Spring Break
Dance professor choreographs last hurrah
Rebekah Macy
Issue date: 5/7/08 Section: Life
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Woodward's passion for dance developed at the age of 7 when she took tap and ballet classes in her hometown of Portland, Maine. From that point on, her desire to be a professional dancer grew, as did her talent and skill.
During school vacations, Woodward would stay with a friend in New York City while taking ballet classes.
In her sophomore year of high school, Woodward auditioned for a Europe-bound show choreographed by Cecil B. DeMille's niece, Agnes DeMille. Fifteen-year-old Woodward was given the dancing job, which initiated her career as a professional dancer.
Putting the remainder of high school on hold for a while, Woodward moved to New York after her European tour to pursue her dreams.
For 15 years, she lived and worked in New York City. She performed in the Ballet Corps at Radio City Music Hall and danced in six Broadway shows, including "Follies" and "I Can Get It for You Wholesale" with Barbara Streisand. Woodward also performed as a regular in television shows and movies including "The Ed Sullivan Show" and "Lover Come Back."
In 1973, Woodward moved to Los Angeles, California where she continued to perform in television specials, as well as at the Los Angeles City Light Opera in such shows as "Guys and Dolls" with Milton Berle and "Kismet."
Woodward began teaching in 1975 at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and other professional dance studios in Hollywood.
During this time, she decided to finish the high school education she had postponed for her dance career.
After receiving her diploma, Woodward decided to attend Los Angeles Valley Community College to further her education. She then transferred to Cal State Los Angeles to earn a bachelor's degree in dance, while simultaneously teaching in the same department. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in dance from Mills College in Oakland.
She soon moved to Kansas where she was a full-time instructor and director of the Kansas State University dance program. She also taught at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Following the four years she spent in Kansas and Wisconsin, Woodward returned to California.
Returning to Los Angeles, she interviewed at Citrus College for a full-time dance position in the summer of 1998 and got the job.
During her Citrus College teaching career, Woodward has contributed much to the Performing Arts Department.
Prior to Woodward's arrival, Citrus did not have a dance program. In her first year at Citrus, Woodward taught all the dance classes, then would rehearse with a few advanced students at night. Because this was unofficial, the students did not receive credit for it, and it was exhausting.
She soon learned that she could develop a class to establish a public dance performance for which the students could receive credit.
Woodward made all the necessary preparations, and the class for the fall and spring dance concerts was created.
In the fall of 1999, the inaugural Citrus College dance concert took place in the Little Theatre. Since then, the dance concerts have grown immensely with the involvement of faculty and student choreographers. In spring 2007, the concerts were relocated to the Haugh Performing Arts Center.
In her classes, Woodward displays dexterity and energy. She customizes her instruction to improve the students' skills where needed.
She shares stories about her career with her students and tries to make certain they laugh and have fun in her classes.
An important element Woodward strives for is "to dance the best I can, the fullest I can, to show the dancers how wonderful it is to dance, and to show students my love of dance."
She also places great emphasis on discipline, due to the technicalities of dance and of life as well.
"If you can learn how to discipline yourself in a dance class, it can teach you how to discipline yourself in other things in life," Woodward said.
The Spring Dance Concert, scheduled for May 9 and 10, is the last concert Woodward will direct. Geraldine Wong, a dancer in this year's spring dance concert, described Woodward as "quite an interesting character to work with."
According to adjunct faculty member and dance concert co-director Andrea Cordova-Caddes, Woodward mentored her when she began teaching at Citrus.
"[She taught me] to give it my all but realize there are limitations, because things will happen in life no matter how much you plan," Cordova-Caddes said.
Although Woodward has possessed a lifelong passion for dance, she anticipates her retirement might not include it.
She enjoys keeping her home neat and organized, and she takes pleasure in gardening. She looks forward to spending more time with her husband, Jeff. She also likes change and a degree of unpredictability.
"At this point, I'm waiting to see how and where I'm guided," Woodward said.
While conducting her work around her home, Woodward is ready to see which direction her life will take her.
"As a little girl, I followed my star, and I'm going to do the same thing when I retire."
Rebekah Macy can be reached atr.macy@yahoo.com
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