Getting to Know DWC Ambassador Alberto Gaspar
Alberto shares that what initially attracted him to dance was the challenge it presented to him. “It felt like something that you would have to try forever and never be perfect at,” he says. "That was something very alluring to me.” Today, he has an appreciation for the numerous skills dancers acquire, including musicality and coordination.
A Professional Dancer’s Thoughts on the Local Industry
By Madison Huizinga, DWC Blog Editor
Photo by Staria Belle | click below to shop the look!
Naturally, when many dancers graduate high school, they ask themselves “what’s next” as they decide which path to take with their dance career. The professional world is a space that can seem out of touch and impermeable. However, DWC Ambassador Alberto Gaspar is here to share that the professional realm has just as many ups and downs as the amateur dance world. Read on to learn more about Alberto’s dance journey and upcoming plans as a local artist and DWC Ambassador. Be sure to check out Alberto’s original choreography in Olympic Ballet Theatre’s summer performance on June 4th at Edmonds Center for the Arts.
Alberto was introduced to ballet when he was invited to a summer program for musical comedy by a friend. After getting more involved with dance, he was later accepted into Escuela Nacional de Danza Clásica in Mexico City. Alberto shares that he’s danced with various companies across the United States, Europe, and Asia, including Miami City Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Horiuchi Ballet, Saint Louis Ballet, and Ballet Memphis. In 2017, he joined Olympic Ballet Theatre, where he dances, teaches, and choreographs full-time.
Alberto shares that what initially attracted him to dance was the challenge it presented to him. “It felt like something that you would have to try forever and never be perfect,” he says. “[That] was something very alluring to me.” Today, he has an appreciation for the numerous skills dancers acquire, including musicality and coordination.
Alberto describes his approach and outlook on ballet as “old school,” sharing that he places great value on tradition within the art form in addition to embracing changes. He also appreciates the fact that dance acts as a place of common ground for people from different backgrounds. Alberto says that he’s often felt a lot of safety with this attribute of dance. Being able to view dance as a blank canvas for artists of all identities to express themselves upon can bring about a great deal of security.
Alberto looks forward to seeing more companies have a human-centered approach to dance, valuing the common threads of humanity that unite dancers together rather than the things that can keep them separated. “We’re all human beings!” he declares. “I’m happy to be living right now in these times because change is happening. We just have to make sure changes are happening in the right way and not in a way that… [causes people to] lose their true identity.”
Alberto shares that “consistency” is one of the biggest challenges he experiences and witnesses in the dance world, particularly in terms of finding work as a professional dancer. Reasons why certain dancers book jobs can be completely arbitrary, which is important to keep in mind when auditioning. And as much as Alberto loves to dance, he also recognizes the necessity of finding other passions outside of the practice. He wants his students to know that they can have an identity outside of the art form.
Photo by Staria Belle | click below to shop the look!
Alberto learned about the DWC Ambassador program through Dancewear Center’s Instagram, where he shares that he loves reading the blog interviews and looking at the professional photographs. “The diversity is something that I really enjoy about [Dancewear Center],” Alberto says of the types of stories that are shared across the DWC Blog and social media. He loves seeing people of all backgrounds participating in the dance industry in a range of capacities. “You don’t have to be a professional…to be a part of the community,” he shares.
As an ambassador, Alberto looks forward to sharing his perspective as a local professional dancer and showcase the challenges many professionals face. “No matter what level you are, you will have ups and downs,” he shares.
A change that Alberto hopes to see made in the dance world is dance becoming more accessible to people from different socioeconomic backgrounds. He points out that ballet is an elitist art form, often only available to more affluent community members due to the expenses of classes and equipment.
In May, Alberto performed in Don Quixote with Olympic Ballet Theatre at Edmonds Center for the Arts. And on June 4th, he’s excited to be showcasing new classical ballet choreography at Edmonds Center for the Arts. Alberto encourages those interested to look into the summer program at Olympic Ballet School. He also does private coaching and choreography and encourages people to reach out to him if they’re interested in either of those services.
Keep an eye out for more from Alberto at DWC in the coming months!
Disclaimer
All content found on the Dancewear Center Website, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and all other relevant social media platforms including: text, images, audio, or other formats were created for informational purposes only. Offerings for continuing education credits are clearly identified and the appropriate target audience is identified. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this Website.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately. Dancewear Center does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on dancewearcenter.net. Reliance on any information provided by dancewearcenter.net, Dancewear Center employees, contracted writers, or medical professionals presenting content for publication to Dancewear Center is solely at your own risk.
Links to educational content not created by Dancewear Center are taken at your own risk. Dancewear Center is not responsible for the claims of external websites and education companies.
Getting to Know DWC Ambassador Dominique See
One of the things that Dominique is looking forward to about being an ambassador is that it can allow her to become more of an advocate for mental health in the dance world. Having gone through these experiences herself, she wants to be able to raise awareness for these issues that are very common in the dance world. At All That Dance where Dominique teaches, there is Love Your Body Week that has been picked up by numerous other studios around the country where time is taken out of dance classes during the week to discuss loving your body. Dominique shares that this week is something that has helped her want to lift up the voices of people struggling with these issues and advocate for more awareness.
By Nicole Barrett, DWC Blog Writer
Photo by Catlyn Griswell | click below to shop the look!
Advocating for mental health around the dance community is something very important to one of our new DWC ambassadors, Dominique See. Starting at the age of three, Dominique has always been involved in the dance world and has strived to achieve the acceptance everyone deserves. Read on to learn more about Dominique’s dance journey and work at All That Dance and Genki Pilates!
Dominique is from a small town in southern Washington State called White Salmon where she started dancing at the age of three. She signed up for dance classes with her friend and ultimately, she just never stopped dancing. She was involved in the performance companies at her studio where she shared that she learned she wanted to dance forever. She majored in dance at the University of Washington and graduated in 2017. While dancing at UW, she was the President of the Dance Student Association and worked with the Chamber Dance Company. Dominique wanted to be as involved as she could in the dance community at UW and that is what she did.
Post-graduation, Dominique went into the pilates teacher training program to become a pilates instructor and was dancing here and there in different places around the Seattle area. While dancing in Seattle, she was involved in the Tint Dance Festival and danced with Pat Graney for about two and half years during this time. Dominique then began performing with MALACARNE and did a virtual zoom performance in 2021. She then began teaching at All That Dance in Seattle and has been involved in the dance company there.
Growing up, Dominique was always drawn to ballet more than any other style. “I was very much drawn to ballet with the structure and the precision and the thought that ‘this is what you do when you do it,’” Dominique shares. She describes a sense of comfort when dancing in a style like this where she can tell her body exactly what she wants to do and how to do it and she felt that it was a grounding point for her.
Photo by Catlyn Griswell | click below to shop the look!
