Artist Profile #11: Christal N. Brown (Middlebury, VT)

Photo: Kimara Dixon

Hometown: Kinston, North Carolina

Current city: Middlebury, Vermont

Age: 33

When you started to dance: Age 9

When you first took a modern dance class: Summer of 1991 at the age of 13 at North Carolina School of the Arts Summer Intensive

College and degree: The University of North Carolina at Greensboro; BFA in Dance with a Minor in Business

Graduate school and degree: Long Island University; MFA in New Media Art and Performance (at age 29)

Websites: www.inspiritdance.com and www.projectbecoming.com

How you pay the bills: I meet my financial responsibilities by serving as an Assistant Professor of Dance at Middlebury College, teaching at various summer festivals, and choreographing for repertory companies and collegiate dance programs. However, I do not favor my artistic work over my teaching. I see them as a reciprocal investment in the growth of one another. I find balance in pursuing both equally.

All of the dance hats you wear: I am the Founding Artistic/Executive Director of INSPIRIT a Dance Company, Inc and Project : BECOMING. At present I perform mostly solo work as well as an endeavor as a national and international teacher, choreographer, and facilitator, in addition to teaching in the Dance Program at Middlebury College.

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Photo: Kimara Dixon

You have performed with many amazing, accomplished companies (Urban Bush Women, Liz Lerman, Bill T. Jones, Chuck Davis, etc). Can you talk about how you got into each of the companies? Was it an audition, workshop, being seen in class?

I was encouraged to apply for Chuck Davis’ African-American Dance Ensemble soon after graduating from college. While working on a project with Andrea E. Woods in New York, I submitted a pre-audition video tape to the company and was invited to the formal audition. Having no previous African dance training, aside from a semester of study in college, I informed Baba (Chuck Davis) that if I were granted entry into the company, he would have to teach me everything I needed to know. Thankfully, he was willing. 

In the case of the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange...I was invited to a summer workshop by Peter Dimuro, who at the time was the company’s associate artistic director. After attending the workshop, I was invited to apprentice with the company. As an apprentice, I was able to use my previous business experience in the role of Liz’s personal assistant. Working closely with Liz afforded me a wealth of knowledge regarding choreography, leadership, and vision, that I would not have been able to build my company without.

I was invited to work with Bill T. Jones through the recommendation of a friend. While in the presence of Jones and the members of the company, I observed what it meant to devote oneself to being an artist. Something I admired, but that I also knew was not my artistic path. Yet, it took emersion in what I was not to understand what I was.

I spent the longest portion of my performance career with Urban Bush Women, as a lead performer, apprentice program coordinator, and community specialist. UBW served as the catalyst for all of my interest to be utilized and sharpened. I was challenged daily by my fellow performers in the studio and on stage, which spurred my perpetual growth as a technician and performer. As a company member I was also called upon to participate and collaborate in the creative process, which expanded my ideas of choreography and dance making. As the apprentice program coordinator and a community specialist, I deepened my knowledge of dance company structure, teaching, and artistic responsibility.

Beyond technical training and performance experience, what skills do you think got you into your performance roles (ex. persistence, perseverance, confidence, curiosity, etc)? What are your personal strengths as an artist?

I believe the success of my career is based on the sheer action of saying Yes to God's continual instructions along a winding path of discovery. Because my first goal was to be a dance teacher, the performance world was totally foreign to me. Therefore, I never turned down any opportunity to dance regardless of the pay, the genre, or the venue. As long as my integrity was not compromised I committed myself to fully investing the talent God gave me to further my understanding of the field of dance. Saying "yes" positioned me into a lot of great roles and more often into the company of mentors, friends, colleagues, and teachers, who led me full circle to my current professorship. 

When you worked with Gesel Mason, how did you balance dancing as well as managing the company?

Working with Gesel Mason and Cheles Rhynes, who founded Mason Rhynes Productions, was a wonderful learning experience. Dancing as a member of Gesel Mason Performance Projects and working on the staff of Mason Rhynes Productions gave me an in-depth view into the day to day functions of a not-for-profit organization and the skills needed to be successful on and off stage.

Talk a little about your projects, INSPIRIT and Project: BECOMING.

INSPIRIT and Project: BECOMING were both created to provide safe spaces for learning and growth.  

In the case of INSPIRIT, I wanted to create a company of female artists who were not being given the opportunity to share their talents in large dance companies for numerous reasons. Because there are only a few companies and numerous dancers, securing a position in a large company is challenging. Therefore, I created INSPIRIT as an incubation tank for female artists of varying backgrounds and skillsets. The company members collaborate, perform, and execute the administrative tasks related to keeping the company growing. I began the company to give other women the opportunities I had been afforded.

