Gigi Arrington

Gigi’s  dance  life  began  in  her  grandmother’s  living  room  and continued with few interruptions (except for the birth of four babies and knee & hip surgeries) for over 45 years.
She  was  a  full-time  dancer  with  Ririe-Woodbury  from  1979- 1981and  received  her  B.A.  and  M.A.  degrees  from  Brigham Young University where she taught on the dance faculty. Gigi al- so had the opportunity to teach at the University of Nevada/ Reno, the University of Nevada/Las Vegas and Arizona State Uni- versity. She helped establish the Children’s Creative Dance Lab in Las Vegas, the Sierra Repertory Dance Theatre in Reno and RW studio classes for kids.   She performed with A Ludwig Co Dance Theatre in Phoenix and Contemporary DanceWORKS in Utah and in 1996 rejoined the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company as Director of Education. She will never forget teaching and per- forming for children in schools from Park Valley to Monument Valley,  eating  remarkable  and  unremarkable  meals  with  the dancers in the ever-changing rural splendor that is Utah, and dancing the roles of the Shy Hag, Mr. On d’Moove, and Mama Eddy   and   narrating   “Circle   Cycle”   and   other   children’s shows.  Good times.
Gigi is now in retirement from the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Com- pany to have more time to dance with her grandchildren but still enjoys  teaching  children  in  schools,  teaching  workshops  for teachers     and     especially     leading     Parent/Child     Dance Nights.  She  continues her service on the board of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI Utah)and works to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.