As she got older, she started shifting over to more modern dance instead of ballet. Dominique mentions that the physical aspects of the dance world and the stereotypical body types that were required for ballet dance as an adult were something that made her switch over to modern dance instead. “What I love most about dance is you have all the control in it, but you also have control in how much you let go,” Dominique shares.
When asked about her biggest challenge in the dance world, Dominique shares that it was her inability to say no. She mentions that this realization occurred for her when she became more aware that you don’t have to do the things that hurt. She also mentions this need to please the choreographer and feel appreciated when they show attention to you, which is something very common in the dance world. Because of this, she wants other dancers to know that no matter what “you are your own body, your own dancer, your own artist, and you are your own person.” She wants dancers to be mindful of their own health and safety and know when to say no.
One of the things that Dominique is looking forward to about being an ambassador is that it can allow her to become more of an advocate for mental health in the dance world. Having gone through mental health challenges herself, she wants to be able to raise awareness for similar issues that are very common in the dance world. At All That Dance where Dominique teaches, there is a “Love Your Body Week” that has been picked up by numerous other studios around the country where time is taken out of dance classes during the week to discuss loving your body. Dominique shares that this week is something that has helped her want to lift up the voices of people struggling with these issues and advocate for more awareness.
Dominique just got finished with a five-hour duration show at the Georgetown Steam Plant that she did with Malacarne. “[This performance] was epic, it was amazing and so fulfilling,” Dominique shares about the show. She is looking forward to the end-of-year recital for All That Dance where she gets to watch all the kids that she teaches perform.
Photo by Catlyn Griswell | click below to shop the look!
Outside of teaching at All That Dance, Dominique is a pilates instructor. She was trained by Lori Coleman Brown in downtown Seattle through a very intensive training process that is very deeply integrated with how to look into the body. She mentions that dancers could utilize pilates greatly to help feel safe and secure in their muscles when performing. Because of this, Dominique opened up her own pilates studio Genki Pilates for more artists to have access to these utilities. This summer, Dominique hopes to put in more time to Genki Pilates to help serve the whole dance community.
Moving forward in the dance world, Dominique would like to see more studios pick up the ideas of Love Your Body Week as they have at All That Dance. She wants everyone in the dance community to feel that they are enough and that their body doesn’t limit what they can and can’t do. Seeing that incorporated into the dance world makes Dominique very hopeful for the future of dancers and she hopes to see these changes happen in more places.
We are so excited to have Dominique as one of our new ambassadors!
Sources:
Disclaimer
All content found on the Dancewear Center Website, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and all other relevant social media platforms including: text, images, audio, or other formats were created for informational purposes only. Offerings for continuing education credits are clearly identified and the appropriate target audience is identified. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this Website.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately. Dancewear Center does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on dancewearcenter.net. Reliance on any information provided by dancewearcenter.net, Dancewear Center employees, contracted writers, or medical professionals presenting content for publication to Dancewear Center is solely at your own risk.
Links to educational content not created by Dancewear Center are taken at your own risk. Dancewear Center is not responsible for the claims of external websites and education companies.
A Local Choreographer on His Creative Process
The title of Alberto’s work is “1 in 10^2,685,000" in reference to the statistical probability of a human being born. “The possibility of someone [being] alive is…a miracle. An honor,” Alberto says. After reading about this statistic and literature about the persistence of human survival, Alberto was inspired to create a piece that recognizes the triumph of being alive as well as the challenges of living. “It’s not easy to be alive,” Alberto recognizes. “It is happy, but it is a struggle.” He shares that the piece is about the miracle of existing on Earth and the heaviness that human journeys can carry. “You have to find beauty within the journey to be able to be happy,” Alberto says of human struggle.
Alberto Gaspar on Celebrating the Miracle of Life Through Dance
By Madison Huizinga, DWC Blog Editor
Amid all the challenges humans experience on a daily basis, it can be easy to lose sight of the fact that our mere existence is something worth celebrating. Through his upcoming work for Olympic Ballet Theatre, DWC Ambassador and local dancer/choreographer Alberto Gaspar strives to communicate the miracle that is life itself and showcase the technique and talent of local professional dancers. Read on to learn more about Alberto’s creative inspiration and choreographic process. Click here to get tickets to see Alberto’s work in Olympic Ballet Theatre’s summer performance Saturday June 4th at 7:00 PM at Edmonds Center for the Arts.
The title of Alberto’s work is “1 in 102,685,000" in reference to the statistical probability of a human being born. “The possibility of someone [being] alive is…a miracle. An honor,” Alberto says. After reading about this statistic and literature about the persistence of human survival, Alberto was inspired to create a piece that recognizes the triumph of being alive as well as the challenges of living. “It’s not easy to be alive,” Alberto recognizes. “It is happy, but it is a struggle.” He shares that the piece is about the miracle of existing on Earth and the heaviness that human journeys can carry. “You have to find beauty within the journey to be able to be happy,” Alberto says of human struggle.
Alberto says that he considers each of his dance works to be a child of his, sharing that once he lands on an initial choreographic idea, it evolves and changes as it’s passed on to the dancers. “Sometimes you come up with an idea and the dancers transform it into something much more complex,” Alberto says of the choreographic process. The finished work is rarely the exact same as the initial vision of the choreographer.
Alberto says that one of the elements that has the biggest impact on his choreographic process is the music. “Music determines what you’re going to express. It determines the mode,” Alberto says of its significance. For “1 in 102,685,000", Alberto uses a 28-minute musical piece by Michael Nyman that was intended for the integration of the high speed train in Paris, France. “It’s a very powerful [piece of] music that [is] obviously about our journey,” Alberto says, connecting it back to the theme of the work. He references the sound of the train running on the tracks as a guiding force in the music.
Initially, Alberto’s work was conceived for dancers in sneakers and socks, but was later choreographed for dancers en pointe. Olympic Ballet Theatre describes the piece as “vibrant” and “neoclassical” in its style. Alberto has described himself as an “old-school” ballet dancer, expressing the respect he has for productions like The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker that still hold up after over a century. At the same time, he recognizes that new art is constantly being created. “Everything is evolving into a much more modernized expression of the balletic world,” Alberto says of choreographic trends in ballet. “That’s what I’m bringing into my piece as well.”
Alberto is grateful that his rehearsal process hasn’t been as greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as past productions have. He shares that over the course of the past two years, rehearsing virtually was an interesting and challenging process. He appreciates the fact that he can direct dancers in person nowadays and provide tactile feedback to help transfer a more palpable energy among the performers.
“I’m always curious about how people feel,” Alberto says of audiences’ relationships to his creations. He enjoys seeing how people interpret his work based on their own readings of it and personal life experiences. Alberto is looking forward to not only inspiring people through his work but showcasing the talent and caliber of eighteen professional dancers. “It’s rare to see that nowadays,” he says of watching dance pieces with that many professional dancers en pointe. “It’s important for everyone to be involved in the dance community,” Alberto says, sharing that he’s excited to show people the talent that Seattle dancers possess. “There’s a lot that we have to celebrate…I want people to feel proud that they’re a part of this community,” he shares.
