It made me so sad to hear about the passing of Shirley Ririe, but I remain incredibly grateful to have known her. I became friends with Shirley in 1999 when I created my first piece with Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, and we stayed close since then and throughout my years with the company. She was immensely supportive, insightful in her feedback, profoundly generous and I will miss her! A passionate advocate for the arts, she was not only a beautiful artist but also a generous mentor to me and many others. I continue to be in awe of the company and community that Shirley and Joan pioneered.
Thank you, Shirley, for being you!