Project: BECOMING was created to assist in supporting the developmental metamorphosis of adolescent females into young women. The mission of Project: BECOMING is to create self-actualized females. Through the use of expressive modalities, such as dance, writing and discussion, we promote creative exploration. These experiences encourage an outgrowth of limitless possibilities.  My desire for beginning this project stemmed from a personal need I had for female mentorship as a young woman.

It sounds like working at Middlebury is a new chapter in your life. What are your current career goals? What most excites you about working with college students?

I have been a Visiting Lecturer in Dance at Middlebury College for the past four years. Having recently made the transition into a full time Assistant Professor, I look forward to deepening my ties to my students. Having begun my career with the goal of becoming a teacher, I am grateful for the path that God has created for me in terms of performing, directing my own company and working for wonderful icons in the field. At this point I feel as though my life has come full circle. I now have the experiential knowledge to offer my students and the amazing opportunity of doing what I love everyday while providing a wonderful life for my son Gabriel.

Are you still performing and choreographing?

Yes, I am currently working on an all male project based on the life and legacy of Muhammad Ali entitled “The Opulence of Integrity,” which will premiere at Middlebury College in March of 2013.  In addition I have been performing a series of solos called “The Life Cycle Series.”  The newest installment, “Somewhere in a Memory” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooDD2MkfQtg) premiered in September of 2012 in NY as a part of the Dance Now Festival. I am also collaborating with INSPIRIT’s new Artistic Director Alexandra J. Warren on a new piece for INSPIRIT’s 10^th anniversary season, entitled “My Country Tis of Thee.”

Talk about your current ways to train, maintain your body, and care for your body.

Currently, I train from a module I created called “Christal Brown’s Liquid Strength,” which combines the best parts of my training as a student and professional dancer. The training module has been an integral tool in training my company and sharing with students in class and via dvd.

In addition to dancing, I have also been studying Gyrotonics for the past 2 years.

Advice to young dancers:

My advice to young dancers would be to always be on time, work hard, pursue your dreams and to create your own standards for success. Your path may not be what you plan, what you expect, smooth or even clear but as long as you are true to yourself it will be right. Being you is the most important part of being a dancer; the true beauty of a performer is created from within. Strive for authenticity, humility, and grace.

Comments

[Kathryn]

The fact that you are able to continue to follow your passion for dance and still manage to make a living by finding other avenues to stay involved in the arts community is awesome. I like the idea that you view your work as an “investment in the growth of one another”. You have had the opportunity to work and perform with some amazing dancers and choreographers, which is very admirable. Was it a hard transition to jump into African dance after previous training in other forms of dance?
You mentioned that the longest portion of your performance career was with Urban Bush Women. What would you say was the most valuable experience that you took away from working with that company? I love that fact that you find strength through God’s will and carry that with you as a person and an artist, because it is important to have faith and sometimes in the midst of things, I tend to lose sight of that. I appreciate your honesty and the advice you have for all dancers. Best of luck with INSPIRIT Dance Company.

[Kaitlyn Glenn]

I really enjoyed reading about your experiences and what you have accomplished as a dancer. I found it extremely motivating and beautiful that you trusted God and followed the path he gave you. It must have been amazing to work with all of the companies you have danced for! What did you gain most from working with each one?
It put a smile on my face reading about INSPIRIT and Project BECOMING. That is a wonderful thing you are doing and I wish you the best with continuing. I found your advice for young dancers very true and inspiring. It's sometimes hard to stay true to yourself. I also found it inspiring how you said to "create your own standards for success" because sometimes I can get lost in frustration when not being able to reach someone else's standards. Thank you so much for sharing about yourself, it was enjoyable to read.

[Brooke]

You’ve accomplished so much in your career and the many fields of dance. It was interesting to read your original plan was teaching and you eventually found your way into performing. It was truly inspiring to read you had no formal training in African dance and were able to successfully receive a job with Chuck Davis! I love your outlook on always saying yes to a job or an opportunity to dance.

I am currently working towards a teaching certification within the dance department at my university and have never seen myself performing once graduated. Your ability to perform, teach, and create your projects INSPIRIT and BECOMING have opened my eyes to the possibilities out there once graduated. My path in the future may not be what I have planned at the moment. However, in order to grow, I must take each opportunity to its fullest advantage. Thanks so much for sharing your story!