Ruth Ward
Ruth was born and raised in Hillsborough, NC and started dancing at the age of 5 right here at The Ballet School in Chapel Hill. Beginning with Tap she then was introduced to Jazz, Ballet, and eventually discovered and studied Modern, West African, and Composition at The American Dance Festival, which she attended on various occasions. From ages 9-17 Ruth was a member of The North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble (NCYTE) under the direction of Gene Medler and was able to perform nationally and internationally at schools, festivals, and other community venues.
After high school Ruth obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance Performance and Choreography from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. During her time there she was also privileged with the experience to do a semester abroad, studying dance at The University of Cape Town in South Africa. She first started teaching dance to children in Greensboro in 2009 and eventually made her way to New York City where she spent 10 years teaching and performing across all five boroughs. Ruth has choreographed hundreds of dances for annual recitals, end of year programs, and other community performances. She and her husband welcomed their first child in September of 2021 which prompted their move back home to North Carolina. She is thrilled to have found a home here at her very own Alma mater.