My Story
BIO / RYAN HENDRICKS
I was born and raised in central Florida, where I started dancing and performing in school plays at the age of six. This sparked a love for the performing arts that would grow into a hobby, a passion, a bit of an obsession, and finally a career. I was always a "dancer first," and this quickly developed from performing to the creativity and storytelling of choreography. You'll realize after meeting me that I love to tell a good story, and my choreography reflects that same joy of expression through movement. That passion and joy to always simply "tell a good story" is what inspires my work today.
I began assisting my mentors while still learning from them in school. That mentorship got me choreographing and directing for the youth group at my local theatre and my own drama club. In high school, this would lead to my first paid jobs as a choreographer for local theaters and neighboring high schools. While earning a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Florida State University (as well as concurrently earning a Bachelor of Science in Sociology), I continued performing, directing, and choreographing. I was hired to direct and choreograph productions at local theaters in town, and I was hired as the Staff Choreographer at a nearby college while still earning my degree at FSU.
After college I moved to New York City, which is still my home and artistic base today. I was selected for a prestigious early career program through the Stage Director and Choreographers Foundation. Upon completion of that program and production assignment, I was granted Associate Member status with the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, the union for professional directors and choreographers in the United States.
My experience has seen me directing and choreographing Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway at home in NYC, as well as regional productions around the U.S. I also taught dance and performance in both musical theatre and opera with the International Performing Arts Institute in Bavaria and Hamburg, Germany.
When not working in theatre, my other passions include pizza, travel, photography, and cooking!
With a balanced love for adventure, learning, and leading, I'm excited for opportunities to continue my artistic journey in NYC, across the United States, and internationally. Please explore the site for my resume, samples of my work, and reach out about collaborating to tell a great story together!