10 Questions With…

10 Questions With…Mark Deler

June 11, 2010 by 4dancers

Today’s “10 Questions With…” features a young dancer at the beginning of his career. Please welcome Mark Deler…

1. How did you become involved with dance?

I became involved in dance when i was 16 years old. I was in my room listening and dancing to some Michael Jackson and I did one of his big leg kicks. I noticed that for not much training I could kick pretty high and pick up movement rather quick. In high school (Riverside Brookfield HS) I was approached by the dance team, Orchesis, because they were in need of men.

They asked and I said of course, how was I going to deny five pretty girls lol.

That’s when I started and I’ve never looked back.

Mark Deler (Photo by Dan Merlo)

2. What has your dance experience been like so far?

I am currently a Junior dance major at the University of Illinois Urbana – Champaign. I’ve been trained by Sergey Kozadayev from the Salt Creek Ballet for the past few summers. And other than dancing in high school my junior and senior year, under Mindy Haines, that has been the extent of my training.

I’ve been lucky enough to be accepted to the U of I and the professors and instructors there have made my experience in dance a relatively flawless one.

3. What do you love most about dance?

Oh wow haha! I love the performative aspect of it. When I am dancing I like to think that 4th wall isn’t there. I like to believe that in my dancing I am not dancing for them, rather it’s a collaboration between us. Like a conversation that I know the answers to, but they have the questions.

4. What is the biggest challenge you face (or have faced) in dance?

I’ve had a few minor injuries, but nothing to that took me out for too long.

As far as technique, I have been working on my dynamics and range. I have the sort of energy that is very high octane and it has been known to get me into trouble, whether it’s with messing up the step, being late, or getting injured. A professor of mine once told me that even though my energy was beautiful and captivating, that being high octane the whole time can only get monotonous and boring. This really hit home for me and so to this day and maybe for forever I will continue to work on my quality changes.

5. Do you have any favorite dancers?

My all time favorite dancer is Carlos Acosta. He embodies such grace and such power at the same time that I find no other to compare. Being 6 feet tall I know what it’s like as tall person to dance and keep up with smaller quicker people. He inspires me to keep to trying because if he can do it being that tall why can’t I?

6. Can you share a highlight from your dancing thus far?

The highlight of my dancing so far has all come from being at U of I. I’ve been blessed to have been chosen do so many different styles of work and don’t regret any show or piece I have been in. I’ve gone to the extremes of performing collaborations with actors to being The Russian in The Nutcracker.

7. What do you think are the most important qualities you need to have to be a dancer?

In no order, I think patience (but not too patient), open-mindedness, confidence, energy, passion, and determination are the most important qualities to have. If you have all these qualities with some good technique I believe that’s all you need. Oh and connections, the dance world is surprisingly small, so be courteous to everyone you meet.

8. Do you think that dance can prepare you for other things in life? If so, how?

Yes, because dance can lend itself to so many different facets of life. It teaches you how to be social with others, how to be in tune with your body, how to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and how to express yourself in any emotion you choose.

9. As a man, is there anything in particular you can share with other male dancers that would be helpful?

For new coming male dancers like me, especially if you start late, It is very important to not just mimic or copy your female dancers. Although it is very important to have the right step it is equally, if not more important, to embody a sense of masculinity both physically and mentally. Versatility is also key.

Some instructors or choreographers don’t always no what we can do and it is our job to show them what we can do.

10. What is coming up next for you?

I still have two more years here at the U of I so I will be here. I also perform with the Champaign-Urbana Ballet and I plan on being in their upcoming Nutcracker, preferably as the Russian again!

Bio: Mark Deler, age 20, is currently a dance major at the U of I. He began his training in high school when he was 16 and a year later auditioned for the U of I to where he was accepted. He has performed many different roles ranging from The Russian in The Nutcracker to singing ‘Beauty School Dropout’ in Grease. Post graduation he aspires to make a career in performance.

10 Questions With…Anne-Sophie Rodriguez

June 8, 2010 by 4dancers

Today’s “10 Questions With…” features Anne-Sophie Rodriguez…

1. How did you get involved with dance and what brought you to the United States?

When I was three years old, I started telling my Mom I wanted to dance. I had never seen dance, yet I knew that was what I wanted to do… She was able to hold me off for a few months but when she could no longer take my persistent asking, we went around to all the ballet schools in town. They all said I was too young, the minimum age being four. When we got to the last one, my Mom and I had a little powwow and decided to tell a little white lie and say I was four. When I actually turned four, we confessed to the school’s director who said she had figured it out but that I was doing very well and that it was fine. My family moved to the United States for my Dad to work in the Silicon Valley in the San Francisco Bay Area.

