JuDy RiCE

Judy Rice is a graduate of the National Ballet School of Canada and has performed extensively across the US, Canada and Europe with the Joffrey Ballet, The National Tap Dance Company of Canada and American Ballet Comedy.  She has more than 40 years of experience teaching for regional companies and festivals as well as Company Dance, DMA, DEA, CNADM, SADM, The Joffrey Ballet School, The Joffrey Ballet, Steps, the Dance Teacher Magazine Summer Conference and The Dance Teacher Summit. Rice has been a judge for ADA, HEADLINERS and has been on the faculty for Dance Masters Teacher Training School and CNADM teacher training school.  She was a contributing writer to GOLDRUSH magazine.  In May of 2000 she co-founded Behind Barres, and to date they have produced 11 albums of ballet class music, which was featured on ABC’s hit show Lost, and have also released 7 educational DVD’s.  Rice’s television credits include:  Fame, All my Children, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and the Great American Dance Challenge.  Since 1990 she has been an Associate Professor of Performing Arts at the University of Michigan and has been on the faculty at Broadway Dance Center, Pace University and Peridance in NYC.  Rice has also been an ambassador for lululemon athletica and featured on the cover of Dance Teacher Magazine, September 2013.  She has served as private ballet coach for Katie Holmes, Amy Adams and Amy Acker and as assistant to Tyce Diorio for his choreography for SYTYCD, Season 9.  Rice has been a special guest for Dance League, Encore Expo, NUVO and 24/Seven.  She has been on faculty for Company Dance, ASH and Industry Xperience dance conventions.  Last year, the University of Michigan honored Rice by being the inaugural recipient of the School of Music, Theater and Dance teaching excellence award.  Most recently she has joined Revel National Dance Convention as guest faculty and will for the second summer be faculty for Revel’s Summer Dance Fest, Genesis.  She is also the recipient of the University of Michigan’s 2024 MLK Spirit Award.