Shirley Ririe is a national leader in the field of dance for children. She was appointed to the committee which developed National Standards for Arts Education K-12 in 1994. She has served as the United States delegate to Dance and the Child International and as a consultant for the Association of Instructional Television producing two programs for PBS. She has served on the National Advisory Committee for Young Audiences since 1974.
During her 35 year performing career she performed leading roles in choreography by Jose Limon, Helen Tamiris, Alwin Nikolais, Murray Louis, Merce Cunningham and studied with them as well as Anna Halprin, Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey and Louis Horst. As guest teacher and performer she has traveled the World and most of the States in the U.S. Her favorites being: South Africa, the Edinburgh Festival, China and Paris. She has choreographed over 100 works for Ririe-Woodbury and other companies, and choreographed musicals at Pioneer Memorial Theatre on the University of Utah for 10 years.
Shirley has received the Honorary Doctorate, Merit of Honor, and Distinguished Woman of the Year from the University of Utah. The Governor’s Award and Honors in the Arts from S.L. Chamber of Commerce; Plaudit from the National Dance Association; Pioneers of Progress for Days of ’47; and Lifetime Achievement from the Utah Dance Education Association. She was a Fulbright professor in Hong Kong and New Zealand.
Married to O. Rhees Ririe, she is the mother of four daughters and 15 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. This, she feels, is the major accomplishment of her life.