Nurturing the Whole Dancer

 

Dance West is a workshop committed to nurturing the whole dancer through the exploration of contemporary and traditional techniques, the creative process, repertory work, self-care, and elements of producing dance. The workshop cultivates and supports experimentation, curiosity, and collaboration that span historical to contemporary points of view. 

 

Dance West honors each individual dancer and celebrates everyone's unique journey. It focuses on building relationships with the dancers and directors of  the two host companies, the guest faculty, as well as connecting dancers from Salt Lake City and beyond. Dance West not only focuses on the performative aspects of the art form but gives space and time for dancers to develop their entire person–growth as artists and human beings. 

 

Dance West 2023, in its fifth year, brings significant, influential artists to Utah to share their unique artistic perspectives, diverse aesthetics, and approaches to dance. It is hosted by Repertory Dance Theater and Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center in downtown Salt Lake City for two weeks this summer.

 

HISTORY OF DANCE WEST

 

Dance West began in 2019, representing the collaborative efforts of three established artistic entities, each with rich histories: Repertory Dance Theatre, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, and the University of Utah’s Salt Dance Fest. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Dance West was canceled in 2020 and returned in 2021 with a streamlined form of the workshop presented by the two dance companies. In the summer of 2022 and upcoming summer of 2023 the two organizations are collaborating again on the workshop with a goal of working with the University of Utah once again starting in the summer of 2024.