Dancing into a new era: donors support revitalization of UGA Dance

In April 2025, ahead of the UGA Department of Dance’s annual spring showcase, student-performers, faculty and audience members alike gathered in the newly named Victor and Annette Riden Lobby in the Dance Building to celebrate the recently completed renovations and honor the couple whose influence inspired the gift that made it happen. 

Victor Jr. (BBA ’48) graduated from the University of Georgia shortly after returning to the U.S. following World War II, while Annette worked as a secretary for the university. The couple had three children — Vicky, Martha (AB ’75, MSW ’94) and Vic Riden III, who earned his bachelor’s degree from Mercer University and his master’s degree from Vanderbilt University. The Riden family has deep connections to UGA, both historically and in the future; two of Vic’s three children are enrolled — Alle ’25 and Victor ’27 — and the family has been loyal supporters, donors and football season ticket holders since the mid-1960s. 

Vic is a retired managing partner with the consulting firm Accenture and a dedicated volunteer for several nonprofit organizations in Georgia. He kicked off the Dance 2.0 fundraising campaign with a matching gift, a sum intended to match other gifts given to the campaign. The hope was that potential donors would be more likely to give knowing that their gift would be matched by the sum Vic gave, doubling their impact.  

As it happened, the campaign — and Vic’s gift — seemed to strike a chord with the Athens and dance community. In just four months, the funds Vic provided were fully matched by other gifts, intended to serve as a catalyst for the additional fundraising required to support the department’s transformation. 

“I see the dance department as an underdog on campus — so I knew my parents would approve of me supporting this hidden UGA jewel and rallying others to support the program in their name,” Vic said. 

“They were both humble, hardworking people with big hearts and a focus on serving others,” he continued. “I hope by naming the renovated lobby after them, that will say to people ‘anyone of us can make a huge difference, especially when we work with an organization like UGA.’” 

Revitalizing spaces, renewing energy 

As the new department head for the Department of Dance in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, Rebecca Gose’s leadership has been instrumental in launching the Dance 2.0 revitalization campaign. 

“This transformation campaign is going to address many of our needs, but primarily we want to increase the dance program’s impact and relevance both within the dance community, across campus and beyond,” she said. 

Increasing the program’s impact will involve everything from upgrading recruitment materials to updating the program website to renovating the department’s facilities to better support the students and faculty. The Riden Lobby is the first step in ushering in a new era of possibility for the department.  

Hardwood floors freshly refinished now gleam uncovered after decades spent underneath a thick layer of carpet. Fresh paint and newly designed collaborative spaces for students breathe new life into an historic space. Restoring and renovating the Dance Building has helped to create an environment where students can grow, learn and succeed while the support from others in the dance community surrounds them.  

“One of our students said recently that because of the renovations, the inside of our building now reflects the enthusiasm and priority of the students, staff, audiences and donors,” Gose said. 

It was a full circle moment when the Riden Lobby was dedicated ahead of the department’s spring show. For Rebecca and the dance department, it was an indication that the future they envision for dance at UGA is all too possible with the help of donors, the community and beyond. For Vic, it was a moment of reflection for his parents — their impact on him and now, their impact on students.