As they sit on the floor with their babies and young children , caregivers attending Music Together classes in Irwin may not realize the two teachers leading the joyful singing , dancing and maraca-shaking are not your typical instructors . Rather , these two women are seasoned Broadway performers and former Radio City Rockettes .
Jennifer Clippinger Dudik and Eileen Grace Noden Reynolds are both trained instructors with the Music Together program , an internationally recognized music program for children from birth through age seven . The early parts of their respective careers , however , were spent on stage on Broadway , at Radio City Music Hall , and on tour with a variety of award-winning musicals .
After graduating from North Central High School in Indianapolis in 1989 , Dudik headed to Point Park University , where she earned her bachelor ’ s degree in dance . While at Point Park , she participated in numerous musicals at the Pittsburgh Playhouse , West Virginia Public Theater and Civic Light Opera .
“ The first Broadway show I saw was ‘ Cats ,’ and I was hooked ,” Dudik says . “ I knew from that point on I wanted to perform .”
Dudik moved to New York City after college , where she soon found herself touring the country with the first national tour of the “ Will Rogers Follies .” In between auditioning for other shows , she spotted an ad in the paper to audition for the iconic Rockettes . She passed the audition , subsequently performing as a Rockette for four years at Radio City Music Hall . During her 11-year-career in New York City , she also performed in musicals at Paper Mill Playhouse , including a production of “ Crazy for You ,” which was recorded for PBS . She then crisscrossed the country again with the first national tour of “ The Producers ” before landing her dream gig : performing on Broadway with “ The Producers .”
In 2004 , Dudik decided that it was time for a change . “ I was 34 , and I had done everything I had wanted to do in New York ,” she says . “ I wanted to start a family .”
The Dudiks had two options — return to Indiana or western Pennsylvania , where her husband Eric , a graduate of Hempfield High School , had grown up . They decided on the Pittsburgh area , because of its proximity to a strong theater scene .
Like Dudik , Reynolds found her way back to Pennsylvania by way of New York . After graduating from Franklin Regional High School , she also attended Point Park University , and earned a bachelor ’ s degree in dance .
“ I knew from the age of three I wanted to be a dancer ,” says Reynolds . “ When I was a young child , my mom tried to encourage me to diversify , but all I wanted to do was dance .”
Anxious to move to New York , she completed her college degree in just three years . Still , she ’ s happy she delayed the move until after she graduated from college . “ If I had moved to New York at the age of 17 , I don ’ t think I would have done as well ,” she notes .
As a performer , Reynolds — who is known in New York by her stage name , Eileen Grace — was cast in the Broadway production of “ 42nd Street ,” was an original cast member and later the dance captain of the “ Will Rogers Follies ,” and also performed in the international tour of “ My One and Only ” with Tommy Tune and Lucie Arnaz .
She spent eight years performing at as a Rockette at Radio City Music Hall , and was eventually asked to help direct and choreograph the Radio City Christmas Spectacular touring production , which she did for eight years .
In addition to performing , Reynolds also loves to choreograph and teach . She ’ s been leading workshops and lessons since she was a teenager , and that passion led to her to design and direct the Rockettes Summer Intensive Program , a training program for women who want to audition to become Rockettes , for 10 years .
Over the course of her extensive career , Reynolds has choreographed more than 40 musicals , and has staged Rockette appearances on “ The Jay Leno Show ,” “ The Oprah Winfrey Show ,” and “ The Today Show ,” among many others . She ’ s had numerous television appearances and credits , including the Grammy Awards , the Tony Awards , “ One Life to Live ,” “ Good Morning America ,” “ Christmas at Rockefeller Center ,” “ The Kennedy Center Honors ,” and “ The Late Show with David Letterman . She also collaborated with Oprah Winfrey and Hugh Jackman on the 10th anniversary celebration of “ O , The Oprah Magazine .”
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Jen Dudik
Eileen Grace Noden Reynolds
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