Katie Rudd
Performer, Tutor & Choreographer

Katie grew up in Taranaki, where she danced at the Lynn Gilbert-Smith Dance Studio. In 2009 and 2010 she was the winner of the National Young Performer of the Year Award. After graduating from The New Zealand School of Dance in 2013, Katie made her professional debut with The New Zealand Dance Company (NZDC) in 2014.

Over the past decade of dancing with NZDC, she has performed in all of the company’s major seasons across Aotearoa, Europe, North America, and Australia. One of her most memorable and special performances was at WOMAD 2017 debuting Lumina to a crowd full of family and friends.

Katie has also performed in New Caledonia at Festival du Mont Dore in a new creation by French choreographer Thierry Bain in collaboration with Compagnie MAADO, 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 2021. Recent performances include the Auckland Arts Festival 2021 season of Strasbourg 1518 and the digital premieres of the Full Moon Folk Ball and ArteFact: How to Behave in a Museum for the Auckland Arts Festival 2022, and Stage of Being 2023. She has choreographed work for Tempo Dance Festival and NZDC’s Matariki Hunga Nui programme.

Outside of the studio, Katie is passionate about well-being for all, and recently became a qualified Yoga teacher. In her spare time she loves reading, drinking tea with her amazing family and volunteering at Everybody Eats.