10 Questions With Alice Klock

April 28, 2018 by Rachel Hellwig

1. How did you first become involved in dance?

I’ve been dancing as long as I can remember.

After having seen me improv my way through the living room for years, my mother asked if I’d like to try a ballet class. I was eleven and I’ve been at it ever since.

2. When/how did you realize you wanted to become a professional dancer?

I attended the San Francisco Ballet’s summer program at 13 and would watch the company work and rehearse whenever I could find a moment to sneak to their studio door. It was thrilling.

There was something so beautiful about the way the dancers interacted, the sense of company life, and I decided it was something I wanted to experience.

3. Was there ever a time when you thought of quitting dance or second-guessed your decision to pursue a professional career? If so, what helped you through that time?

Honestly, no. My commitment to this field has been pretty unwavering.

My path was tumultuous at times, but through set backs, injuries, and disappointments, I’ve never felt like quitting. I’ve felt the need to shift my environment, or my role within the profession, but that to me is an exciting evolution.

I would recommend to any struggling dancer who is wondering if they should quit to ask themselves if perhaps they are just in the wrong place, or if they are trying to be something they are not. The dance world is vast! There are more options than we sometimes suppose.

I am now at a point where I am transitioning out of dancing full-time so that I can choreograph more, but even that feels like an evolution rather than a departure.

https://vimeo.com/218059438

4. When/how did you realize you wanted to pursue choreography?

It is hard to say when/how, I’ve always loved choreographing!

I have been super lucky to have the support of my choreographic work that I have received at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and from my amazing boss Glenn Edgerton. I believe that Glenn has been instrumental in my journey to becoming a choreographer as he gave me the space, encouragement, and opportunities to truly nurture and find my voice. I’m incredibly grateful for that.

5. What inspires you as a choreographer?

Everything.

6. How would you describe your choreographic process?

My process is quite random, but always focuses on really using the dancers in the room.

I always strive to find the individualism in each artist, and unlock as much of their “personal genius” (something I believe each of us has) as I can. This means I seldom come in with too many preconceived notions about the piece I will make.

That being said, my movement is highly conceptual at its source, and is often directly derived from words or ideas. For example, I might ask a dancer “what is your favorite word?” or “what is the most amazing thing you have ever seen?” and then I shall construct a movement phrase out of their answer.

7. What’s the best advice you’ve received about choreography?

“Don’t hold anything back”

https://vimeo.com/218062887

8. What are some things you’d like to explore in your choreography career and dance career in the future?

I would like to work with a vast array of dancers, artists, and institutions. I love the unexpected and being put into contact with the unusual.

I would like to work with huge groups, with ballet dancers, with competition dancers, with non-dancers. I’d like to experiment with it all and to push the boundaries of what we think dance is.

I believe that as a creator it is paramount to create work that is inclusive and socially conscious and that breaks out of the often inappropriate antique norms that still exist in the art form.

As a dancer, I would like to continue to explore performing new and different work. Last year, Florian Lochner (a fellow Hubbard Street dancer and Choreographic Fellow) and I formed “Flock” which is a project in which we co-choreograph pieces that we then perform.

I am interested to grow this further and to see what that can open up for me as a performer. Dancing in our work is a particularly wild and satisfying experience and very different from the years I have spent in a rep company.

I also look forward to expanding “Flock” out further into the world and to see what that leads to.

9. You’re headed to Utah in May for SALT Contemporary Dance’s inaugural LINK dance festival. How did you first become connected with SALT?

SALT has been on my radar for some time as a place where I would love to create work. Their dancers are beautiful and varied and their mission is strong and inspiring. I was honored and excited to be asked to participate in their LINK festival.

10. What are you most looking forward about LINK?

The dancers! Like I said, I love being thrown into a studio with new dancers and this will be a particularly exciting process as our creation time is only a week! I am looking forward to see what we concoct!

https://vimeo.com/226251438

Disclosure: Rachel Hellwig serves as marketing director for SALT

A Professional In A Student’s Class

September 7, 2017 by Rachel Hellwig

By Samantha Hope Galler

Samantha Hope Galler at Miami City Ballet’s Studios.

Layoff periods of up to five months gave me the opportunity to educate myself in and around the dance world. What I learned is invaluable. No matter where we stand in our careers there will always be a student inside of us striving to learn as we did in school. Although we thrive as professionals today, the focus is in a different place. I would like to share a few benefits to stepping back into student life.

No matter where we stand in our careers there will always be a student inside of us striving to learn as we did in school.

As a student, I was enthralled by the idea of company life. It was the ultimate goal to one day join a major company and dance the roles my idols did. I remember clearly when members of Boston Ballet would attend school classes with us. Taking class beside a professional was a reminder of why we wanted to dance while putting things in perspective. It was an exciting chance, at such a young age, to watch firsthand their interpretation of a step. Yes, we would attend all of their performances, but it did not compare to being next to them in class. In fact, it was the only way for us to have a glimpse into what company life would be like if we were to ever move into the professional world.