2. How was your ballet training different in the US as compared to France?

I was still very young when I left France so I suppose I can’t really compare the two that much. Of course, in France, I had French training while in the US, where I trained at the San Francisco and Boston Ballet Schools, I mostly had Russian teachers.

DJG_1436 — Anne-Sophie (Photo: Rachel Neville, www.rachelneville.com)

3. What project(s) are you currently involved in?

I currently free-lance so I am open to whatever comes my way! Last year, I danced with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet for the first time: it was amazing to be on that stage! Most recently, I have been performing with Janusphere Dance Company, a contemporary company, and compani javedani, a more modern company. My training was very classical so I am grateful that Sahar Javedani, Artistic Director of compani javedani, gave me the opportunity to go out of my comfort zone. She choreographed a beautiful solo on me and we plan to collaborate again soon.

Other than dancing myself, I also teach. I give private lessons as well as coach for the Ellison Ballet Professional Training Program. The school was founded by Edward Ellison, my coach and mentor who shares my main teacher from San Francisco Ballet School, Larisa Sklyanskaya. EBPTP just concluded its fourth year and most of the graduates have gone on to professional contracts in a time when jobs are hard to come by. Coaching is something I absolutely love, especially when seeing a tremendous improvement as I have with most of the students I have worked with.

4. Can you share the best piece of advice you have ever heard in terms of dance?

My teacher Larisa had many great sayings including “Don’t try, just do” as well as “you think you are, but you’re not.” She taught us to use the mirror as a tool to make sure our feelings matched up to what was actually happening. Most of the time, it wasn’t but little by little, we retrained completely and started to see the improvements we thought we were feeling at the beginning. I think a great piece of advice in life and in dance is that you are responsible for your own thoughts and actions. No one is to blame for anything but yourself and, with hard work, you can do anything you set your intentions on.

5. What was your best moment so far as a dancer?

I can’t think of a single best moment as a dancer. I have loved every part of rehearsing and performing. Even when everyone got bored with the numerous Nutcrackers (up to 50+ a year in Boston Ballet), I always reveled in each show. I enjoy bringing characters to life as well as dancing the same steps that have been passed down through generations and making them my own. I also love having work created on me.

6. What has been your biggest challenge as a dancer?

DJG_1376 — Anne-Sophie (Photo Rachel Neville, www.rachelneville.com)

I think my biggest challenge has been that most directors see me in class and think I am very classical and that that is all I can do. It is true that, since most of my training was very Russian, that is what comes most naturally to me, however, with time to get it into my body, contemporary work is very enjoyable and I feel it looks good on me as well.

7. What would you say to a young ballet student who wants to do this as a career?

In order to be a dancer, you have to be fully committed. Dance is something you have to love as it is hard work and not always easy. However, fully committed does not mean not taking part in life outside the studio. Your experiences and relationships will inform your choices on stage, so be sure to get out there. The second part of my advice would be to get to know your body and what works and doesn’t work for it. Cross-training and injury prevention are necessary. Personally, I love yoga as it has the mind body connection that is so important in dance. Yoga has helped me become more aware of my body and how it moves in space. I also have an amazing body worker who does trigger point therapy and myofascial release, both of which I highly recommend for all dancers. Lacrosse balls are a great massage tool (to work on calves, gluteal muscles, etc) and I can no longer warm up properly without one!

8. Do you have a favorite step or combination? If so, what is it and why do you like it so much?

I am more suited to adagio-type work, not because I have especially high extensions but because I try to feel every moment and every note of the music. I take special care of my port-de-bras and pride myself on it. I also enjoy turning but I am not a trickster per se. Jumps are not my favorite in class, however they are more fun in rehearsal and on stage depending on what we are doing.

9. What type of pointe shoes do you wear, and do you have any special “tricks” you use to make them your own?

I have worn Russian Pointe, E 38 V3 W3, since they first brought them to the States. They mold to my feet well and are very comfortable. I unsew the back the fabric in the back and sew the vamp so it fits my foot well as there are no drawstrings in that style. I tend to glue the box after wearing them once so they will last longer. I find that gluing them before wearing them will make them too hard to break in.

