Hometown: Columbia, Maryland
Current city: Philadelphia, PA
Age: 38
College and degree: University of Utah, B.F.A. Modern Dance
Graduate school and degree: New York University, Tisch School of the Arts, M.F.A. Dance
Websites: https://vimeo.com/channels/303741 and https://vimeo.com/channels/508021
How you pay the bills: Assistant Professor of Dance, Temple University (Philadelphia, PA)
-----------------------------------------------
In late 2011, I decided to take a break from performing to develop my own work. Most of my choreography has featured student dancers from Temple and, as a result, I have been able to receive some financial support from the university for my research. Currently, I am producing and appearing in a dance film shot in Arches National Park (Moab, Utah) that will premiere in Philadelphia in late 2014. I assembled a stellar creative team for this project, including award-winning LA filmmaker Jennifer Jessum, Yebel Gallegos (Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company member), Alvin Rangel (Assistant Professor of Dance, California State-Fullerton), Paula Cantu (hair and make-up artist), and Christopher Farrell (composer). Past projects have also involved significant collaboration. Last year, I collaborated and toured with Virginia Tech University’s L2Ork (Linux Laptop Orchestra) and created a large-scale work that featured live music by Ola Gjeilo, fifty-five singers, a string quartet, and eleven student and professional dancers. I also completed a site-specific dance inspired by Dante’s Inferno that premiered on the Scalo De Pinedo in Rome, Italy. I developed this particular piece during my time teaching a summer course, Creative Process in Dance, at Temple University-Rome.
In addition to conducting creative research, my responsibilities at Temple University include teaching three to four courses per semester, advising undergraduate students, serving on committees, and publishing. This year, for the second time, I am also mentoring and leading a group of students to the regional ACDFA (American College Dance Festival Association) festival in March. From 2009-2012, I served as Undergraduate Coordinator, overseeing between eighty-five to one hundred students. I revamped the BFA curriculum during this time and shepherded the proposal through the approval process. I also initiated the first dance course at Temple University’s campus in Rome, Italy.
My time at Temple University has drawn extensively upon the administrative skills I developed serving as an intern with the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities (Washington, DC) and an assistant director of a regional arts festival from 1999-2001. I have embraced playing different roles (sometimes within one hour) and reinventing myself with each job that comes my way.
Can you talk about the decision to leave college and join Ririe-Woodbury? When did you choose to complete your degree?
On a whim, I auditioned for Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company at the University of Utah towards the end of my junior year. The summer prior, I had had a transformative experience touring to Australia with the university’s Performing Dance Company. Dancing for diverse communities, including native aboriginals, reaffirmed my conviction that dance is truly a universal language that transcends perceived boundaries. I wanted to continue touring on a professional level and sharing dance with underserved populations. Fortunately, the company’s mission aligned with my own personal goals and I was selected as a dancer. Although I experienced two wonderful years of touring, I knew that I wanted to complete my undergraduate degree so that I might pursue a MFA in the future. In the summer of 1998, three of the company dancers decided not to renew their contract. I took this situation as a sign that I should return to the University of Utah to complete my degree. After teaching, performing, and touring for two straight years, this last year at the university felt like a needed retreat to reevaluate my role in the dance world and chart my next steps. I am enormously grateful to Joan Woodbury, Shirley Ririe, and all my mentors at the University of Utah for the information and opportunities they shared during my formative years.
How many years were you in NYC? What did you love about dancing in the city? What were some of your greatest challenges?
I moved to NYC two weeks before September 11th to begin my graduate work at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Needless to say, I experienced life in the city during a traumatic, confusing time. I had just met my student colleagues and suddenly we were thrown into limbo, searching for one another amidst the confusion downtown, donating supplies in Union Square, and wondering what our purpose as artists might be in light of what we were experiencing. New Yorkers shocked me with their enormous generosity and concern. I began to realize that the city attracts those who seek a community that shares their passion. While large and sometimes overwhelming, the city does not disappoint in providing opportunities to connect. The aftermath of 9/11 reflected this deep desire for human interaction at a time when many people felt most alone. As life slowly returned to normal, I made an effort to embrace as many opportunities as possible. I took workshops, auditioned, and attended numerous performances. Upon graduation, I auditioned for and was accepted into a Metropolitan Opera production and, at the same time, began a yoga teacher’s certification program. Eventually, I reached a point where I could pay the bills through leading private and group yoga sessions, adjunct teaching at CUNY-Queens College, and editing papers for a PhD student. I also continued to rehearse and perform with choreographer Kun-Yang Lin. In the spring of 2008, I was offered a tenure-track position at Temple University in Philadelphia. My partner (now husband) and I packed our boxes and said goodbye to our fifth floor walkup apartment in the Lower East Side. I had a great ride, but I knew it was time to move on to a new challenge.
Photo: Bill Hebert
Advice to young dancers on teaching, the role of teaching in their dance lives ahead, and becoming a well-prepared teacher:
I advise all young dancers to seek out teaching mentors, those who inspired you and helped generate a safe, nurturing environment in the classroom. Observe these people, take notes, and find opportunities to practice the skills they apply in the studio each day. Pay attention to body language, the vocabulary they use, and the way in which they structure classes. Ask questions and be fearless in seeking out opportunities to teach and choreograph.
Training and care for the body:
Don’t underestimate the importance of cross-training and rest. Dancers don’t have the luxury of having an off-season; however, they also rarely find situations where they are getting paid to take technique classes each day. Find a mix of physical activities that keep you sharp even when you can’t make it into the studio. Doing so will also help you when endure an injury. You, therefore, can adapt when, for example, you twist an ankle.
I began vinyasa yoga when I was twelve years old and continue to have a daily practice. I supplement my training with biking, hiking, Pilates, swimming, and weight-lifting. If I get injured, I simply shift to an activity that “off-loads” the effected area.
A recent show that inspired you:
Hiroaki Umeda at New York Live Arts
Web connections – a blog or website that you regularly read:
Arts Policy Website: http://createquity.com
Deborah Jowitt Dance Reviews: http://www.artsjournal.com/dancebeat/
Thinking Dance: http://thinkingdance.net
Photo: Bill Hebert
Describe the modern dance scene in Philly:
The dance scene in Philly is organized, diverse, and supportive. There are numerous small spaces and festivals in which to show work. The Philadelphia Dance.Org website (http://www.philadelphiadance.org) is one of the most comprehensive resources online for information related to the dance community. The city is also blessed to have Lois Welk overseeing a regional office of Dance/USA. Artists seeking a high-quality of life, affordability, proximity to NYC, and resources should consider Philadelphia.
Final advice to young dancers:
Align what you do with your values. Be strategic. Create opportunities rather than waiting around for them to come to you.
-------------------------
Comments