Rudy Perez’s passing on September 29, 2023, marked an end of a big piece of history embodied in one person. On his own from the age of seventeen, by grit and discipline Rudy survived despite hardships. Fortunately, he was the right age, at the right place, and at the right time. He became part of the vibrant New York dance scene, training with Katherine Dunham, Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham. Rudy became part of the fusion of activity at the Judson Church Dance Theater where artists as diverse as Trisha Brown, LeRoi Jones, Twyla Tharp and Claes Oldenburg performed. The dancers in Rudy’s first dance ensemble could easily have been the inspiration for the caricatures of hip modern dancers in New Yorker cartoons. He took part in the historic Stonewall Uprising for gay rights. Then, in 1978 that energy came to Los Angeles.
As the producer and writer of “Countdown: Reflections on a life in Dance,” I had the privilege, along with the film’s director, my daughter Rachel Perez Bitan, of knowing Rudy and capturing his indomitable spirit on film. The framing device of the documentary is the rehearsal leading to the performance of one of his signature pieces “Countdown” by Victor Quijada. Victor is artistic director of Rubberband Dance Group, his own dance company based in Montreal, Quebec Canada.
Award-winning filmmaker, playwright, and writer, Severo Perez grew up in Westside San Antonio and graduated from the University of Texas, Austin. For over forty years, he produced films for PBS, network and cable television, corporate sponsors, and the educational market. His feature film adaptation of the novel …and the earth did not swallow him (1994) by Tomas Rivera won eleven international awards, including one for Best Director and five for Best Picture. His first novel, Willa Brown & the Challengers, is historical fiction based on the real-life African American aviation pioneer, Willa Beatrice Brown. Odd Birds is his second novel. His third book, Filmmaker's Journey, was published in 2024.