10. What is next on the horizon for you?

As of right now, more of the same, dancing and teaching. I have been working on my BA with the L.E.A.P. program (Liberal Education for Arts Professionals) for the past couple years. The program started out in San Francisco and I was part of the inaugural NY group. We receive credits for our dance experience as well as life experience (as demonstrated by essays). I am enjoying the process, however I do hope to finish soon. Homework is the hardest part!

Bio: Anne-Sophie was born in France and started her studies there before moving to the San Francisco Bay Area. She spent most of her training at the San Francisco Ballet School with such renowned teachers as Larisa Sklyanskaya and Irina Jacobson. She later graduated from Boston Ballet School, having relocated there to study with Madame Tatiana Legat. Anne-Sophie has performed with such companies as Boston Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, The Norwegian National Ballet, The Metropolitan Opera Ballet, and Ballet Internationale. She currently free-lances, dancing with Janusphere Dance Company and compani javedani, and is very happy to be on the faculty of the Ellison Ballet Professional Training Program where she has the opportunity not only to work with mentor Edward Ellison but also with his dedicated students.

10 Questions With…John Schmitz

June 3, 2010 by 4dancers

Today’s “10 Questions With…” features John Schmitz, the man behind Dance Chicago…

1. Can you tell me your name, your location and a little about your dance background?

John Schmitz, Chicago Illinois. As the founder of Dance Chicago and its producer, Emergence Dance Theatre, I have been producing dance events for 26 years, promoting alliances and collaborations between artists and dance organizations both nationally and internationally. I have always believed in the power of the Chicago dance community to become a creative world force in choreography.

I have directed Ballet Chicago, Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theatre, The Joel Hall Dancers, The Chicago Repertory Dance Ensemble, Rockford Dance Company, as well as Emergence Dance Theatre. As a member of the Chicago Community Trust’s Dance Advisory Committee, I founded the Dance Chicago Choreography Project. I believe that dance can drive emotional transformation – making you feel better about life when you leave the theatre than you did before you entered the theatre.

2. What is Dance Chicago?

Dance Chicago presents the work of Chicago area choreographers and companies. It isn’t an organization, but a program on Emergence Dance Theatre. There is a dance festival every year that provides a showcase for these works.

3. How did it come about?

In 1995 we needed to address the lack of interest in Chicago dance. It was scattered across the city, with little audience and little networking and no awareness of the importance of choreographic development. With funding from Philip Morris, Kraft and the MacArthur Foundation we birthed Dance Chicago ’95.

4. What types of dancers/companies have performed at your venue?

There have been many companies/dancers that have performed at Dance Chicago. Some of these include: Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, Moscow Ballet, AMEBA Acrobatic & Aerial Dance, Lucky Plush Productions and Chicago Tap Theatre. There are many more….you can see the complete list on the website.

5. How is Dance Chicago carried out?

This fall, the following will be presented in multiple venues:

+ 10 to 12 thematically driven programs: Streets, New Moves, etc.

+ 20 to 25 performances, each of up to 13 different choreographers

+ 250+ choreographers/companies, 3,000 artists

In 15 seasons, that comes to 40,000 dance artists, 4,000 different Chicago dance organizations and the works of over 3,500 different choreographers.

There is also an International Exchange Program where Chicago choreographers set works on foreign companies–and foreign companies perform works in Dance Chicago as well.

The stars of Dance Chicago perform abroad, thanks to the partnerships that have been developed with the Dutch National Ballet, South Korea’s Kim Geung Soo Ballet Company, Tirana Show Dance Companyin Albania and Istanbul Dance Theatre.

They also have performing opportunities throughout the nation, with organizations such as the Houston Metropolitan Dance Company, the Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, the Omaha Theater Ballet, the Ajkun Ballet Theatre and LehrerDance.

The choreography Project is open to all Chicago choreographers.

There are awards for the following:

+ Dance Chicago Choreographer of the Year Award: $1,000

+ Dance Chicago Outstanding Choreographer Award (New Voice)

+ Dance Chicago Outstanding Choreographer Award (Body of Work)

Also, Chicago choreographers teach and set works on area college and high school dance programs and high school and college programs perform works in Dance Slam competitions and other programs.

5. I noticed that you have rehursal space available. Can you tell readers more about that?

Yes. There are five inexpensive dance studios that are located in a good neighborhood with parking. They have sprung floors, marley, mirrors and sound systems. The address is 1439 West Wellington, and you can find the schedule on Facebook, or on the website.

6. This type of venture is a large undertaking. Can you talk a little about the support it requires to take on this type of thing and how people who are interested might be able to help?

