November 20, 2023

MSP 167: Jeanne Ruddy

47 minutes

While dance is often underfunded and under-recognized, leaders in the field acknowledge the incredible talent that lives within every dancer, reminding them that they are, in fact, ‘Acrobats of God’. Today’s guest embodies the purpose of the Movers and Shapers: A Dance Podcast; to share insights from those who shape the dance field, and create an archive that preserves rich, personal experiences across generations. During this episode, Jeanne Ruddy shares what it was like to be a member of the Martha Graham Dance Company, and to work with Martha herself. You’ll also hear how she forged her own unique role in dance, how she encourages other artists to flourish, and her passion for nurturing future generations of dancers in Philadelphia. Tuning in, you’ll learn all about Jeanne’s journey as a dancer, and finding her way to creative expression thereafter. Join us to hear all about the highs and lows of our guest’s incredible career today.

Key Points From This Episode:

· Her first experiences of dance and her lifelong love of music.

· The changing dance scene of the 1960s.

· The pivotal period of time for a dancer between 16 and 21.

· Her experience at North Carolina School of the Arts and Utah Repertory Dance Theatre.

· Traveling to New York and starting a company with no capital.

· Getting a huge break with Yuriko Kikuchi after auditioning with Getting to Know You.

· Being chosen to be in the Martha Graham Dance Company and enjoying a ten-year career.

· Why Martha would sit in the second wing, stage right, in a director’s chair, during performances.

· The eventual decision to leave the company due to pain.

· The birth of the Performance Garage in Philadelphia.

· The program Jeanne currently facilitates for dancers.

· What Martha Graham taught: dancers are acrobats of God.

“I walked out of Deaths and Entrances, I was definitely a child of the 60s, and I didn’t like it. Seven years later, I was playing one of the sisters in that very piece in Lincoln Centre. I loved it.” — Jeanne Ruddy

Jeanne Ruddy is a former Principal Dancer with the Martha Graham Company where she performed throughout the World, on Broadway, served on the faculties of The Juilliard School, Alvin Ailey School, colleges and universities in the US and abroad, founded Jeanne Ruddy Dance, and a center for dance – the Performance Garage, in Philadelphia.