Get your tickets to see Alberto’s work in Olympic Ballet Theatre’s summer performance Saturday, June 4th at 7:00 PM at Edmonds Center for the Arts.
Disclaimer
All content found on the Dancewear Center Website, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and all other relevant social media platforms including: text, images, audio, or other formats were created for informational purposes only. Offerings for continuing education credits are clearly identified and the appropriate target audience is identified. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this Website.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately. Dancewear Center does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on dancewearcenter.net. Reliance on any information provided by dancewearcenter.net, Dancewear Center employees, contracted writers, or medical professionals presenting content for publication to Dancewear Center is solely at your own risk.
Links to educational content not created by Dancewear Center are taken at your own risk. Dancewear Center is not responsible for the claims of external websites and education companies.
Finding Your “Why”: Jerome Aparis on How Breaking Feeds His Soul
At the end of AAPI month, Jerome Aparis shared his journey to becoming a co-founder and current member of the world-renowned breaking crew, Massive Monkees. From studying VHS tapes of breakers in sixth grade to creating an internationally acclaimed crew and achieving global accolades, Jerome recounts how the values of hard work and creativity from his cultural heritage have fueled his drive for success and purpose.
Trigger Warning: Trauma, Sexual Assault
By Isabel Reck & Madison Huizinga. DWC Blog Contributors
At the end of AAPI month, Jerome Aparis shared his journey on becoming a co-founder and current member of the world-renowned breaking crew, Massive Monkees. From studying VHS tapes of breakers in sixth grade to creating an internationally acclaimed crew and achieving global accolades, Jerome recounts how the values of hard work and creativity from his cultural heritage have fueled his drive for success and purpose.
Jerome began his dance journey around age 12 by watching videos of breakdancing crews from Seattle. At the time, this art form was predominantly underground and information about it traveled almost exclusively through word of mouth. A movie that was particularly influential for him growing up was Beat Street, a film showcasing the NYC hip hop culture of breaking, MCing, DJing, and graffiti art in the early 1980s. Jerome had never seen dancing like what he witnessed in Beat Street and various other videos. He was immediately pulled in.
When Jerome was a kid, most people his age learned breaking at local community centers, which were relatively informal and open to the public. The community centers were usually packed to the brim, and Jerome recalls sometimes only getting a couple of minutes of one-on-one time with his instructor. Despite this challenge, the attitude he adopted was about “maximizing what [he] learned.” Jerome recalls often not understanding certain steps the first couple of times he practiced them at the center. He would go home and rehearse in his kitchen for hours so he could go back to the community center and show off his improvement. Being able to advance through practice and showcase his progress made him confident that he was worthy of his instructor’s time and worthy of being a student.
This attitude and commitment to breaking led Jerome to make an impressive and successful career for himself. He co-founded the world-famous breaking crew, Massive Monkees in 1996. This group and its members have shared the stage with the likes of Macklemore, Missy Elliot, Jay-Z, and Alicia Keys. Massive Monkees also finished third overall in MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew in 2009 and won the 2004 B-Boy World Championship in London and 2012 R-16 World Championship in Seoul, Korea. Jerome later won ten national titles with the crew Massive Monkees. Today, Jerome coaches students at the Massive Monkees Studio: The Beacon, and at Cornerstone Studio with his wife, Lea Aparis, who’s also the studio’s owner.
“When you don’t have much, creativity is huge.”
Jerome shares that his Filipino heritage has largely shaped the individual and performer he is today. Jerome was born in the Philippines and moved to the United States at age three. When he returned to the Philippines at age 15, he remembers seeing how hard the people from his hometown worked, including his own family. He recalls kids in his hometown, outside of the city, walking miles just to get water and attend school. Community members who were lacking the resources that urban-dwellers possessed needed to act creatively to work around the challenges they faced. These values—hard work and creativity—Jerome recognized in the Philippines, pushed him to achieve the accomplishments he has today. “Mak[ing] something out of nothing” is a theme that he has carried with him throughout his journey. “When you don’t have much, creativity is huge,” he explains.
One instance in the Philippines that was particularly inspiring to Jerome occurred when he visited his sister at work. Jerome’s sister performs government work in the Philippines, working at a safe house for young girls who have been victimized by sex trafficking. The leads at the safe house asked Jerome if he was interested in speaking with the girls and perhaps teaching a workshop. They told him these girls were scared and felt like they didn't have a voice. Knowing that these young girls had developed significant fears, particularly of outsider men, Jerome knew “it [was] time to step up to the plate.” What occurred at the safe house was the “most life-changing 60 minutes of [his] life.”
At the beginning of the workshop, these girls, ages 5-17, were incredibly quiet. At first, the session centered on talking and why using their voices is important. Then, Jerome transitioned into teaching them choreography that communicated their strength and power. By the end of the workshop, he describes how the girls were “just going for it” and how their energy had completely changed. Later, they all sat in a circle and each girl opened up about her story. Jerome carries these stories with him today. “It’s way bigger than just winning a trophy,” he shares.
To be a successful professional dancer, Jerome makes it clear that a performer must know their “why.” Why do you do what you do? Jerome explains that in dance it’s easy to be driven to succeed to simply fuel your ego. You merely dance for the winning, the fame, and the glory. But beyond expanding your ego, your “why” must be fueled by the need to make yourself feel genuinely confident and feed your soul. Jerome’s experience teaching in the Philippines did just this. Helping kids “understand that there is so much greatness in them” is what coaching has become to him and is “one of his biggest passions.”
Jerome’s biggest takeaway from his career is simple: “find your why.” Once you know this everything else will follow.
“Find your why, once you know this everything else will follow.”
Madison Huizinga has been dancing for 13 years, and her favorite styles are ballet and contemporary. Currently, she attends the University of Washington and is studying Communications, Business, and Dance. Madison is presently a company member with Seattle-based dance company Intrepidus Dance. She loves working at Dancewear Center because it allows her to help local dancers find the best shoes, apparel, and equipment possible to further their dance goals and careers. Dance has always been a positive creative outlet for her to express her emotions—so it’s always nice to meet members of the local dance community that relate!
Outside of dance and work, you will find Madison exploring new cafés and restaurants around Seattle, hiking, reading, and traveling.
Isabel Reck has been dancing since she was 12; the majority of her training being at Cornerstone Studio. She has trained in ballet, contemporary, lyrical, jazz, hip-hop, tap, breakdancing, and aerial silks, although contemporary has always been her go-to. Her favorite thing about working with DWC is being able to explore a new side of dance she never thought she would be a part of.