It is a year around task. We have been well-funded by foundations for 15 seasons, but the economic collapse has severely undermined that support. This year is vital for individual contributions and ticket sales to pull us through. People can donate online at www.dancechicago.com, or contact me directly and we can meet to discuss your involvement. john@dancechicago.com.

Volunteer offerings include: box office, ushers, drivers, editors and stagehands. There are also marketing and production internships available.

7. Can you tell readers a bit about the awards that you have received throughout your career?

Some past awards include: Chicago Tribune Chicagoan of the Year, The Columbia College Arts Entrepreneurship of the Year Award, and Ruth Page Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Dance Community. Some of John’s other projects the International Exchange Program, Dance Link, the Choreographic Advancement Program, the Best of Dance Chicago (Illinois) and Stars of Dance Chicago (International).

8. Can you talk a bit about your passion for this project?

I live and breathe it. I have been transformed by the work and I believe have developed dance curating into an art form of its own. When I started, the word “choreography” did not exist in Chicago dance. Now, thanks to Dance Chicago, Chicago choreographers are being employed worldwide – example Lauri Stallings started here.

9. How can Chicago-area dance professionals become involved with Dance Chicago?

Fill out the online application. All dance forms are welcomed and encouraged.

10. What is coming up on the horizon for Dance Chicago and for you?

I’m constantly refining and evolving the process, holding on to what we do best–but still looking to address the needs of the future.

10 Questions With…Ashley Thorndike

May 28, 2010 by 4dancers

Ashley Thorndike, is the founder and director of the Now & Next Dance Mentoring Project. She is recently completed her dissertation, a study of studio-based learning in college dance and will earn the first PhD in Dance Studies from Ohio State University in June 2010. An artist, scholar, and activist, Ashley has developed N&N in response to three major concerns facing contemporary dance today: 1) college dance students desire opportunities to connect dance with community, 2) middle school youth are underexposed to the artistic and physical practices of dance, and 3) professional dance artists lack the resources to deeply investigate process. In N+N, Ashley combines her expertise in mentoring and youth development and her life as a dance artist. She holds a BFA from the University of Utah Department of Modern Dance and an MEd in student affairs practice in higher education from the University of Virginia. She has taught as a visiting assistant professor of dance at Oberlin College and was a co-artistic director of Prospect Dance Group. For four years she worked with the Young Women Leaders Program, a large college women/middle school girl group mentoring program at the University of Virginia. Ashley has recently performed at Movement Research in New York and Green Street Studios in Boston, in Annie Kloppenberg’s Indelible Marks and at the Theatre Building in Chicago with Beserra Dance Theatre’s Jenkins Farm Project. Most recently, her workin collaboration with composer Peter V. Swendsen—coldness & lightness—was performed at Oberlin Collge and the Goose Route Dance Festival.

Ashley Thorndike

1. Can you tell me who you are and share some information about your dance background?

I’m a performer, choreographer, and dance educator. I began dancing at age 16 and immediately knew it was my life path. I earned a BFA from the University of Utah then I moved to New York to continue my dance training. After a year, I moved down to Charlottesville, VA—a little artistic haven. There I completed a master’s degree in counselor education and founded a small dance company, Prospect Dance Group. After graduating I spent two years switching back and forth between teaching, performing, and making work as a resident artist at the McGuffey Art Center and running the day to day operations of the Young Women Leaders Program, a mentoring program for college women and middle school girls at the University of Virginia. I decided to combine dance and service-learning but knew I needed to delve intensively into study, so I pursued the PhD in Dance Studies at Ohio State University.

2. What is the Now & Next Mentoring Project and how did you become involved with it?

I founded N+N in Fall 2009, but I had the idea way back in the summer of 1997 when I was a summer study student at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance. I loved the intensity of my dance practice, but also felt that common sense of wanting to give back. After 12 years of letting the idea percolate and learning about non-profit management and service-learning, now seemed like the time.

3. Can you explain how college dancers fit into this program?

The college dancers get to have two roles. They will begin the day as dance students with a somatic class followed by a 3-hour technique and creative process class. After a lunch break, the college women will take on a leadership role, serving as mentors and teachers for the adolescent girls. During the afternoon, the college women will develop their dance teaching skills, provide one-on-one mentoring, and learn important group facilitation techniques. On some evenings, the college dancers will attend mentoring sessions with the professional dance artists on making a life as a dancer. The program also allows time for personal reflection, hiking, and enjoying the local community.

