When I first started at the University of Michigan, I didn’t know what to expect. Madame Penny Godboldo’s class on Dunham technique gave me a sense of groundedness and home. Before class would start, Madame Penny would look her students in the eyes to see where their energy was, then direct the class in a […]
Because the chassé is often neglected during the execution of this traveling step, Judy Rice asks her students to do a minimum of a six-inch chassé before transitioning into the pas de bourrée. She encourages dancers to pay close attention to their shoulders and hips in effacé, too. “Kids tend to open it up. They […]
Judy Rice bridges the disparate realms of competition and college dance; modern dance and ballet. Judy Rice is University of Michigan’s most enthusiastic dance recruiter. After only two seasons performing with the Joffrey Ballet, Judy Rice fell and tore a tendon in her ankle. This came on the heels of being denied a contract with […]