from the community worked with a choreographer to set a movement … Read more

Ballet West at its very best: Record-setting Swan Lake run closes with brilliant performances from everyone involved

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Utah Review is grateful to Chris Myers of Argyle Arts for being a guest reviewer. Over the last week, Ballet West continued their 60th anniversary season with a sold-out run of Swan Lake. Perhaps the most iconic non-Nutcracker in the repertoire, Swan Lake is a monumental classic filled with complex imagery and … Read more

The give and take between music and movement: A closer look at these unique challenges in Ballet West’s production of Swan Lake which opens today

It is fitting that Ballet West’s 60th anniversary season would include a production of Swan Lake, which opens today in the Capitol Theatre and will run through Feb. 17. Willam Christensen, Ballet West founder, staged the first American production of this Russian classic in 1940, during his tenure as San Francisco Ballet’s artistic director. At … Read more

Reviews of new dance works: Ririe-Woodbury’s Traverse, Repertory Dance Theatre’s Emerge

TRAVERSE: RIRIE-WOODBURY COMPANY  In the middle of Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company’s 60th anniversary season, Traverse was a perfect Homecoming production, highlighting six new works and a company premiere, which exemplified the tremendous artistic culture that has defined the company. With works by two alumni company members and the six current dancers, the creative principles which the … Read more

A Homecoming to celebrate the 60th anniversary season: Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company’s Traverse set to premiere works by two alumni, six current company dancers

It is Homecoming Week for the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, which continues to celebrate its 60th anniversary this season. Many alumni also are expected to attend Traverse (Feb. 1-3, in the Jeanné Wagner Theatre of the Rose Wagner Center for Performing Arts), which will feature world and company premieres of works by alumni Keith Johnson and … Read more

Five choreographers will have premieres at upcoming Repertory Dance Theatre’s Venture production

Five premieres will mark Repertory Dance Theatre’s (RDT) Venture production later this week. The new works include three from artists who have been part of RDT’s Regalia choreographic competitions, along with a full company work by an internationally known choreographer from Poland and a piece for participants in RDT’s Prime Performance Workshop. Venture will have … Read more

Ballet West’s joyful, exquisite and evocative celebration of founder Christensen’s legacy in The Firebird production

By Chris Myers For 60 years, Ballet West has been arguably among the finest jewels in Salt Lake City’s artistic crown. As the recent retrospective in The Utah Review demonstrated, this company has led the way to bring artistic excellence to the Intermountain West. Beginning last Friday (Nov. 3) with the company’s latest production, Ballet … Read more