Nancy Raddatz
1935-2021

Nancy began studying dance at the age of two and opened The Nancy Raddatz Dance Studio in West St. Paul in 1948. Nancy studied throughout her lifetime, locally and abroad, with choreographers in New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, Hawaii, the United Kingdom, Paris and Spain. She was one of only two American teachers allowed to become members of the British Association of Dance, the oldest established dance organization in the world. She went on to teach her own choreography in national dance conventions and was a national faculty instructor for the National Association of Dance and Affiliated Artists, Inc.

Nancy danced professionally and choreographed for the St. Paul Civic Opera, Bloomington Civic Theater and the Edgewater Inn in Minneapolis, and was choreographer for Disabled Genius at the Guthrie Theater. Nancy was always active in her community outside of her studio, choreographing musicals such as West Side Story, The Boyfriend, and Li’l Abner, among others, for local high schools. For three years, Nancy was director and choreographer of the Minnesota Kicks Soccer Team Cheerline.

In 1990, Nancy established The Uniquely Abled Dance Center to share the joy of dance with the physically and mentally challenged. The Uniquely Abled Dance Center is a non-profit organization that operates entirely with volunteers working one-with-one, and classes are free of charge.

Nancy was a pillar of the West St. Paul business and arts community and is dearly missed. She created an ever-growing dance family, full of love and a passion for dance. All of us at Raddatz Dance thank each and every student and their families, across generations, for sharing in her journey.