Caring for Ourselves as Dancers of Color
As a chunky Asian baby in a leotard, I had no idea yet how precious or valuable I was when I started in ballet. Instead, I only saw that I was clearly not cut from the same cloth as elegant princesses and swans whose dancing I admired. The chance to don yellowface in the Chinese variation during "The Nutcracker," or to be a kowtowing, shuffling child in "The King and I" in the school play felt like places I was welcome to exist—to shine—as a child who dreamed of being onstage.
By Gabrielle Nomura Gainor
Gabrielle Kazuko Nomura Gainor (she/her) is an artist, writer, and Asian American community activist. In addition to working in communications/public engagement at Seattle Opera, she's received grants from Seattle's Office of Arts & Culture and the Washington State Arts Commission. In 2021, Gabrielle has been proud to serve as a mentor and Teaching Artist with TeenTix.
Counterclockwise from top left: Gabrielle Nomura Gainor, surrounded by Dominique See, Alyssa Fung, Siena Dumas, and Hailey Burt in Farewell Shikata ga nai; Joseph Lambert photo. Christopher Montoya en pointe. Vivian Little smiles. Robert Moore jumps; Tracey Wong photo.
May was both Mental Health Awareness Month and Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month. But as we move into summer, remember that our wellbeing as dancers of color is something to prioritize all year round.
As a chunky Asian baby in a leotard, I had no idea yet how precious or valuable I was when I started in ballet. Instead, I only saw that I was clearly not cut from the same cloth as elegant princesses and swans whose dancing I admired. The chance to don yellowface in the Chinese variation during "The Nutcracker," or to be a kowtowing, shuffling child in "The King and I" in the school play felt like places I was welcome to exist—to shine—as a child who dreamed of being onstage.
Many years later, I see that I deserved so much more than to beg for scraps in the form of sidekicks and ethnic stereotypes. Black, Indigenous, and all People of Color deserve so much more. We need not silence the parts of us that are “too much” for white norms, be it too ethnic, too dark, too curvy, too loud. White people do not own dance—not even ballet. As former Dance Theater of Harlem ballerina Theresa Ruth Howard taught me, these precious art forms belong to all of us, as well.
Now, at the end of Mental Health Awareness Month and Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month, remember that prioritizing our mental health—our wholeness, joy, and humanity are year-round activities. Every month is for our “history” or our “heritage.” With that in mind, I bring you five personal reflections on what it means to care for ourselves mentally and emotionally as People of Color in dance. Hear from Christopher Montoya (formerly of Ballet Trockadero, Dance Fremont Managing Director), Dr. Sue Ann Huang (co-director of The Tint Dance Festival), Alicia Allen (former dancer with Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige, and Shakira to name a few), Robert Moore (formerly of Spectrum Dance Theater), and Vivian Little (retired ballerina and Dance Fremont founder).
Photo courtesy of Christopher Montoya
Find an environment where you can thrive
For Christopher Montoya (he/they), not having the right body type was a stressor that only compounded on top of being brown, gay, and working-class. Eventually, Montoya discovered their truth as being gender-non-conforming, and would often feel pressure to pass as straight in order to be hired for dance jobs. Finding an encouraging ballet teacher who embraced Montoya’s authentic self, and then discovering a community in Ballet Trockadero were defining moments.
“Going into Trockadero is really where I found myself,” Montoya said. “The dancers were Australian, Venezuelan, Spanish, Mexican, Black, Asian. We all felt like misfits because we didn’t fit into this binary mold of ballet. Trying to pass as a straight man always felt so fake and defeating. But here, I got to be me.”
From Montoya’s experience, taking time to situate oneself in a supportive dance environment is crucial. (For some, this could mean choosing a Black-led dance school or a class taught by a teacher of color). If the environment is unsupportive, it could be time to leave or look elsewhere.
Sue Ann Huang and Arlene Martin. Joseph Lambert photo
Divest from that which does not serve you
Dr. Sue Ann Huang (she/her) not only co-founded an event centering BIPOC, Tint Dance Festival, her dissertation focused on choreographers of color in the Pacific Northwest. Most recently, she’s been thinking deeply about what liberation is possible through concert dance, which still possesses an intimate, even symbiotic relationship, with white supremacy.
While white supremacy once referred to overt hate as seen through groups such as the KKK, white supremacy today refers to an ideology that acts in both overt and subtle or unspoken ways. In western society, for example, white culture, white norms, and white people are valued more highly, and above other cultures. A cursory glance at the majority of ballet and modern dance companies show this favoring of whiteness, as seen through artistic leaders, company rosters, and choreographers whose work is presented.
In Huang’s view, dancers of color must strive to create space between what’s true and what’s cultural default. Today she does this by resisting the pressure to see certain “it” choreographers or companies, and instead asks herself what will bring joy.
“What kind of dance do I visually want to see? What kind of movement do I want to do? I am mostly only seeing shows produced by People of Color I care about, and that’s OK.”
Alicia Allen, photo courtesy of the artist
Hold them accountable
As a Black woman in a predominantly white dance department, Alicia Allen (she/her) felt invisible. From the professor who asked if she was in the right place, to the bathrooms littered with posters of white dancers, and how-to instructions for the perfect ballet bun, the message was subtle, but loud:
“My Blackness and street styles did not ‘make’ the walls.”
It wasn’t until Allen connected with other students who had experienced similar events that she gained the courage to fight. During her senior year, the majority of her efforts were focused on holding her dance department accountable. She served on committees, planned town-hall events, and lobbied to get a racist class canceled. And she’d do it again in a heartbeat.
“Don’t be afraid to speak your truth and share your experiences. You should always hold your teachers and professors accountable for your education. Hold them accountable for respecting dance cultures and communities.”
When Allen teaches hip-hop today, she never skips over the fact that this dance style was birthed from the joy and pain of Black people. Instead, she encourages her students to face their own discomfort as they reckon with history—a necessary part of respecting where the art comes from.
Roberty Moore jumps; Tracey Wong photo
Reorient your organization toward justice
In the past, Robert Moore (he/they) has seen dance organizations think that anti-Blackness, the increase in Asian American attacks, or what it means to live on occupied Coast Salish land, are not relevant to ballet or modern dance. But Moore does not stop being Black when he comes into the studio.
“What puts a nice little grin on my face is seeing organizations step up for the first time, seeing them stumbling over themselves, and actually learn something from pulling some weight, rather than just being passive,” he said.
Moore has found rest this past year by being in community with other Black artists: getting to discuss life—including topics that have nothing to do with race—has brought them joy.
Remember, Moore said, People of Color do not owe anyone a conversation or explanation about race, ever: “Honor the quiet revolution of a dancer of color just going to class, rehearsing, and taking moments to exist freely.”
