Moria Small. Photo courtesy of the artist.
An Interview with Moria Small: A Different Lens, A Different Path
By Camryn Eaglin
Even within the same university and program, talking with a few students reveals various experiences and perspectives. Looking back to the topic of nuance, we all come from diverse backgrounds, families, and communities that shape us as artists and individuals even though we may be of the same race. This should never be disregarded. In respect to this sentiment, I decided it was important to interview two different black dancers from the same dance department to further observe and honor the particular contrasts and similarities within their own participation. This is a reflection of how the black experience can differ between one another even though there is still a common thread. This is our second interview from UT Austin’s Dance Department. Be sure to check out the previous interview with Kennedy Cannon.
Our final interview in this series is with Moria Small, who is a BA Theater and Dance Major at UT Austin. She is a non-traditional 1st year transfer. She will complete four years at UT and will graduate with the class of 2024.
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Camryn Eaglin (CE): How many dancers are in your class? How many are dancers of color and how many black dancers?
(In this question, black Dancers are distinguished as a separate category from other POC groups. This is to further understand the depth of diversity in the department and highlight black dancers specifically.)
Moria Small (MS): In my class there are 30 of us, there might be 28 in total. There are four black women and no black men in our class. Then for women of color...there are also Latina and Asian students -- but for POC dancers that are not black, there’s about 12 out of 30 in the class.
CE: Why did you want to pursue higher education in dance?
MS: So for me, I wanted to go the route of school because of attending a summer intensive around 2018. It was the American Dance Festival at Duke University, and a lot of the instructors were also professors. I met Charles O. Anderson, who is the head of the department at UT Austin. When I was watching how the instructors were interacting with their students and their mindsets, it made me think there is a sense of stability here. Originally, I was going to go to school to teach photography. I was going to do art which is what I started in -- liberal arts. I wasn’t really sure but when I went to ADF I realized I can do what I love, which is dance, and also do what I love, which is teach and interact with people. So I thought, “Let me go this route, and see what doors there are.” You don’t have to go to school to be a dancer, professional or not, but for someone who likes to work with people and behind the scenes, I knew this was the route I wanted to go.
CE: What has your dance journey been? Where did it begin?
MS: I’ve actually been an athlete all my life. I didn’t start dancing until I graduated from high school, so when I was 18. I’m 22 now. I’ve wanted to dance since I was younger. I remember writing a letter to the Dizzy Feet Foundation when I was nine. I was like, “Nigel Lythgoe, I need money so I can dance.” I wanted to dance for forever but finances weren’t there because I have a lot of siblings. We’re a big family. So I did volleyball, softball, and basketball. I graduated, and the first thing I did within maybe months was I jumped into a ballroom class. I loved it but I knew I wanted to pursue modern and contemporary dance. Which I didn’t even know the names of really, like what it all entailed. I knew this was the style of movement that I wanted to head towards. So yeah, that’s when it started at like 18 and I really dug into it when I was 19.
CE: Does your school have professors of diverse cultural and racial backgrounds?
MS: Yes. I’m blessed that at UT Austin in the Theatre and Dance Department, it is very diverse in the professors and in the mindset. I have professors from around the world. I would say out of the other departments, theatre and dance is on the more diverse side and that is definitely thanks to Charles O. Anderson who is the head of the department and he is black. From what I’ve heard, the department has changed a lot since he’s been here. He is so diverse in himself. So raw and so real in himself. Also with the diverse mindset -- you can have somebody who may be a POC but maybe their mindset isn’t seeking diversity in its deepest forms. So he seeks diversity further than just the skin. He seeks it in mindset and how someone teaches, what styles they teach. The different styles of contemporary become as diverse as they want it to be.
CE: Do you like the variety of styles offered or wish there was more? Do you suggest there is a change in requirement?
MS: I currently have to say I’m really satisfied, and that’s because it’s not what you would expect. Like I said, it’s not super European at all. Even the different teachers. If you say ballet, it’s different. It’s not always the traditional ballet. We have that which is lovely and then we have different takes and styles of it, and I love that. So I am currently satisfied. Charles works so hard to bring in guest teachers who bring in what we don’t have. For example, we’ve had a woman come in and teach a house class.
If I’m correct, this school is known for having a growing modern program. Modern is kind of incorporated in the contemporary classes. The contemporary style hasn’t been European based at all. My two contemporary classes so far have been West African based. It’s definitely diverse in terms of contemporary. Gesel Mason taught more contemporary West African style. There’s a big diaspora of African dance and that’s what Charles O. Anderson, who is my current contemporary teacher, is kind of showing us. They’re the two that I’ve had, and they’ve both had the foundation of contemporary as African.
CE: Are your dance concerts well-rounded in a variety of dance styles? Or does your department have a very specific lane in terms of thematic or signature movement quality?
MS: I would say that there is a style that I kind of see and it’s somewhere in the modern realm. I could be wrong in which style of movement I’m headed towards but something about it seems modern. That’s in different things that we’ve seen so far. We’re not really on stage but via Zoom. But I think the commonality I see in movement is definitely reflective of our instructors. It’s almost like somebody younger looking up and absorbing things from the older sibling. It’s kind of like that even when a dancer freestyles. I see a tinge of modern in there that I'm like, “Oh I see.” I think there’s an underlying modern stylistic theme to the movement that I’ve seen but there’s also a lot I haven't seen.
