Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company is pleased to announce the second year of our CHOREOGRAPHIC CANVAS. This annual series seeks to identify and select a choreographer to commission a new dance work. Choreographers are invited to submit an application for review and selection by a panel of esteemed dance professionals. This new work will be premiered as part of Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company’s regular performing season. 

‍

The Company is committed to maintaining an inclusive work environment and actively embraces a diversity of people, ideas, talents, and experiences. We highly encourage people of all identities and backgrounds to apply. 

‍

Please note: This year, the theme of the performance will be “Identity” and the performing space will be in the round––with the audience surrounding the stage, sitting in close proximity.

‍

Selection panelists:

• Leslie Kraus, Ririe-Woodbury Artistic Director
• Glenn Edgerton, Associate Professor of Dance, University of Oklahoma. Artistic Director Emeritus, Nederlands Dans Theater and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.
• Kate Weare, Artistic Director, Kate Weare Company
• Chloe Jones, Assistant Dean for Art & Creative Engagement and Executive Director of UtahPresents, University of Utah
• Luke Dakota Zender, current Dancer, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company

‍

The Residency Includes:

• A Commission Honorarium of $4,000
• A production budget for costumes and lighting 
• Dedicated rehearsal time with the company dancers (approximately 50 hours)
• Travel to and from Salt Lake City
• Company-Paid Accommodations

‍

To apply for consideration, applicants must supply the following:

• Online links to video(s) of recent choreography. 1 - 3 works, not to exceed 10 minutes total. Do not submit highly edited material like promotional reels. Please clearly indicate the time-stamps of what you would like viewed. 
• Current résumé and/or biography.
• A headshot.
• Brief artist statement (no longer than 200 words).
• Brief proposal (no longer than 200 words) of choreographic intent, which may include style of dance, musical selection, scope, format, etc.
• Contact information for two professional references including one performer that has worked with you in the past.

‍

Email your application materials to Artistic Director, Leslie Kraus at leslie@ririewoodbury.com with the subject line: Choreographic Canvas Application. PDF documents and JPG’s are preferred as attachments to the email. Vimeo, YouTube, or Dropbox are preferred for the work-samples. 

‍

Please note: The 2 week creative residency will be held December 1 - 12, 2025. 

The premiere performances for the new work will be January 15 - 17, 20256.

‍

All applications must be submitted by the end of the day, July 31, 2025. A decision will be made by September 1, 2025.

‍

Application Tips:

• Ensure the video lighting is bright enough to clearly see the movement.
• Avoid too many cue points; showcase sustained material for a better sense of the choreography.
• Include a variety of work samples (e.g., solos, group work, partnering) to demonstrate range, not just unison or canon phrases.
• Curate your work samples for the specific application, considering the company or context.
• Avoid submitting Dance for Camera projects, especially if stage work is being evaluated.
• Include dates on your resume for clarity.
• Specify your relationship with references on your application.

‍

About the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company:

Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company is committed to furthering contemporary dance as an accessible and valued art form through performance and dance education that raises standards, deepens understanding, and promotes personal connections with dance.

Founded in 1964, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company is known both nationally and internationally for commissioning works by exceptional choreographers as well as our own artistic director. The Company is deeply invested in the language of contemporary dance and strives to be at the forefront, thus providing audiences with a variety of choreographic styles in a single evening. Ririe-Woodbury’s repertory ranges from minimalist to multi-media dances by some of the world's most renowned contemporary choreographers. The company is committed to producing innovative, moving, and compelling work that challenges our audiences' perceptions of what contemporary dance can be.

Located in downtown Salt Lake City, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company performs three to four different concerts annually, as well as maintains a national and international touring schedule.

‍

“Dance is for everybody"

Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company is dedicated to pursuing ongoing inclusion across race, gender, culture, spirituality, identity, age, ability, and experience. Dance is a timeless form of human expression and inspiration, and through dance, we are committed to fostering equity, diversity, access, and inclusion for all. The Company stands against racism and continues to engage in meaningful internal dialogue to make measurable changes to our policies, procedures, and programming to meet all of these goals.

‍