Re-think ballet and dance education
Vivian Little (she/her) never connected race to body type when she was dancing with Pacific Northwest Ballet and San Francisco Ballet in the 1980s. Years later, she was teaching at a university and her colleagues of color recounted the discrimination that they had faced. Only then was she able to connect the dots between racism and the “defectiveness” of certain bodies. Through this lens, the concerns of her colleagues made sense: a Filipina whose short legs prevented her from earning short-tutu roles, a Columbian danseur with who never had the right “look” for a prince. Being of Irish and Japanese ancestry, Little thought about how she herself was often cast as the sensual or Latina role because of her “exotic look.”
Today, Little pushes back on the uniformity and preferred Eurocentric ballet aesthetics. One way to do this has been learning more about the human body and movement mechanics related to ballet technique. Little sees the potential in every student, whether their first position is a delicious little slice, or a whole half, of pie; whether their leg reaches up toward the heavens in arabesque, or points down toward the earth; whether they look like generations of European ballerinas, or they are helping to illuminate the multifaceted, multicultural beauty alive in ballet.
“Ballet teachers must teach to the person, not to an ideal,” Little said. “It takes much more thought, care and intentionality to be inclusive because of the waters of white supremacy we've been swimming in and the air of racism we've breathed for centuries.”
Photo courtesy of Vivian Little
Resources
Additionally, please check out the work of the following Seattle-based artists: Alicia Mulikin, Dani Tirell, Noelle Price, Randy Ford, Imana Gunawan, Cheryl Delostrinos, Amanda Morgan, Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan, Donald Byrd/Spectrum Dance Theater, among many, many others.
Educating Others to Foster an All-Encompassing Environment
Within any industry, narrow definitions and expectations are often formed regarding what the “typical” individual should look like. Such definitions and expectations can not only breed bland conformity but also lead to the creation of exclusive communities that leave certain people feeling like they do not belong. The dance industry is no exception. Through using her platform as a DWC ambassador, local dancer Jade Fraser strives to debunk myths about disabled dancers and share her unique experiences as a way to help make the community a better place.
DWC Ambassador Jade Fraser on Advocation for Disabled Dancers
By Madison Huizinga, DWC Blog Editor
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Aurora in Diane Lace in Aqua | AK Dancewear
Within any industry, narrow definitions and expectations are often formed regarding what the “typical” individual should look like. Such definitions and expectations can not only breed bland conformity but also lead to the creation of exclusive communities that leave certain people feeling like they do not belong. The dance industry is no exception. Through using her platform as a DWC ambassador, local dancer Jade Fraser strives to debunk myths about disabled dancers and share her unique experiences as a way to help make the community a better place.
Jade’s first exposure to dance was taking “pre-level” classes, including pre-ballet, tap, and jazz at various studios around the greater Seattle area. She took a break from dance to explore other activities, but eventually returned to it in the sixth grade at Body Language Studio (formerly known as Cornerstone Studio), where she has been training ever since. At Body Langauge Studio, Jade has mainly taken classes in contemporary and hip hop styles, as well as conditioning classes. She’s also a member of BLS Select, a performing arts and competition team at Body Language Studio.
Jade explains that she loved dancing so much as a child that she would often find herself randomly dancing in the hallway at school, not caring about what anyone else thought but herself. “Being autistic, sometimes I have trouble expressing in words what I’m thinking and feeling. Sometimes I don’t even understand what I’m thinking and feeling” Jade says. She shares that one of the reasons why she loves to dance is because it helps her express and understand things in ways that words cannot.
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In addition, Jade says that the gratification she experiences from performing on stage is unlike anything else. She feels powerful when she’s able to command the attention of an audience, being able to make them feel a range of emotions using her movement. Having that kind of agency as a performer is a validating feeling.
There are certain genres of dance that have come more naturally to Jade than others. For example, she says that it’s taken her a while to figure out how to dance hip hop, sharing that she’s worked hard on improving her technique to advance.
Another dance-related challenge that Jade has faced is the stereotypes that people place on dancers. She explains that many people in her life have underestimated the strength and discipline required of dancers. “People don’t understand that dance is more than just something that looks pretty,” Jade stresses.
Jade is looking forward to participating in her first dance competition this year, planning to compete in a contemporary solo. “I’m nervous but also I’m really excited to start competing,” she shares. Jade also hopes to be able to attend a dance convention at some point this year.
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As a DWC ambassador, Jade is looking forward to being able to speak to a wider audience about topics she’s passionate about. Specifically, Jade plans to discuss and write about the discrimination that disabled dancers experience. She’s interested in pushing the definition of what it means to offer “disabled dance,” asking who is included within this definition and whether or not there is a place for people with disabilities that are less visible. “I just want to break stereotypes and advocate and educate as much as I can,” Jade says.
“One of the changes that we need to see in dance [relates to] how disability is seen and how it is thought of,” Jade says. For example, she points out that some people assume there is some kind of “look” a person must have to be considered disabled; however, those kinds of definitions can be harmful and limiting to the larger community of disabled dancers. “That kind of thinking can be really damaging,” Jade shares.
“We need to know what disability is and what the disabled community wants and needs from the non-disabled community,” Jade shares. “Those little things can make dance a whole lot more accessible.” Through using her platform as a DWC ambassador, Jade strives to help make the dance community a better place, specifically for disabled community members.
A Conversation on Navigating Challenges in the Dance Realm
No two dancers’ journeys are completely the same or even linear for that matter. When physical, mental, and societal obstacles are thrown in their way, dancers often take paths that they don’t expect. This was certainly the case for DWC Ambassador Anna Nelson. Read on to hear about her choosing to pause professional dance to pursue a college education, come back from an injury, and learn how to cope with anxiety throughout her dance career.
DWC Ambassador Anna Nelson on Bouncing Back Physically and Mentally
By Madison Huizinga, DWC Blog Editor
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No two dancers’ journeys are completely the same or even linear for that matter. When physical, mental, and societal obstacles are thrown in their way, dancers often take paths that they don’t expect. This was certainly the case for DWC Ambassador Anna Nelson. Read on to hear about her choosing to pause professional dance to pursue a college education, come back from an injury, and learn how to cope with anxiety throughout her dance career.
Anna began dancing around age 13 at a small studio in her hometown of Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island, Washington. After training there for years, she decided to attend Cornish Preparatory Dance to up the intensity of her ballet training. She later attended Kirov Academy of Washington D.C., continuing to pursue rigorous ballet training. Following her graduation, Anna decided to take a break from professional dancing. She had a professional job lined up in California but ultimately decided to pass on it to follow another passion. “I decided I wanted to pursue education,” Anna shares. While attending a community college, Anna continued dancing recreationally to keep her passion alive. She later earned her BS in microbiology from the University of Washington, Seattle, with the intention of later attending PA school.
In 2020, Anna underwent a major hip surgery. “I couldn’t dance for six months,” she says, during recovery she had to learn how to walk and dance again. She took her first dance class following the surgery over Zoom at UW, sharing that it was nice to be able to get back to moving in her own space, free from the perceived judgment of others. Today, she’s dancing with Olympic Ballet Threatre in Edmonds, Washington.
