Blair Ritchie holds an M.F.A. in Choreography from Wilson College and a B.F.A. in Dance from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. She is a co-founder and owner of Rock Dance Center, a three-pillared organization integrating education, performance, and outreach. Its educational pillar, Washington Rock Dance (WRD), provides developmentally appropriate training for dancers from beginner to pre-professional levels, including the pre-professional company RDC2, which bridges the gap between student and professional worlds through intensive training, mentorship, and performance opportunities. Rock Dance Collective (RDC), the professional company, develops interdisciplinary works that merge movement, sculpture, installation, and sound, exploring societal, environmental, and embodied themes. RDC has been commissioned by DanceNOW SteelStacks, Joe’s Pub, Rutgers Summer Stage, CoLab Arts, and ArtCake, presenting original works in theaters, galleries, and site-specific locations throughout the United States. Rock Outreach, the organization’s community initiative, uses movement as a catalyst for connection and engagement, offering workshops, performances, and interactive experiences in schools, community centers, and other non-traditional spaces.

 

Blair was a member of the faculty at Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts Dance Department for twelve years, serving on the Dance Technique Curriculum Committee and creating the Yoga for Dancers course, which remains an integral part of the department’s offerings. She co-developed the first-ever Rutgers/Om Factory 200-hour Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training program, running annual teacher trainings during her tenure. The program equips students with a nationally recognized credential and practical skills for sustainable professional work in dance and wellness. She earned a senior part-time lecturer appointment through a competitive review process after beginning this program.

 

As a performer, Blair toured nationally and internationally with multiple contemporary dance companies, appearing in venues and festivals across the United States and Europe. She continues to perform and serves as dramaturg for Rock Dance Collective, helping to guide the conceptual and emotional framework of the company’s work to deepen its impact and resonance with audiences. Her performance experience continues to inform her work as a choreographer and educator.

 

Currently, Blair is a full-time dance teacher at Bayonne High School and a registered yoga teacher (RYT 500), having trained with Sue Elkind and Naime Jezzeny, as well as completing restorative teacher training with Jillian Pransky. Over two decades, she has cultivated her expertise in alignment-based Hatha yoga, therapeutics, and hands-on practice, mentoring and teaching both students and teachers within the yoga and dance communities.