Dance

Vassar Repertory Dance Theatre

A group of people wearing white pants and long, red shirts, stand on a darkened stage with their right arms raised. To the right, two people stand alone; one person has their arms around the other person. Photo by Yesmina Townsley ’23

Salt for Sorrow by Leslie Partridge Sachs. Photo by Yesmina Townsley ’23.

A person wearing a white ballet dress balances on one foot on a darkened stage. Photo by Mark Sugino.

Petipa Celebration by Marius Petipa, staged by John Meehan. Photo by Mark Sugino.

A group of dancers wearing white ballet dresses perform in synchrony on a darkened stage. Photo by Mitchell Davis ’19.

Raymonda by Marius Petipa, staged by Miriam Mahdaviani and John Meehan. Photo by Mitchell Davis ’19.

A group of dancers wearing long, brown dresses perform in synchrony on a darkened stage. Photo by Yesmina Townsley ’23.

Respirer x3 by Jordan Nasif ’20. Photo by Yesmina Townsley ’23.

A group of dancers wearing casual clothing—mainly white shirts, black shorts, and sneakers—pose together while holding paper Starbucks coffee cups. Photo by Yesmina Townsley ’23

Caffeinated by Larry Keigwin. Photo by Yesmina Townsley ’23.

Two dancers perform acrobatics on a darkened stage. One dancer is bent over backwards, supported by the other. Photo by Mark Sugino.

On Earth as it is in Heaven by Turner Hitt ’18. Photo by Mark Sugino.

A dancer caught in mid-leap on a darkened stage. Photo by Madeline Zappala ’12.

Drumlin by Katherine Wildberger. Photo by Madeline Zappala ’12.

A dancer wearing a dark suit and holding what looks like a black fedora hat leaps across a stage. Photo by Rachel Garbade ’15.

Cellos by Steve Rooks. Photo by Rachel Garbade ’15.

A dancer on a darkened stage crouches in mid-pose. Photo by Rachel Garbade ’15.

Of Sunder Mud the Flounder. Photo by Rachel Garbade ’15.

Two dancers caught in mid-leap on a darkened stage. Photo by Mark Sugino.

Home by Katherine Wildberger. Photo by Mark Sugino.

Two dancers pose on a darkened stage. Photo by Mitchell Davis ’19.

Studies Have Shown.../Today by David Dorfman. Photo by Mitchell Davis ’19.

Three dancers leap in the air in unison on a dark stage. Photo by Mitchell Davis ’19.

Las Chingonas by Carmen Kloer ’17. Photo by Mitchell Davis ’19.

A group of dancers poses on a mostly dark stage, lit by blazing lights in the background. Photo by Yesmina Townsley ’23.

Carry Me by Nerissa Tunnessen ’22. Photo by Yesmina Townsley ’23.

Vassar Repertory Dance Theatre (VRDT) is the College’s faculty-led dance company. Its mission is to give students opportunities to experience the complete choreographic, rehearsal, and production process in a professional environment.

Vassar Repertory Dance Theater — VRDT: professional experience for Vassar dance students

VRDT is comprised of dancers chosen each fall by audition. The company performs repertoire including original choreography by both faculty and students as well as notable works by prominent choreographers (e.g. Mark Morris, Amy Hall Garner, Jennifer Archibald, George Balanchine, David Dorfman, Sean Curran, Doug Varone, and Kate Weare.) VRDT performances are regularly scheduled in April and November and at other times throughout the year.

Meet the dancers, see our Current Repertoire on the VRDT website, and view our featured videos on the Media page on this site.

Tickets

All seating is free for the VRDT’s campus performances at the Frances Daly Fergusson Dance Theater in Kenyon Hall. Tickets can be reserved at tix.com or call (845) 437-5541 for more information.

History

In 1980 Vassar Repertory Dance Theatre (VRDT) was created so that the students of Vassar Dance Department, studying modern, jazz and ballet techniques, had an opportunity to perform both existing and brand new repertory. Student choreographers were also given opportunities to create works on their colleagues. Professor Ray Cook was the first director of the company and was followed by Stephen Rooks, Paul D. Mosley, Maureen Mansfield Kaddar, John Meehan, and Miriam Mahdaviani. From the spring of 1983 to 2020, the Annual VRDT Gala Performances were held at the Bardavon 1869 Opera House in Poughkeepsie, New York. More recently, performances are held biannually on campus in the Frances Daly Fergusson Dance Theater.