Ririe-Woodbury Names
New Artistic Director, Announces Milestone Anniversary
Salt Lake City – On the eve of its 50th Anniversary, Ririe-Woodbury
Dance Company is proud to announce the appointment of Daniel Charon as Artistic
Director. Charon becomes the second full-time, and first male, artistic
director after Shirley Ririe and Joan Woodbury stepped down in 2008. Charon has
been based in New York since 1995 and has worked with such prestigious
companies as Limón Dance Company, Doug Varone and Dancers, Dance Kaleidoscope
and Doug Elkins and Friends. He’s been choreographing since 1998 and led his
own project company from 2004 to 2011. Since then, he has completed his
MFA in Choreography and Integrated Media from CalArts.
Charon’s Appointment coincides with the announcements of 50th Anniversary Season & Fundraising Campaign. In June, the Company will formally launch the public phase of its 50th Anniversary Fundraising Campaign. The goals of this effort are two-fold: To raise two million dollars over five years in our development activities and to increase our audience – and thus our supporting individual donor base. This twofold approach will be key to our future security and our ability to remain Salt Lake City’s premiere Contemporary Dance Company. Over the past year, we have worked with our foundation, corporate, and major individual donors and have received major gifts, including $150,000 from the Sorenson Family Legacy Foundation for a new show for all ages and Utah State Tour, $75,000 from Zions Bank to fund a 50th Anniversary State-wide Tour, and a pledge of $37,000 from Mrs. Martha MacDonell of Lima, Ohio. We have also received a challenge for matching funds, which will lead to a $25,000 gift from Connie Jo Hepworth-Woolston and Art Woolston of Nevada.
Charon’s Appointment coincides with the announcements of 50th Anniversary Season & Fundraising Campaign. In June, the Company will formally launch the public phase of its 50th Anniversary Fundraising Campaign. The goals of this effort are two-fold: To raise two million dollars over five years in our development activities and to increase our audience – and thus our supporting individual donor base. This twofold approach will be key to our future security and our ability to remain Salt Lake City’s premiere Contemporary Dance Company. Over the past year, we have worked with our foundation, corporate, and major individual donors and have received major gifts, including $150,000 from the Sorenson Family Legacy Foundation for a new show for all ages and Utah State Tour, $75,000 from Zions Bank to fund a 50th Anniversary State-wide Tour, and a pledge of $37,000 from Mrs. Martha MacDonell of Lima, Ohio. We have also received a challenge for matching funds, which will lead to a $25,000 gift from Connie Jo Hepworth-Woolston and Art Woolston of Nevada.
The 50th Anniversary Season will
feature an unprecedented nine new commissions. In the fall we take a look back
at the formative works of the Company by Joan Woodbury and Shirley Ririe, as
well as a look forward with a new creation by Daniel Charon. In December, six
prominent alumni from the Company return to set their new works on the
Ririe-Woodbury Dancers and fellow alums. In January and February, the new show
for all ages by circus and dance maestro Tandy Beal, takes what is before us
and turns it inside out and upside down, revealing unexpected delight or
mystery. In April there will be three new premiers – a new multi-media
collaboration between New York choreographer Doug Varone and University of Utah
professor and filmmaker Ellen Bromberg, a new commission by Sweden-based
Ririe-Woodbury alumnus Miguel Azcue, as well as a new work by Daniel Charon.
Season tickets for the 50th Anniversary Season will be available at
www.ririewoodbury.com June 3rd.
A photo gallery is available
online at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7ts57qoer41bkwh/POkLP3Gvb7
September 26-28 7:30PM at the Rose Wagner Performing
Arts Center
December 12-14 7:30PM, 2PM Saturday Matinee at the Rose Wagner
Performing Arts Center
January 31 – February1 7PM,
2PM Saturday Matinee at the Capitol Theatre
April 24-26 7:30PM at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center
Quotes:
“It is with great enthusiasm that I welcome the opportunity
to take on the role of artistic director for the Ririe-Woodbury Dance
Company. I am eager to give my full attention and effort as the
ambassador and artistic leader of this respected organization.” – Daniel
Charon, Artistic Director, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company
“I believe the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company proudly fits on
this world stage as a dance organization of the highest caliber.
It combines a strong educational initiative with outstanding goals
toward artistic vision by performing historical
repertory, commissioning world-class artists, as well as supporting the
work of an artistic director. Success and longevity in these multiple
facets is truly unique. Salt Lake City is extremely fortunate to be the home
of such an amazing company.” – Daniel Charon
“Looking forward, my goal is to continue this great legacy
that is inclusive of all audiences, while pushing the boundaries
of contemporary dance. My aim is to continue to bring great artists to Salt Lake
City, to expose a variety of quality choreographic perspectives,
to expand the national and international presence of the company, and
to continue to inspire meaningful conversation about humanity through
the art of dance.” – Daniel Charon
“Daniel brings experience and a fresh point of view in
contemporary dance to Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company. We are extremely
excited to introduce a new artistic voice to the Utah, national and
international community. We would like to thank our Artistic Director Search
Committee, Boards and public for all of their support.” – Jena Woodbury, Managing
Director, Ririe Woodbury Dance Company
“As a choreographer, Mr. Charon’s dances have a beautiful sense of
craft and design. He has a tremendous eye for how bodies can move in special
relationship with each other, gently shifting the emotional balance of a work.”
