Jeanne Ruddy Dance - Philadelphia Contemporay Dance Company

Mission/History

Jeanne Ruddy Dance - Photo by Bob Emmott

Mission

Jeanne Ruddy Dance (JRD) is a Company of highly trained professional dancers that provides audiences with world-class performances of works by Jeanne Ruddy and leading contemporary choreographers. JRD is committed to supporting the professional dance community by providing access to its home, the Performance Garage, to support rehearsal and performance needs, and provides professional training of the highest quality. Through its education, training and performance programs, JRD reaches out to the general community to help them enrich their lives through dance.

History

Jeanne Ruddy Dance is a eight-year old, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit dance company based in the aesthetics of contemporary dance.

In August of 1998, Jeanne Ruddy received a grant from the Pew Charitable Trust Foundation for a project called Dans Project 4 Philadelphia (now renamed Jeanne Ruddy Dance). New York-based choreographer Igal Perry was engaged to set a new work, Voices and Echoes, on Ms. Ruddy and three other Philadelphia dancers.

In 2006, its sixth season as Philadelphia's contemporary dance company, Jeanne Ruddy Dance took an enormous leap forward with its new home and studio, THE PERFORMANCE GARAGE at 1515 Brandywine Street. As the city's first "studio theatre" dedicated exclusively to modern dance, this innovative dance center serves not only as a showcase for both emerging and established artists and choreographers, but as a critical springboard for the growth and vitality of smaller dance companies and artists throughout the community.

Images, videos, and information for JRD's repertory may be seen in the Jeanne Ruddy Dance repertory section under Touring. Information on JRD's various seasons and season benefits may be seen in the in the archived sections listed with each season below.

First Season, June 21-25, 2000 - archives
Jeanne Ruddy Dance had its first season at The Wilma Theatre on the Avenue of the Arts in Philadelphia with guest artists Terese Capucilli, Donlin Foreman and Leslie Carothers.
Significant Soil (2000) choreography - Jeanne Ruddy
No Fear of Flying – First Leg (2000) choreography, Mark Dendy
From Pent-Up, Aching Rivers (1998) choreography Donlin Foreman
Voices and Echoes (1999) choreography - Igal Perry

Second Season, November 7 – 10, 2001 - archives
JRD held its second concert season at The Painted Bride in Philadelphia .
Suit Reel… Five (2001) choreography - Jeanne Ruddy
No Fear of Flying – Second Leg (2001) choreography - Mark Dendy
Marie’s Diary (1986) choreography - Jeanne Ruddy
Enfold guest choreographer, Jane Comfort
Four Screaming Women (1982) choreography - Zvi Gotheiner.

Third Season, February 12 - 15, 2003 - archives
Jeanne Ruddy Dance held its third season at The Wilma Theater, with guest artists, Peter Sparling, Amanda Miller and artist Terry Rosenberg.
Voices and Echoes: (1999) choreography - Igal Perry
Significant Soil (2000,2003) choreography - Jeanne Ruddy
The System (2002) choreography - Janet Lilly and Peter Sparling
Suite Reel (2001) choreography - Jeanne Ruddy
Enfold choreographer - Zvi Gotheiner

Fourth Season – June 17 – 19, 2004 - archives
The Company presented its Fourth Concert Season at The Mandell Theater in Philadelphia, with new works by Jeanne Ruddy and guest choreographers, Peter Sparling and Tony Award winner, Ann Reinking. Guest artists were Zane Brooker, Brigitta Herrman and composer Daniel Brewbaker.
Patient Spider (2003) choreography - Peter Sparling
Falling In… (2004) choreography - Jeanne Ruddy
Out of the Mist, Above the Real (2004) choreography – Jeanne Ruddy
Songs Without Words (2004) choreographt - Ann Reinking

Fifth Season – June 16 - 18, 2005 - archives
JRD’s Fifth Concert Season, held at The Mandell Theater, with the world premiere of Breathless, choreographed by Jeanne Ruddy as well as two of her other pieces and guest artist Brigitta Herrman.
Breathless (2005) choreography - Jeanne Ruddy
Out of the Mist, Above the Real (2004) choreography – Jeanne Ruddy
Suit Reel (2003) choreography – Jeanne Ruddy

Sixth Season – April 18 - 22, 2006 - archives
JRD's sixth season as Philadelphia's contemporary dance company, took place in its new home and studio, THE PERFORMANCE GARAGE with 2 World Premiers.
The System (2002) choreography - Janet Lilly and Peter Sparling
Still (2006) choreography - Robert Battle
Enfold (2001) choreography - Zvi Gotheiner
Woa Cholena (2006) choreography - Jeanne Ruddy

Seventh Season – April 12 - 14, 19 - 21 - archives
The seventh season was performed at The Performance Garage with 2 World Premiers. Guest choreographer Jane Comfort was the first of three well-known, experimental female guest choreographers invited to work with JRD; Susanne Linke in 2008 and Martha Clark in 2009.
Songs without Words (2004) choreography - Ann Reinking
Short Term Memory (2007) choreography - the JRD dancers with Jane Comfort and Olase Freeman
Oceans 1: Wetlands (2007) choreography - Jeanne Ruddy

Eighth Season – April 10 - 13, 17 - 19, 2008 - archives
Our eighth season showed two works: A World Premiere, Quasi Normal by the German choreographer, Susanne Linke, and a re imaged premiere of Breathless by Jeanne Ruddy. The season took place in the Performance Garage.