Today I’d like to welcome fellow Chicago blogger Vicki Crain to the Dance Blog Spotlight–
1. Can you tell readers a bit about your background in dance?
I started taking dance lessons when I was little – jazz, tap, tumbling – adding in ballet around 6th grade. After taking a few years off for extra curricular activities with school (choir, band, cheerleading), I came back to dance. I was a founding member of the Decatur Ballet Company (tiny) and joined the Springfield Ballet Company, where I danced on and off for 15 years.
I also performed with the Twin Cities Ballet in Bloomington, IL. I taught jazz, tap and pointe classes and managed the affiliated school in Springfield, while finishing my degree in English. Once in Chicago, I danced for a season with Zephyr Dance and for a number of years with a production company, while also serving as President’s Assistant/Dance Captain/Casting Director/Girl Friday. It was a blast!
2. When did you begin your blog—and why did you start it?
I started Rogue Ballerina in September 2009. I had the opportunity to interview choreographer Lar Lubovitch for a local magazine and felt like all the “good” stuff got edited out. I started the blog so dancers and dance lovers could read more about the process and behind-the-scenes things that I find more interesting. It took off from there.
3. What does your blog cover?
RB covers local Chicago artists and performances with profiles, Q&A’s, previews, reviews and anything else that comes up that I think is cool or pertinent. I stick mainly to Chicago artists and companies, since that is the scene that I know best, but occasionally I’ll cover guest artists or choreographers/repetiteurs that are in town on tour or setting a piece. I try to cover artists at every level, from first-time choreographers to Twyla Tharp! I really enjoy doing the artist profiles and getting to know the person behind the dancer.
4. What has been the best part about participating in the dance community online?
Finding out how many other people are out there that have similar passion and interest. I’ve made so many friends online through the blog. Even if we’ve never met in person, there is such camaraderie and support for our art form. I find it fascinating how much the online dance world has expanded in the last two years. I only knew of a few dance blogs when I started and now I can’t keep up with all of the coverage that is out there. It’s awesome!
It is really hard to keep up with all of them I’d like to read, but some of them I try to get to frequently are: Wendy Perron/Dance Magazine, Zac Whittenburg/Time Out Chicago (I always learn something new from his live review. I read all the local reviews of performances from my peers, but only after I’ve written and posted mine.), Dance Advantage, Tights and Tiaras, TenduTV, The Ballet Bag, You Dance Funny and the blogs for local companies like Hubbard Street, Joffrey, River North…and, of course 4dancers!
Twitter: @rogueballerina
Facebook: Rogue Ballerina