4. How does this project involve dance artists?

Dancer artists need space and time! After teaching the morning technique and creative process class, the artists will have rehearsal space and time to work on current projects. The focus is process, rather than product, allowing artists time to play with new ideas and concepts.

5. What will the project do for adolescent girls?

Adolescence is an important period, especially for girls who can lose confidence and self-worth during this time. In the afternoon workshops, adolescent girls will build confidence by focusing on what their bodies can do, rather than simply how they look, by engaging in both creative dance making and movement based life skills. The will also have time to get to know a college women dancer and learn more about dance appreciation.

6. Can you explain a bit about service learning?

Service-learning has become an important new direction in university education. The philosophy is that students need to connect their classroom learning experiences to real-life experience through reflective practices. Unlike community service, or volunteerism (an important activity in its own right), service-learning is a more structured approach to working with a community and developing as a leader and learner from that work. For instance, in N+N the college women will have multiple opportunities to develop as dancers and dance educator, and to reflect on their growth as artists and leaders.

7. How can people get involved with this project?

College age dancers (or recent college graduates) can apply to attend the program at our website–same goes for middle school girls. The application period for college dancers and middle school girls is open through the spring. Dance artist selection occurs in the early fall. Schools interested in hosting a project should contact me in the late summer.

8. What are you in need of to develop this project–how can people help?

As with most new organizations, what we need most is capital. At present we are fiscally sponsored by Fractured Atlas, a 501(c)3 based in New York City, so we can accept donations through them. Here’s the official language:

Now & Next Dance Mentoring Project is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions in behalf of Now & Next may be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

You can donate online at Fractured Atlas.

We use these donations to provide scholarships for college women and middle school girls, pay the artists, and buy supplies. We are grateful for donations large and small.

We are particularly excited about innovative fundraising. For instance, Katie Anderson, a senior dance major at Oberlin College just hosted a benefit concert for Now & Next.

Beyond financial donations, folks can help spread the word about the Now & Next Dance Mentoring Project by joining our Facebook group or fan page and letting dancers and dance departments know about the program. Join our mailing list at www.nownextdance.com!

9. What else can you tell readers about Now & Next Mentoring Project?

Dance is important and we need to cultivate strong leaders in unstable times. By combining dance training and leadership development, Now & Next is an innovative program that addresses the many needs within the dance community by bringing together the strengths of these three communities.

10. What are the next steps for this project? Anything new on the horizon?

We are looking forward to our first workshop this summer in Boone, NC and have begun talks with more schools for potential 2011 programs. We are also working on an online community to facilitate connections during the year. Our longer term plans include developing a program that also serves adolescent boys; producing an annual showcase featuring N+N artists; and developing a curriculum that dance departments can use to develop their own yearlong movement-based mentoring projects.

10 Questions With…Dr. Linda Hamilton

May 18, 2010 by 4dancers

When I was a young dancer I can remember getting my first subscription to Dance Magazine. In it was a column that I absolutely loved–one that answered some of the burning questions I had–but that I was afraid to ask. I always flipped to it first and eagerly read the advice…

That column was written by Dr. Linda Hamilton–who was kind enough to spend some time sharing her insights here with us on 4dancers today. I’m honored to share them with you now…

1. You have had a long, successful career helping dancers. What is one thing about them that stands out to you after working with them all these years?

There are many things that make dancers stand out from the crowd. However, if I have to narrow it down to one factor then I’d say it’s their extraordinary passion for dance. While most performers love what they do, serious dancers love it almost to excess. This can be a double-edged sword. It helps them to excel in dance because they are so eager to make progress. However, this same drive can also sabotage their best efforts if they ignore pain and fatigue.

Linda Hamilton (c) Paul Kolnik

2. What are the primary injuries and issues you have seen over the years in the dance world, and have they changed with time or do they remain largely the same?

Overall, the most common concerns in dance include overuse injuries, burnout, mental stress, and eating problems. The good news is that today’s dancers are better informed about a variety of health issues. The problem is that the training and choreography are much more intense. As a result, it takes more than dance class to survive. You also need to consider good work habits, cross-training, nutrition, weight control, and stress management. We’ve integrated these elements in our wellness program at New York City Ballet, and the weeks lost to disability have dropped almost in half.