Personally, being surrounded by professionals as a student taught me that the professional dance world was small. Each dancer in the company at the time was unique and could dance everything. If I wanted a chance at being part of it I needed to stand out. This shifted my personal training goals.

Today, stepping back into student class places a professional dancer in a foreign environment. Elements of student life which we used to be accustomed to feel very different. Not only is there a different approach to class, there is another level of freedom. One component that has not changed, however, is our goal of the learning aspect of class. My ballet teacher of nearly 21 years, Frances Cavicchio Kotelly, always teaches her students that there is no end to learning. Whether you are a student or professional, it does not make sense to stop learning when the art continues to evolve.

Whether you are a student or professional, it does not make sense to stop learning when the art continues to evolve.

In 2010, while dancing with Alabama Ballet, I attended the two-week August program at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. This would be my third summer dancing with CPYB, but my first as a professional dancer. There was one other professional attending the program from New York City Ballet. My instructor was Darla Hoover–I didn’t know it at the time, but I would work with her closely in my later years with Alabama Ballet.

I was placed in CPYB’s top level for ages 14-17. To begin with, the age difference between us was dramatic. These ladies were polishing details and preparing to audition for major companies in the coming years. The first thing I realized was how hard it was to be in class with this age group. This was due to the fact that they were going through probably the most intense and important layer of training which included multiple technique classes a day.

It was an eye-opener because I saw what I had been neglecting over the last couple years as a professional. Attending this program and forcing myself to dress in pink tights and a black leotard showed me how to shape my dancing in a different way. In order to fix the big picture, you must fix the small details. It can be extremely difficult to balance a life of rehearsals and the upkeep of technique. Sometimes something has to give during the season and it is commonly our technique. My experience at CPYB taught me to allow myself to be a student again, especially during the layoff season.

My advice to new professionals would be to find time to step into student class even for just a few hours. This is a time when you can focus on your class rather than working to prepare your body for rehearsals.

Samantha’s 2008 Honorable-Mention-Winning National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts Entry

Earlier this summer, I attended Miami City Ballet school classes. It was an intriguing experience to stand back and watch the next generation of students work. As they approach the end of their school year, they prepare for career-changing performances and demonstrations. The possible opportunity to receive an apprenticeship with the main company is at the forefront. Usually, there are only a few company spots available so it can be a high-stress period.

As I observe them, I wish they knew what I know now. I see their eagerness to move on, but I also understand the importance of time and how it can benefit them in the future. Students hope to race through school and move into professional life, but it is so important to stay present in the moment. I have witnessed professionals who could have benefited from an additional year in school and eventually it catches up with them. Learning to maximize time can be the key to greater personal success in the future.

Students hope to race through school and move into professional life, but it is so important to stay present in the moment.

Students have asked me for advice and I share anything I can to help them feel confident when approaching this challenging time in their lives. I was fortunate to have my parents close by when I was transitioning out of school and that truly helped me stay positive. Many students, at this point, have moved away from home so they are no longer living with their families. This makes it difficult because that security blanket is no longer there.

My parents would always tell me to learn as much as you can about dance and trust yourself. This career, whether it be student life or professional life, relies solely on trusting yourself. When you trust yourself, you trust the dancing you present and you stay confident. There is always a place for you whether it be in a small or a large company. It will be the right fit and you will thrive in that environment. This is the best advice I can pass on. When you see another dancer getting a spot in the company of your dreams it does not mean that your dream is over. It might mean you are taking a different path and, in the end, it could turn out to be more beneficial.

When you see another dancer getting a spot in the company of your dreams it does not mean that your dream is over.

No matter how successful a dancer is, nothing is beneath you, especially the idea of stepping back into student life and remembering we were all students at one point.

Samantha at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet in 2001.

Samantha Hope Galler. Photo by Daniel Azoulay.

Contributor Samantha Hope Galler, a Bedford, Mass. native, spent 13 years training with The Ballet Academy, Inc., under the direction of Frances Kotelly in the Cecchetti Method. She performed six seasons with The Northeast Youth Ballet under the direction of Denise Cecere. She continued training, on scholarship, with Boston Ballet School and received the PAO Merit Trainee Scholarship. She received the NFAA Honorable Mention Award in Ballet. Galler spent summers training at Boston Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and Boston Conservatory. She danced with Cincinnati Ballet in their 2008-2009 season under the direction of Victoria Morgan.

Samantha spent five seasons with Alabama Ballet under the direction of Tracey Alvey and Roger Van Fleteren. During her tenure there, she was promoted to principal dancer. She had the honor of performing some of her dream roles including Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, The Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, The Sylph and Effie in La Sylphide, Myrtha and Moyna in Giselle, Dryad Queen and Mercedes in Don Quixote, the Rancher’s Daughter in Agnes De Mille’s Rodeo. Her Balanchine roles included Dark Angel in Serenade; The Sugarplum Fairy, Arabian and Lead Marzipan in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™; and the principal roles in Allegro Brillante and Tarantella. She has also performed in Jiří Kylian’s Sechs Tanze, and Van Fleteren’s Shostakovich and Romancing Rachmaninov, both world premieres.

