history of ahdc

AHDC began in 1985 through the work of Arts House Graduate Fellow Lisa S. Burton, Arts House resident Jan Ohye, and Joshua Levy. The Company was supported and sanctioned (and given formal recognition) by the Department of Residential Living and the Arts House Living-Learning Program. AHDC is no longer affiliated with the Arts House Program, which gave it its beginnings. The Company is now a separate student-led organization.

The company has an executive board consisting of the following positions: Chair, Artistic Director, Marketing Director, Business Director, Costume Director, and Scheduling Director. The board offers excellent leadership opportunities for all members of the group and allows individuals to get involved in the Performing Arts Community at Penn. Currently, we are known on campus as a diverse, talented company for experienced dancers who enjoy both excelling in styles with which they are familiar and who strive to expand their horizons with new dance forms and choreography. In addition to being a company that's grown in both experience and professionalism in recent years, we’re also a tight-knit family in and out of the studio.

The company is currently led by Chair Erica Edman (SAS ‘25) and Artistic Director Madison Kang (SAS ‘26).

To help maintain and improve our technique, we hold weekly contemporary and technique classes with professionals from the Philadelphia dance community. Arts House performs in one show per semester featuring pieces choreographed by company members. In addition to these two major performances, we can be seen all over campus, performing at fraternity and sorority coffee houses, charity benefits, and university-sponsored events (including Student Performing Arts Night, Family Performing Arts Night, Senior Performing Arts Night, Making History Campaign, and Spring Fling).