– Doug Varone, Artistic Director, Doug Varone and Dancers
About Daniel Charon
Daniel is a dance artist who has been active as a choreographer, teacher, and performer since 1995. His performing and choreographic career spans 17 years in which time he performed with numerous dance, opera, and theater companies. He choreographs extensively throughout the country and maintains a project-based company. His substantial background in teaching spans more than 20 years. Daniel is a B.F.A. graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts and a 2013 M.F.A graduate in Choreography and Integrated Media at the California Institute of the Arts.
Daniel was a full-time member of Doug Varone and Dancers for ten seasons (1999 – 2010). As a member of the company he was part of over 20 new works and served as the rehearsal director. He was a member of the Limón Dance Company for three seasons (1996 – 1999) where he was featured in work by choreographers such as José Limón, Anthony Tudor, and Jirí Kylián. Additionally, he performed with Doug Elkins and Friends, the Metropolitan Opera, the Aquila Theater Company, the Mary Anthony Dance Theater, Opera Colorado, Minnesota Opera, Music Theater of Wichita, Mordine and Company, and Dance Kaleidoscope (Indianapolis).
Daniel’s choreographic career encompasses a variety of experiences. His work has been produced by the 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Festival, the Inside/Out series at Jacob’s Pillow, the Dance Complex (Cambridge, MA), and by East Tennessee State University. He has also presented two full evening concerts at Joyce SoHo (NYC). Daniel has been commissioned to choreograph new work for many companies, universities, and festivals; including the Summer Stages Dance Festival (Concord, MA), the VIA Dance Collective (NYC) , the d9 Dance Collective (Seattle) and most recently the Zenon Dance Company (Minneapolis) where his piece Storm was named “Best Dance Performance of 2012” by Minneapolis City Pages. He received a choreographic fellowship from the Summer Stages Dance Festival and has been the artist in residence at the Silo at Kirkland Farm three times. Daniel is a recipient of Dance Theater Workshop’s Outer/Space Creative Residency and of Topaz Arts Solo Flight Creative Residency. He has created over 15 new works on students in workshop situations.
About Daniel Charon
Daniel is a dance artist who has been active as a choreographer, teacher, and performer since 1995. His performing and choreographic career spans 17 years in which time he performed with numerous dance, opera, and theater companies. He choreographs extensively throughout the country and maintains a project-based company. His substantial background in teaching spans more than 20 years. Daniel is a B.F.A. graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts and a 2013 M.F.A graduate in Choreography and Integrated Media at the California Institute of the Arts.
Daniel was a full-time member of Doug Varone and Dancers for ten seasons (1999 – 2010). As a member of the company he was part of over 20 new works and served as the rehearsal director. He was a member of the Limón Dance Company for three seasons (1996 – 1999) where he was featured in work by choreographers such as José Limón, Anthony Tudor, and Jirí Kylián. Additionally, he performed with Doug Elkins and Friends, the Metropolitan Opera, the Aquila Theater Company, the Mary Anthony Dance Theater, Opera Colorado, Minnesota Opera, Music Theater of Wichita, Mordine and Company, and Dance Kaleidoscope (Indianapolis).
Daniel’s choreographic career encompasses a variety of experiences. His work has been produced by the 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Festival, the Inside/Out series at Jacob’s Pillow, the Dance Complex (Cambridge, MA), and by East Tennessee State University. He has also presented two full evening concerts at Joyce SoHo (NYC). Daniel has been commissioned to choreograph new work for many companies, universities, and festivals; including the Summer Stages Dance Festival (Concord, MA), the VIA Dance Collective (NYC) , the d9 Dance Collective (Seattle) and most recently the Zenon Dance Company (Minneapolis) where his piece Storm was named “Best Dance Performance of 2012” by Minneapolis City Pages. He received a choreographic fellowship from the Summer Stages Dance Festival and has been the artist in residence at the Silo at Kirkland Farm three times. Daniel is a recipient of Dance Theater Workshop’s Outer/Space Creative Residency and of Topaz Arts Solo Flight Creative Residency. He has created over 15 new works on students in workshop situations.
Since 1996 Daniel has been teaching in New York at respected
studios such as the Limón Institute, the 92nd Street Y, Peridance Center, 100
Grand, Dance New Amsterdam (formerly Dancspace Center), and University
Settlement. He regularly teaches master classes and workshops around the
country and has taught at the Metropolitan Opera, the Bates Dance Festival, the
University of North Carolina School of the Arts Summer Comprehensive, the
Varone Summer Dance Workshop (2000 – 2009), and the Limón Summer Workshop (1996
– 1999). He has been a guest artist at numerous universities and was an adjunct
faculty member at Hunter College (NYC) as well as the California Institute of
the Arts.
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