Photo by Matt Carr
Hometown: Trevose, PA (just outside Philly)
Current city: Brooklyn, NY
Age: 36
College and degree: BA in Dance Performance and Choreography (and a minor in Math) from Goucher College in Baltimore, MD
Website: www.beckyradwaydanceprojects.com
How you pay the bills: Arts Admin... I am the Associate Artistic Director/Managing Director of Triskelion Arts, a performance and rehearsal space in Brooklyn, NY.
All of the dance hats you wear: Choreographer, dancer, administrator, grant writer, teacher, fundraiser
Non-dance work you do: For a number of years, I did editing and proofreading work for an educational publishing company. I also have a soap company, BC Soaps, with my husband, where we make and sell natural soaps out of our Brooklyn apartment.
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Photo by Sam Polcer
The first five years after college:
The first 5 years were a lot of bouncing around, and a number of small projects. I was creating short pieces of my own work and performing with other dance companies... late-night rehearsals and daytime classes squeezed in between a lot of part-time jobs. Three friends (Meghan McCoy-Alchus, Danica Kalemdaroglu, and Rachel Sample) and I started Collective Dance NY, an outlet for us to share our resources and finances to self-produce our own work.
Ten years after college:
... and a number of day jobs and apartments later, I was gaining some momentum and began making longer works for my company, Becky Radway Dance Projects. The company was presenting a steady annual season with one evening-length premiere each year as well as some fun side projects (like a collaboration on a dance-horror film, 219 Gates; check it out on youtube.)
Now:
I've delved into more teaching opportunities in the recent years, and it has been wonderful to work with a wide variety of students with a wide variety of movement-related needs and goals... some high school students that are just beginning their artistic life and some adults coming back to dance after building families and careers of their own. BRDP has continued to chug along with new projects, both large and small.
Major influences:
Oh my, lots of things. My childhood years as a competitive gymnast definitely weigh in and taught me to always push my physical limits (as well as finding for excuses to climb on things). Classical modern and ballet training gave me a respect for the steady traditions in the art form. And the incredible work of innovative choreographers and theater-makers that I've been lucky enough to experience over my life continue teaching me how to think big and challenge myself with something new whenever possible.
What is on your calendar for 2017?
A big, big project! This Fall, I'm celebrating 15 years of art-making in NYC and am in the process of creating a production with a huge, weight-bearing, metal structure. Think of it as an adult jungle gym. It's a project that I've been dreaming about for the last 15 years and never thought would be possible. I can't say how excited I am to be making it happen, and we're saving the date for an October 2017 premiere in Brooklyn.
Photo by Sam Polcer
Training and care of the body:
I'm still figuring this one out (there seems to always be new aches and pains that pop up these days). Since I sit at a desk most of the day, I do my best to get up and take regular breaks, think about my posture (a lot!), get myself to class whenever I can, and workout at home when I can't.
How do you find balance between your artistic work and arts administration?
I'm a compulsive list-maker and planner, and I always make it a point to pencil in time to work on creative projects in my day planner, along with my admin work. It may seem silly to have to remind yourself to work on your art, but it's amazing how quickly other things can take priority. That little tap on the shoulder helps me make space for it when I might otherwise let it slip to the background.
What do you love and enjoy about working at Triskelion Arts?
I very much enjoy helping others realize an artistic project that they have brewing. The nuts and bolts of any admin work are not glamorous, and the day-to-day can be mundane. But at the end of the week when the production goes up, it is incredibly satisfying to have provided opportunities (however large or small) that helped open a door for an artist or move along a production that may not otherwise have come to be.
Advice to dancers wanting to get into arts administration:
It's important to have a general idea of the administrative side of things for anyone making work, even if you don't plan to work in an office yourself. Speaking and writing about your work well are vital skills as you send applications out into the world and seek out opportunities. Look at what other companies are doing, see how your work compares, gain some experience by volunteering, working for, or chatting with some people with admin experience, and you can put your best foot forward.
Please pose 3 questions for choreographers to consider in 2017:
- What techniques/moves/ideas do you fall back on when you're stuck?
- How can you break away from those "safety nets?"
- What are your artistic goals for 2018, and how can you build momentum in 2017 to get there?
Photo by Jon Radway
What do you look for in a dancer? How do you find dancers?
I've been lucky to collect dancers over the years through friend recommendations, people I've performed with in other companies, and people I've seen perform at some point and invited into rehearsal. I look for performers with a solid technical background that can also bring something exciting to the material... a sense of abandon or quirky intuition. People with a good attitude and openness in rehearsal, people that are willing to trust me and try new things, and people that challenge me to push the work to a better place.
Do you have a mentor? How do you receive feedback on your projects?
I wouldn't say that I have one mentor. I've definitely learned and taken inspiration from all of the choreographers and teachers I've had the pleasure to work with. I tap into my creative colleagues and friends for feedback... inviting people to rehearsal to hear their thoughts, and meeting up to chat about ideas or ask questions.
Advice on moving to NYC:
Take class, apply to things, and talk to people! The community you generate by meeting people, taking class, and volunteering for things as you get started will be invaluable to you down the line. Work hard and have a good attitude. If just one person enjoys working with you, they'll recommend you for other opportunities, and you'll continue to build a group of supportive people around you that will open a lot of doors.
Final thoughts: Hope/belief/love of the profession:
Art is a fascinating outlet. It's not to be taken lightly. Whether you are making it, watching it, treating it as a hobby or a full-time commitment... art brings a sense of wonder, a sense of play, it challenges us, distracts us, makes us uncomfortable. It makes us think, and makes us dream. With all of the difficulties and uncertainties that may come our way, let's always continue to dream.
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Related posts:
Building a Dance Company: Dreams and Goals for 2017
Blog Series: Becoming an Arts Administrator
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