RDT celebrates 60 years with a Diamond Season
Salt Lake City’s Repertory Dance Theatre, aka RDT, is marking a milestone that few arts organizations achieve: its 60th anniversary. Founded in 1966 as the nation’s first successful repertory dance company dedicated to modern dance, RDT spent six decades telling human stories through movement. Now, as the company enters its Diamond Season in 2025–26, it does so with a renewed vision, a new leadership team, and a season of performances that balance reverence for history with bold steps into the future.
A New Era of Leadership
This anniversary year also marks a historic transition in leadership. After decades of guiding the company, artistic & executive director Linda C. Smith will step into the role of director emerita on July 1, 2025. Smith’s influence on Utah’s arts landscape is profound; she helped shape RDT into a nationally recognized ensemble while keeping its mission rooted in accessibility and community connection.
In her place, longtime company members and administrators Nicholas Cendese and Lynne Larson will assume the roles of co-executive/artistic directors. Both are deeply woven into RDT’s fabric: Cendese danced with the company for 11 years before moving into development and administrative leadership, while Larson has served as Education Director since 2007, overseeing outreach that touches thousands of Utah students annually.
“Linda’s passion, dedication, and tireless work have shaped RDT into the incredible organization it is today,” said Board President Lindsay Mattes. “We’re thrilled to announce Nicholas and Lynne as artistic and executive co-directors. Both bring a strong vision for the future and decades of combined experience that make them a powerful team.”
Together, Cendese and Larson will carry forward RDT’s founding principles of democratic collaboration while guiding the company into its seventh decade. Smith will remain involved, focusing on archival projects, repertory restaging, and anniversary celebrations.
The Diamond Season: Five Productions and a Gala
RDT’s 2025–26 lineup reflects its dual commitment to preservation and innovation. The season offers five distinct productions and a gala event that honor modern dance trailblazers while commissioning new works that speak to contemporary issues.
Migrations
The season opens October 2–4, 2025, at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center with Migrations, a full-length work by internationally acclaimed choreographer Zvi Gotheiner. The piece draws inspiration from bird migration patterns, human displacement, and the climate crisis. Combining physical intensity with striking imagery, Migrations examines survival, adaptation, and the fragile relationship between nature and civilization.
Ovation
In November, RDT turns its attention to legacy and innovation with Ovation (November 20–22, 2025). This expansive program features works that span generations and showcase the company’s enduring partnerships. Highlights include the return of Katarzyna Skarpetowska’s Oktet: In Situ (2022) and Yusha-Marie Sorzano’s Solfege (2023). In a nod to RDT’s six-decade collaboration with Tanner Dance, the company will re-stage Ryoanji by Jacque Lynn Bell with a cast of 43 dancers.
The program also features two premieres: a new commission from Norbert De La Cruz III, known for blending classical ballet with improvisational freedom, and a work by Co-Director Nicholas Cendese spotlighting the company’s own artistry. The evening is designed as both a “homecoming and a horizon”—a chance to reflect on the past while stepping forward with new energy.
Emerge
In January 2026, RDT presents Emerge (January 9–10) in the intimate Leona Wagner Black Box Theatre. This annual program empowers company dancers to take on the role of choreographer, developing original works and collaborating with local artists. For many, Emerge has been a launching pad to future careers in choreography and academia. The performances offer audiences a glimpse of the raw creativity that fuels RDT’s mission of cultivating new voices in modern dance.
Diamond Gala
On February 28, 2026, RDT will host a Diamond Gala at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center. The evening will include food, a salute to alumni, archival exhibits, and a unique performance celebrating the company’s 60-year history. More than a fundraiser, the gala serves as a gathering of community members, artists, and supporters who have been part of RDT’s journey since its founding in 1966.
Anthology
The season concludes April 23–25, 2026, with Anthology, a program devoted to the pioneers of modern dance. Audiences will see the Utah premiere of Martha Graham’s Dark Meadow Suite (1948), a lyrical exploration of memory and renewal. RDT will also bring back José Limón’s Concerto Grosso (1945), a landmark acquisition in the company’s repertory since 1967.
The evening closes with Helen Tamiris’ rarely performed Dance for Walt Whitman (1961), a piece originally created in honor of Virginia Tanner and now restaged with guest performers from the University of Utah’s Department of Dance. This reconstruction ties RDT’s present directly to its roots and pays homage to the artists who laid the foundation for American modern dance.
Accessible Subscriptions
True to its mission of making dance available to everyone, RDT continues its tiered subscription program. The “Arts Champion” tier ($78–$224) empowers patrons to directly support new commissions while receiving perks like preferred seating and invitations to receptions. The “Arts Enthusiast” tier ($48–$194) ensures affordability for students, seniors, and anyone on a limited budget, offering tickets to main season shows for just $15.
Both tiers provide benefits such as free ticket exchanges, lost ticket replacement, discounts on merchandise, and subscriber-priced additional tickets.
A Season About Legacy and Momentum
Throughout its 60th anniversary season, RDT aims to celebrate the people and partnerships that shaped its first six decades while pushing modern dance into new terrain. Each program highlights RDT’s strengths: preserving iconic works, commissioning daring new voices, and ensuring that the power of movement remains accessible to audiences across Utah.
As Co-Director Lynne Larson noted, the Diamond Season is about “honoring where we’ve been and illuminating where we’re going.” With new leadership, bold choreography, and a deep connection to community, RDT’s 60th anniversary year will be more than a celebration of the past—it will be a testament to dance’s ability to evolve, endure, and inspire for generations to come.