Anna has performances on the horizon with Olympic Ballet Theatre for its 2021-2022 performance season. She danced in The Nutcracker in December 2021. In February 2022, Olympic Ballet showcased “Debuts,” a more contemporary-focused show, and plans to put on Don Quixote in May at Edmonds Center for the Arts.
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Anna has been a patron of Dancewear Center for about a decade. Following Samantha Weissbach taking over ownership of the store in 2018, Anna followed DWC on Instagram and realized that it was no longer “just a store,” but rather “a community.” This realization is what inspired her to become a DWC Ambassador. “I am really excited to get back into the dance world and just connect with all these local dancers and talented people,” she says. At age 26, having pivoted away from professional dance to pursue a college education and later came back following a major injury, Anna believes that her experiences will help her provide unique insights in her role as a DWC Ambassador.
“Growing up I only had Pointe magazine,” Anna laughs, reflecting on how few opportunities there were for community and connection outside the studio when she was younger. She points out how useful it is for dancers of all backgrounds to be able to share different perspectives on social media platforms today.
What’s kept Anna returning to dance is the physicality of the practice. She recalls studying for hours on end in college and longing to dance and move her body. “As long as my body can still do it, I still would like to dance,” Anna says about continuing the practice into the future.
Anna shares that the majority of the challenges she’s experienced in the sphere of dance have related to mental health. “I struggled with a lot of anxiety throughout my life, especially performance anxiety,” she says. “It’s been a lifelong journey trying to learn ways to cope with it.” Anna says that feeling grounded in her religious faith is part of what’s helped her persevere through moments of anxiety when she feels overwhelmed. Additionally, reminding herself that dance doesn’t comprise her entire identity is a helpful strategy when coping with dance challenges like performance anxiety. “I am where I should be,” she affirms.
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Anna shares that therapy has been extremely helpful for her with coping with anxiety and recommends dancers seek it out, if possible, to help them handle their own mental health challenges in dance. Speaking with a therapist has helped Anna identify the roots of her anxiety and learn specific coping mechanisms to challenge anxious thoughts.
Moving forward in the dance world, Anna hopes to see teachers and directors have more awareness and training on how to be more nurturing and understanding of students’ nuanced needs and challenges, particularly in terms of mental health. She reflects on what the dance industry was like when she was a young student, pointing out that many authority figures exacerbated problems related to mental health and body image. With a greater eye towards how to communicate to children and be supportive of obstacles they’re facing, teachers and directors can create an even more positive impact on the dancers in their lives.
Stay tuned for more from Anna Nelson in the coming weeks!
Insight on Creating an Inclusive Dance Community
Within a culture and industry that often promotes conformity, being the one to stand out can be an uncomfortable, and sometimes even traumatizing experience. DWC Ambassador Austin Sexton knows what it’s like to experience discomfort for straying from the norm. But through adopting inclusive teaching practices, community members like Austin are helping make our local dance community more welcoming one step at a time.
DWC Ambassador Austin Sexton on Promoting Body Positivity
By Madison Huizinga, DWC Blog Editor
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Within a culture and industry that often promotes conformity, being the one to stand out can be an uncomfortable, and sometimes even traumatizing experience. DWC Ambassador Austin Sexton knows what it’s like to experience discomfort for straying from the norm. But through adopting inclusive teaching practices, community members like Austin are helping make our local dance community more welcoming one step at a time.
Austin was born and raised in the Seattle area by parents who are dancers themselves. Her father is a dancer and her mother is one of the founding members of Spectrum Dance Theater. Austin jokes that dance, in a way, is “in her blood.” Growing up, she trained at Spectrum and later Dance Fremont throughout high school. At Dance Fremont, she was introduced to modern techniques that she fell in love with.
Following high school, Austin quit dance for a while, as having a body that doesn’t fit the “traditional” dancer mold was a source of trauma for her. She dedicated her time to pursuing vocal performance, as that was another passion of hers. During her break from dancing and training herself, she also took up teaching.
“I wanted to change the training,” Austin says of her desire to begin teaching. She desired to help change common rhetoric in the dance industry that promotes body image issues like body dysmorphia, as well as disordered eating. “I wanted to break that cycle,” Austin says.
In addition to teaching all around the Seattle area, Austin eventually co-founded a local dance company called Relay Dance Collective. The company performed seven seasons, collaborating with other local dance companies like Intrepidus Dance. After Austin got pregnant, Relay Dance Collective disbanded. Today, she works full-time at Momentum Dance Academy in Burien, Washington, where she wears various hats as a teacher, production manager, costume manager, rehearsal director, and more.
Austin has been drawn to dance time and time again because it’s a creative and emotional outlet like no other. Due to her traumatic experiences with dance early on, pursuing it as an adult and as a teacher feels as if she is “healing her inner child.” She enjoys being able to help the next generation of dancers not suffer from the same challenges she did. Austin hopes that the students she impacts through her teaching can carry on the lessons they learn throughout their life and to subsequent generations, creating waves of impact to improve the industry as a whole.
Austin's biggest challenge in dance has been comparing herself to other people. She explains that it was difficult navigating training as a dancer with a body that doesn't fit the "norm." "I had a dance teacher who refused to train me en pointe because she said I was too large," she shares. "At 12 years old, to hear something like that was super damaging."
Today, Austin makes it clear to her students that one's size does not determine one's worth or ability. "You can be a strong dancer at any size," Austin says. "You can be as strong and healthy and powerful as you want to be." There's no point comparing oneself to others when the way humans look is largely a pre-determined formula, engrained in their genetics.
"I loved seeing that there was a place for dancers that was promoting health and strength in every size because that is so foreign in the dance world," Austin says of Dancewear Center. She appreciates the efforts DWC makes to create an inclusive culture that bolsters body positivity and mental health awareness. She was inspired to become a DWC ambassador after having numerous conversations with Owner and Director of Operations Samantha Weissbach about what limited dancewear options there are for larger-bodied dancers. Feeling inspired by the work DWC was doing, Austin knew she wanted to be a part of it in some way.
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In addition to being a DWC ambassador, in the coming year, Austin is looking forward to channeling her "heart, time, and energy" into teaching students at Momentum Dance Academy. The various performing groups at Momentum are planning on performing at several festivals, including the Olympic Dance Festival, BOOSTmeUP, All 4 1 Dancepalooza, and Dance Festival Northwest. Momentum will also host its own festival this spring called Merge NW, featuring members of the Momentum Dance Ensemble Company and youth dance companies across the Pacific Northwest. The dance academy has also begun rehearsals for its production of Coppelia this spring.