CE: Does your department explore and help facilitate conversation and art about social issues like racial inequality, body image, etc.?
MS: You came to the right one for that because our department does that. We’ve had classes halted where we would talk about political justice and systematic inequality. Wow. Last semester we sat down with Erica Gionfriddo (EG), and talked about body image. We’ve also sat down with Charles. He’s not going to show you something without teaching you what it’s from, how it affects today and how we tie that into social justice. The biggest thing they say is being an “artist citizen.” It is a phrase that goes across our department. How can you be an artist citizen? What does it look like? We’re always talking about educating ourselves. So yeah, our department does that.
CE: What is the environment like in your department? (how you interact with one another or just the culture in general)
MS: I would say overall our department is very open towards: speak, be honest, be heard, we hear you. I think compared to other schools...they may hold our hand a little more compared to others. I got into a little car wreck during the ice age here in Texas and my professors were blowing me up like, “Are you okay?! We’re going to put you in a hotel.” They are very supportive. They are also very supportive of you speaking your voice, your feelings and emotions. But they also are like, “ We’re not going to be run over.” So speak how you feel but understand we will do the same. They’re not rude but they’re real. I know people get those two things confused but they’re real.
One thing I do notice though in this climate, it’s a tough time for many people. So you’ll see people fighting for positivity and you’ll see some people that are in really negative spaces. They still seem to be fighting to do well as much as possible. Sometimes you see those two kinds fight for their space in the conversation. Someone’s fighting for positivity, someone’s fighting to be heard that they’re not doing good and that’s valid. However, everyone is encouraging towards each other. I can say that. Because it’s a space where everyone is safe to feel any kind of way.
CE: Do you feel supported by faculty? Do you have an advisor or mentor in the program? Is the person BIPOC?
MS: Yes I feel very supported by the faculty. It’s been trying times. I’m always in class and normally known as being uplifting. Not because I’ve been put in that position or anything but I try to add and fight for my positivity and encourage those around me. However, the faculty has been there for me when things were going on. They’re very gracious. They said that in the beginning but it’s really shown when stuff has hit the fan.
Mentor wise I haven’t had one but I’ve spoken and sought insight from EG and Gesel Mason. Gesel is just a beautiful soul. I’ve been to her the most for emotional and mental support. I went to EG when I was working on a project and didn't know what to do. She was very supportive. We also had a guest instructor last fall who is not at the school currently who is from Chicago, Raphael Xavier. He was also so supportive. Charles O. Anderson is beyond supportive as well. They’re all black except for EG.
CE: Would you say that having a mentor who is black or having someone who identifies with what you do makes a major difference? Does that support especially help you?
MS: I think it does matter and it has helped. It lets you know that there’s somebody you can resonate something with. In terms of my instructors, they all have different mindsets, but they are all very insightful. They all bring very different things to the table. I think it did make a difference in a school that is so predominantly white. There are also different POC and there still seems to be a European aesthetic. So even if someone is not white, you see an aesthetic that heads towards that realm. So with having black instructors in the dance department and the head being one, it definitely adds a sense of, “They’ll get me.” And if they didn’t that would be one thing but we’re blessed to have people who are looking at political and systemic issues. It definitely makes a difference. It makes you feel like you will not be overlooked and you will not be a token.
CE: Overall, how has your experience been thus far?
MS: It has been really good. My Zoom experience has been trying. You’re trying to gain energy off of what? We’ve had a couple of in-person classes, and those were good. Class wise we met maybe twice in person last semester. Then this semester, we’ve met once in person with Charles. We’re not having a lot in person this semester but we’re getting more than the last one. Also, as somebody who is in their own head it’s been great. But then sometimes in person you’re like, “Whew I need to get it together!” But the good thing is that when my class has been in person, the energy has been good. So even if I’m in my own negative space, I see everyone else trying to uplift. It’s been good, and I say good not great. Great is not there because the Zoom isn’t that great.
Next year will be my first in person experience here. It’s exciting and a little nerve-wracking. Overall, it’s exciting and I’m happy to be in person more so because I’m tall and when I dance and I have room I can move better and I’m confident I won’t hit a thing... so it’ll be better in person. I’ll be able to feed off of people, grasp and learn.
CE: What are you striving for in the future? What are your goals?
MS: My plans for the future are really just to gather information so that I can work with dancers. I’m not trying to be a professional dancer but I would like to grow in my choreographing skills and work with different individuals and teach some classes. I think I’m headed towards the route of wanting to teach and choreograph. This is why I went this route. I thought if I want to be a professor one day, I think I would like that. You can quote me on this all day….I am a Debbie Allen fan. Her whole story. Her mindset and her work ethic. I was that little kid watching her in FAME. She works hard, tells you like it is. She’s got a loving spirit. She’s such a multidisciplinary artist and if I’m aspiring in a direction, I definitely aspire to be the best me, but I am inspired by her over anyone else in the art field in general. With all that said, in the future I’m hoping I can own a studio or a traveling dance company. But I really want to make a brand out of myself and what I stand for. I want to create a space for movement at a more intermediate/advanced level but really for anybody. I want to find a home in dance. But overall I would LOVE to have a studio.
Photo courtesy of the artist.
Camryn Eaglin is a dancer and writer earning a Bachelor of Science in Dance and a minor in Broadcast Journalism from Wayne State University. She is currently an intern with Life as a Modern Dancer.
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