Katie Rudd
Performer, Tutor & Choreographer
Katie grew up in New Plymouth with her dance training beginning at the Lynn Gilbert-Smith Dance Studio. In 2009 and 2010 she was the winner of the National Young Performer of the Year Award becoming the only dancer to ever win this award in both disciplines. Katie was a Junior Associate of the New Zealand School of Dance (NZSD), commencing her formal training at NZSD in 2011, graduating as a contemporary major in 2013.
During her studies she worked with a number of guest tutors and choreographers and enjoyed performing in World of Wearable Art, The Body Festival and Tempo Dance Festival. As part of NZSD’s Choreographic Season Katie choreographed her first short work titled Mark, which included a musical collaboration with vocal looper Flo Wilson. Katie also performed in New Caledonia at Festival du Mont Dore in a new creation by Thierry Bain in collaboration with Compagnie MAADO.
Katie made her professional debut with The New Zealand Dance Company (NZDC) in 2014 in Rotunda at the Holland Dance Festival followed by a national tour of Language of Living. Katie also performed in New Caledonia at Festival du Mont Dore in a new creation by French choreographer Thierry Bain in collaboration with Compagnie MAADO.
2015 began with an Australasian tour of Rotunda and the creation of a new duet Company of Another for the Tempo Dance Festival. She performed in the 2015 Lumina premiere season and in 2016 performed Lumina on the Germany/Holland tour as well as across New Zealand’s North Island.
2016 also saw Katie as a part of The Absurdity of Humanity and Trolleys premieres as well as her appointment to full-time dancer. In 2017 she performed with NZDC in the premiere of Kiss The Sky in Auckland, at Splore Festival and WOMAD in Taranaki, as well as in The Absurdity of Humanity national tour. In 2018, Katie performed in the premiere of OrphEus–a dance opera by Michael Parmenter and toured nationally as well as internationally with the Company. 2018 saw Katie performing the premiere season of Matariki for Tamariki as well as national and international tours.
In 2020 Katie performed in the premiere of Strasbourg 1518 with Borderline Arts Ensemble at The New Zealand Festival of the Arts, as well as in All Good if Not; a film by Xin Ji commissioned by Beijing Young Artists Platform and played at Wellington City Gallery in February this year.
2021 has seen Katie perform as a guest dancer for Lucy Marinkovich's premiere of Strasbourg 1518 for Auckland Arts Festival. followed by NZDC's digital presentation of ArteFact: How to Behave in a Museum by Ross McCormack for 2022 Auckland Arts Festival.