Overall, what Austin hopes to see change in the larger dance industry is a greater celebration of body positivity and a dismantling of systems of oppression, with an eye towards promoting equity. She hopes to see more teachers and directors show students and dancers that size doesn’t determine health and strength. Austin also wishes to see more opportunities become available for dancers who don’t “necessarily fit the mold.” Her desire is for these principles of body inclusivity to ripple out to other identity facets, causing instructors to teach with a greater eye towards gender inclusivity as well. Austin points out that a big part of making this change will be instructors being more intentional about the language they use in class, including not making comments about dancers’ weights and utilizing gender-inclusive words and phrases. With individuals like Austin helping train the next generation of dancers, there is ample hope for change.
Breaking the Mold to Cement a Place for Oneself
Operating in an industry with rigidly defined expectations and boundaries can take a toll on a person, particularly during an impressionable period in one’s life like childhood. Local dancer and choreographer Robbi Moore opens up on defying the status quo in the dance industry and providing transparency to performers.
Robbi Moore on Defying the Status Quo
By Madison Huizinga, DWC Blog Editor
Photo by Michael Stadler
Operating in an industry with rigidly defined expectations and boundaries can take a toll on a person, particularly during an impressionable period in one’s life, like childhood. Local dancer and choreographer Robbi Moore opens up on defying the status quo in the dance industry and providing transparency to performers.
Growing up in Hamden, Connecticut, Robbi recalls watching their older brother act onstage and feeling inspired to begin dance classes themself. After learning of Robbi’s desire to perform on stage, their mom enrolled them in classes at New England Ballet, where Robbi trained for two years and performed in The Nutcracker as a mouse. Robbi took classes in Ballet, Jazz, and Tap before moving to Dee Dee’s Dance Center in New Haven, Connecticut. The main reason for Robbi switching studios was because the New England Ballet was predominantly white. “My mom wanted me to be around people that looked like me so I could [experience] the other side of the dance world,” Robbi says, as Dee Dee’s is a predominantly Black dance studio.
At Dee Dee’s, Robbi continued taking classes in Ballet, Jazz, and Tap and was also introduced to West African Dance, Gymnastics, and Hip Hop. By the time they hit 11 or 12, Robbi was certain they wanted to be a professional dancer. Desiring to increase their Ballet training, Robbi returned to New England Ballet and later New Haven Ballet in addition to training at Dee Dee’s to up the caliber.
Around 12, Robbi began attending summer intensives, mainly at Earl Mosley’s Institute of the Arts. Robbi witnessed many people they trained with go on to perform with prestigious companies like Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Robbi attended EMIA’s summer intensive nearly every year, getting the opportunity to meet dancers training and choreographing in New York. A big perk of the intensive was Robbi getting the chance to perform on a weekly basis. “It was a very important experience for me to have,” they share.
Robbi graduated from the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program in 2015 and spent a year freelancing in New York, dancing with Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre, The Steps Repertory Ensemble, and AATMA Performing Arts. A year after graduating, Robbi auditioned for Spectrum Dance Theater and moved to Seattle, WA to join the company as a paid apprentice.
Robbi shares that they learned so much from their fellow company members at Spectrum Dance Theater, as the dancers largely worked in collaboration with one another and Artistic Director Donald Byrd. Robbi became a full company member at Spectrum the following year and later left the company a year after that. They began freelancing in the Seattle area, working with Khambatta Dance Company, Coriolis Dance, Karin Stevens Dance, Whidbey Island Dance Theatre, Tacoma Urban Performing Arts Center, Kinesis Project Dance Theatre, and other part-time companies.
“Know who you are even if others do not understand you. Do not put anyone on a pedestal and always put your well-being first.”
Robbi dabbled in various artistic mediums growing up, including piano, flute, choir, and theatre, but nothing stuck with them in the way dance did. Robbi has found satisfaction in the gratification that comes from physically experiencing the practice of dance. “I just liked moving my body more than sitting down,” Robbi says, sharing that musicality and rhythm have come naturally to them after participating in a choir as a child. Whereas singing in front of an audience can feel a bit scary to Robbi, dancing is a happy medium that’s vulnerable and visual, while still being an internal and self-fulfilling endeavor.
Photo by Michael B. Maine
Robbi shares that growing up they experienced a lot of physical and social limitations in the sphere of dance. “It really ties into how people view your body and how your body gets viewed within the parameters of a certain genre of dance,” they say, as there are specific types of bodies and individuals that have been expected to be on display and excel within various genres. Being confronted with this type of challenge as a child, in particular, can greatly contribute to the formation of one’s identity.
“I went to a predominantly Black studio and that’s where I definitely learned about being Black,” Robbi says of identity and expectations. “That was very important, I’m very grateful for that, but it also came with a lot of baggage,” they say, sharing the challenge of having to conform to what a “masculine, Black man was supposed to dance like.”
Exploring self-image and gender identity within the sphere of dance has been a challenge for Robbi. “Gender norms are very binary, especially in dance. And it comes out in physicality as well,” they say, pointing to the expectations that are set for children of all genders regarding how to present themselves on stage. “If you’re a child and you’re discovering your identity and you are confronted with that, it can be very alienating,” Robbi says. Being alienated by an art form that you love can cause a lot of internal turmoil. “This thing that you love is being weaponized against you,” they voice.
Robbi says that dancing is not about becoming exactly like the people they look up to. “They look like them, and I look like me,” they say. “What makes people happy when they talk about their careers is that they can look back and say that they did what they wanted to do,” Robbi says, even if it means breaking the status quo without getting rewarded for it at the time. It’s satisfying to look back on one’s career and think nobody else could have done what I did or have the path that I had.
Robbi is excited to see more and more dancers openly identifying as genderqueer, non-binary, and trans, as a decade ago, that certainly wasn’t the case. “Ten years ago, you understood what your identity was, [but] had to understand the game you had to play in order to make it,” they say. “There’s change coming. There’s somebody that looks like you somewhere.” Robbi also believes that gender roles in dance should be more fluid for everyone and that needing to identify with any of the labels mentioned above should not be a requirement.
In the coming year, Robbi is preparing to perform with Khambatta Dance Company at the Seattle International Dance Festival Mini-Fest on March 4-5 and 11-12, 2022. The company is performing a piece choreographed by Artistic Director Cyrus Khambatta, another piece by Boston Dance Theater, and a piece by Mumbai-based choreographer Sumeet Nagdev. Robbi is also working with Kinesis Project, planning to have a gala in May 2022.
In addition, Robbi is teaching many dance classes and choreographing for Kaleidoscope Dance Company for their June recital and Noir Black Noir at the Tacoma Urban Performing Arts Center, an event featuring all Black composers and choreographers. Robbi has also signed up to take part in takePAUSE 2022, an adult performance opportunity at eXit SPACE. Robbi also got the opportunity to choreograph and film a piece called “Dryad” with Devin Muñoz for Men in Dance. In general, Robbi has enjoyed being able to stretch themself as a choreographer, particularly when it comes to choreographing for students.