3. You have done a good deal of research during the course of your career…what was the most surprising thing you found?

The biggest surprise was how similar dancers are around the world. We compared dancers from Western Europe, China, Russia and the United States and found that they were all experiencing the same mental and physical stresses. Isn’t that amazing? The main factor that separates dancers, regardless of the country, is how pro-active their schools and companies are in terms of preventing these problems. Fortunately, the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science is a wonderful resource that can help you get up to speed. I highly recommend becoming a member (www.iadms.org).

4. How did you begin writing for Dance Magazine?

Writing for Dance Magazine coincided with my becoming a licensed clinical psychologist. I wanted to focus on the entertainment industry after working with different performers at a clinic that specialized in the area. However, I knew that dancers can have a hard time discussing problems because the training rewards you for being stoic. So the idea of an advice column where dancers could write to me and ask for help without using their real names held great appeal. I proposed the column to Dance Magazine and it’s been running ever since. It’s been highly rewarding for me on a personal level. More important, I hope it’s shown dancers that reaching out when you have a problem can be empowering.

5. What is it like to work with New York City Ballet?

It’s like going home! I grew up at City Ballet and performed with them for almost two decades. Helping to develop and implement the wellness program is like a dream come true. It allows me to bring everything I know about dance medicine to the Company. Now every young dancer receives an annual orthopedic, fitness, and nutritional screening to identify potential problems before they become serious. We also offer seminars when time permits, where I may discuss ways to prevent burnout. I’m also available for dancers who need more personalized help, such as recovering from an injury. It’s an honor to give back to the dance community that has brought so much joy and meaning to my life. To do this at City Ballet is a gift.

6. In your mission statement it says, “you no longer have to suffer for your art form to excel”. Can you explain what you mean by that?

It means that a lot of the suffering that occurred in the performing arts was due to lack of knowledge and resources. Dancers need to be thin but they can lose weight safely by knowing what to eat and how to cross-train. The same is true for working with your unique body type without getting injured, using mental skills to reduce performance anxiety and increase self-confidence, and knowing when to seek medical help to take advantage of that one-month magic healing period.

7. Are there any psychological issues that dancers tend to be more prone to?

I’d have to say perfectionism! Obviously, you need a hefty dose in order to practice the same dance steps over and over again. This trait is inborn and common in gifted individuals. The healthy aspects include high standards and the organizational skills to meet your goals. The less adaptive parts that can trip you up are never accepting anything less than perfection (which is unattainable) and looking at mistakes as a sign of failure rather than an opportunity to learn something useful. Perfection is an ideal, not a reality.

8. You have recently written a book called The Dancer’s Way. Who should read this book and why?

I think everyone in the dance community can benefit from the book, including dancers, teachers, directors, and healthcare specialists. I wrote it to help reduce occupational stress and achieve peak performance in any dance technique, not just ballet. It shows you how to develop a wellness program tailored to meet your unique needs, and includes New York City Ballet’s screening protocol and the resources to duplicate it. I just heard that The Royal Ballet is considering adopting it after reading the book. I also know that Jerry Mitchell, who’s choreographed numerous Broadway hits, wants to make it mandatory reading for his gypsies. It’s also being used by a number of dance schools and BFA programs. Frankly, it’s the book I wish I’d had when I was a performer.

9. Can you share a particularly meaningful moment from your career?

Actually, that question is easy to answer because it just happened. I was invited to speak at the first dance medicine conference in Monte Carlo, which happens to be the first city where I performed on tour as a 16 year-old dancer with New York City Ballet. I felt like my life had come full-circle. As a young dancer I had the honor of being introduced to Princess Grace. This time her daughter, Princess Caroline, was in the audience. It was a very special moment that brought two careers together in a highly meaningful way.

10. What is next on the horizon for you?

Well, it seems like I always have another project on the table. This time it’s focusing on my new website for all types of performers. I have monthly wellness tips on topics like self-esteem and dieting, surveys that target constant concerns such as technique, photos on different sources of occupational stress, and a daily discussion forum. It’s meant to provide both information and support. I invite everyone to visit, check out the tips and resources, and join me in the forum at www.wellness4performers.com. This is for YOU!

Biography:

Former New York City Ballet dancer Linda Hamilton is a clinical psychologist specializing in the performing arts. In addition to her private practice in Manhattan, Dr. Hamilton is the wellness consultant for New York City Ballet and The Ailey School. She writes a monthly advice column in Dance Magazine, and has three books that deal with occupational stresses in the entertainment industry. Dr. Hamilton’s website provides the community with useful tips and resources, as well as daily support in her discussion forum (www.wellness4performers.com).

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