Photo by Marcia Davis
Robbi believes that it’s important right now for dance organizations to have a clear intention behind what they’re offering to employees, dancers, and students and what their larger goals are. They share that it’s important for directors to be held accountable, particularly when it comes to providing dancers with contracts and allotting enough time for them to look them over and amend them if necessary. Considering that dancers are eager to get back to moving amid the pandemic, Robbi sees now as an opportunity for the Seattle dance scene to make expectations and processes more transparent and better for the community. During a time when many dancers are risking their health to do what they love and make a living, being able to give them peace of mind, in whatever capacity possible, is extremely significant.
For those interested, Robbi is teaching a Horton-based contemporary dance class on Saturdays at 10 AM at the Tacoma Urban Performing Arts Center, and a ballet class immediately after at 11:30 AM. “I would love to see you!” Robbi says.
In closing, Robbi’s biggest piece of advice for dancers is: “know who you are even if others do not understand you. Do not put anyone on a pedestal and always put your well-being first.”
Mental Health and the Importance of Cultural Competency
From as early as I can remember I wanted to move. I felt a connection to music and energy through the floor that I couldn’t explain. When I look back on the things that shaped me, dance has been a constant. Through dance I found a voice and a method of expression that I couldn’t recreate
By Maddie Walker
Madison Walker started her dance journey at a young age. Growing up in New Orleans as a young mixed woman, she always felt a deep emotional connection to dance that allowed her to express who she was. At 12 years old she was selected to be a part of a small ballet conservatory, JPB Le Petit Ballet (now Northwest School of Dance), where she learned to utilize the backbone of classical technique. For many years Madison studied the Vaganova technique of ballet under Jennifer Picart Branner. Madison studied abroad in the beautiful country of Norway where she danced with Extend, a small dance company.
Since high school, Madison has danced and taught throughout the Pacific Northwest, currently acting as the Assistant Artistic Director of Academy of Dance Port Orchard. In addition to teaching and choreographing, Madison spent the 2019-20 season dancing with PRICEarts N.E.W. as a company member.
Her passions include traveling the world and working as a Certified Peer Counselor by day. Mental health is an educational passion and personal passion for Madison and has led her to serve on a board of directors for United Peers of Washington where she has been able to find avenues to blend her work in art and mental health.
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“Be Nice” Crew by Sunday Outfitters | K-Warmer by Apolla Performance | Metallic Warm Up Booties by Bloch
From as early as I can remember I wanted to move. I felt a connection to music and energy through the floor that I couldn’t explain. When I look back on the things that shaped me, dance has been a constant. Through dance I found a voice and a method of expression that I couldn’t recreate through speaking. Growing up in New Orleans, I had an early appreciation for art and flare as a means of communication. The culture of New Orleans is vibrant― from cajun food to Mardi Gras. When I was young, I rode in parades on giant floats made of papier-mâché and watched as dancers did their choreography to live marching bands down the street; inspiring me with every step.
At the age of 4, my father and biological mother separated. For 6 years I was under the primary care of my biological mother who unfortunately, was living with an active addiction. In the time I lived with my biological mother, I experienced trauma, neglect, and abuse. I found my escape in being able to dance, being able to create with my body, and feeling a physical release through creative movement. At the age of 10 my father married my step-mom who I refer to as my Mom. My mom has been an integral part of me learning to love myself and how to be loved.
At the age of 10, my mom, dad, sister, and I moved to Gig Harbor, Washington after our family had been displaced due to Hurricane Katrina. When I moved to Washington I struggled in a different way. The environment I had lived in before was far different from the suburb neighborhoods that I moved to. I felt isolated because of my culture, my skin tone, and the kinks in my hair, but also because I felt broken amongst what seemed like perfect families. Growing up as a mixed woman I often felt out of place, and still struggle at times to feel I belong in certain spaces. Coupled with my trauma, I often found I didn’t identify with many of my peers.
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Lola Forest Leo by Elevé Dancewear | Mesh Socks by Elevé Dancewear
The reality of being a woman and person of color or a member of a marginalized community is that mental health is often not seen from our perspective. Part of my drive to work in mental health is to be the representation I did not have in my community. I often felt like I did not have the space to talk about certain topics and that my feelings were offensive to others. Even while writing this, I find myself looking for “polite” ways to say I dealt with racial trauma and felt awkward talking to anyone for fear of offending white people.
Being a woman of color who provides mental health services to peers of color means I can identify and relate to their unique version of recovery. Through my work as a Peer Counselor and board member of United Peers of Washington, I am able to advocate passionately for the importance of cultural competency and tolerance. I personally struggled internally for a long time because I came from a background where people go through hard things; this was not “trauma”, this was life. Accepting that bad things don’t have to happen to you is a journey all on its own.
Accepting that it is okay to feel and to be hurt is another hurdle, a hurdle that for many people of color can mean being perceived as weak when society expects us to be strong. For a long time, I thought that acknowledging and talking about my trauma was shameful; but in time I learned that confronting your barriers and growing takes far more strength.
My daily goal is to act as a support to all who feel lost or alone, but especially to communities of marginalized people. Normalizing the feelings of trauma and how we process things is a monumental first step. Allowing ourselves to find outlets and coping mechanisms is the next.
Through sharing my story, my work, and art, I hope to show others that they are not alone and that there is power in your individual and unique story. Today, I recognize and celebrate that my experiences are my superpower. My ability to identify with diverse communities is invaluable, and my past does not define me: I do. But most of all? I found my therapeutic outlet through the dance floor.
“Something about being able to dance has always allowed me to feel a sense of belonging; even if for just the moments I was moving.”
Something about being able to dance has always allowed me to feel a sense of belonging; even if for just the moments I was moving. My parents bent over backwards to allow me to dance when we moved to Washington. I remember driving an hour one way to go to class and sitting in traffic while doing my homework. What I don’t think my parents ever realized is that they saved my life by allowing me to have that outlet. I was able to find myself through creative expression and that is a gift I want to share with the world in every way I can―especially through my work as a peer counselor.
For those of you reading who may not know what a “peer” is in the context of mental health, it is anyone who shares lived experience and makes an effort to share their lived experience in a way that will inspire others to find their own path. Amazing humans all over the world work as peer counselors; but more importantly, there are grassroots organizations and groups in every region of Washington State consisting of peers who offer support to their communities.
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I am always working on ways to merge my peer work with my art and one way I hope to do that is by providing psychoeducation to communities through the art of peers in my community. Throughout my journey of recovery―from depression to living with anxiety―I have learned that recovery is not linear, and expression is imperative. Finding my community and bridging art and my work has been one of the greatest joys in my life and has inspired me to realize my fullest potential. I encourage you to find your community and to discover your inspiration.
For more information on United Peers of Washington and other Peer related resources, check out the UP of WA Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/UPofWA
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