Samantha joined Miami City Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 2014. Since joining Miami City Ballet, Samantha has performed in various roles including as the Sugar Plum Fairy in Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and as the Harp Soloist in Balanchine’s Raymonda Variations.

Follow Samantha on her website and blog.

Next Chapters: Atlanta Ballet’s John Welker on Retiring from a Professional Dance Career

January 25, 2017 by Rachel Hellwig

by Rachel Hellwig

John Welker in "Seven Sonatas." Photo by Charlie McCullers. Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet. — John Welker in “Seven Sonatas.” Photo by Charlie McCullers. Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet.

“No matter how a dancer feels about their retirement and what they felt they did or did not accomplish, it is important to know you do not have to retire from dance altogether.” – John Welker

John Welker just completed a 22-year career with Atlanta Ballet, finishing with performances of John McFall’s Nutcracker in December 2016. Retirement can be a challenging time for a dancer and Welker offers thoughts and advice for those who are going through the process, considering it, or just want a window into this period of a dancer’s life…

How did you come to realize it was the right time to retire? What advice would you give to dancers who are trying to determine if this is the right decision for them?

For me personally, I could feel the time to retire from dancing was coming for several years – so it wasn’t some singular “ah ha” moment, it was a gradual process. While my body was holding up without injury and I felt great physically, I also knew my interests were increasingly outside the dancing studio. So, when it came to a point when I could feel a sense of ease when thinking about a life without the daily stresses of dancing, I knew it was time to retire.

Everyone is different, so there is no common template or universal path to retirement, but I do believe in trusting one’s own intuition as to what is best for your career and life. Overall, I would say trust your heart first, then act with your mind.

What’s next for you? How long have you been planning your second career? How soon do you think dancers should begin planning their second career?

I’ve been working at a dance degree at Kennesaw State University since 2009, so I’m looking forward to completing my undergraduate education in May 2017. I also will be applying for graduate school in Business and hope to begin working towards an MBA as soon as September 2017.

No time is too early to begin thinking about a second career, especially for professional dancers. Although dancers shouldn’t add more stress to themselves when they are dancing (there’s enough hardship to go around), it’s best to start at least exploring second career options incrementally when you have the luxury of time ahead of you.

Tara Lee and John Welker in "Four Seasons." Photo by Kim Kenney. Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet. — Tara Lee and John Welker in “The Four Seasons.” Photo by Kim Kenney. Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet.

What aspects of retirement have been harder or easier than you initially expected?

It is the ease of a structured daily schedule that you become so accustomed to when dancing. To not have that can be both liberating and terrifying. Also, we as dancers take for granted the community of creative people that we are always surrounding ourselves with on a daily basis. To not have that anymore to such a degree is also hard.

What have these past few months have been like as you concluded your dance career?

I have just started my post-dancing life, as you could call it, so I shall see as I progress. But I do know that I want to take it with a sense of adventure, in that to be uncomfortable is not a bad thing and to put yourself in situations which you might feel out of your element can be a very good thing. Also, I also want to be sure I stay physically active in some capacity, I know that will be very important to my sanity and health.

What advice would you give to dancers going through the process of retirement?

Retiring from a life’s passion is such a personal decision. No one is the same, nor are the circumstances surrounding one’s retirement from dancing which can dictate or determine why one decides to move on. But no matter how a dancer feels about their retirement and what they felt they did or did not accomplish, it is important to know you do not have to retire from dance altogether.

It’s important to note moving on from a professional dance career is a process and not just a momentary happening that signifies a complete break. Also, I feel dancers should cherish and value their accomplishments and memories, for these are the things that are yours to keep and cannot be taken away.

I believe it is very important for dancers to find what they are passionate about as they navigate a second career choice. What are the things that give back to you and make you feel like you’ve accomplished something? There are so many ways, other than dancing, to further enjoy and support dance that can give you a sense of fulfillment.

Don’t size up or confuse your personal path with someone else’s. And, most of all, enjoy whatever you set out to do!

Dancers-John-Welker-and-Christine-Winkler-The-Four-Seasons.-Photos by Kim Kenney. Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet. — John Welker and Christine Winkler in “The Four Seasons.” Photos by Kim Kenney. Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet.

Help! I Think I Want To Quit My Company

April 4, 2014 by Katie Sopoci Drake

Dancer: Eliza Larson
Photographer: Bill Watt

Goodbyes with Grace

by Katie C. Sopoci Drake, MFA, GL-CMA

There comes a time in every dancer’s career where they think about moving on to another company or just away from the company they’re currently in. Or to a desert island where they lie on the beach all day and bartend at night… But there are a few things to keep in mind while you are contemplating the shift:

Why do I want to quit? Is it because I’m unhappy with the company, the dancers, or dancing?

What does my contract look like? If not, do I have a verbal agreement or understanding?

And most importantly, what relationships do I want to foster after my departure?

If I only ever gave one piece of advice to my friends it would be, “Don’t burn your bridges”. Then right after that, I’d say, “Take care of yourself”. The two go hand-in-hand and there’s almost always a way to take care of yourself without burning bridges. Believe me, I’ve learned this all by trial and error through many regional modern dance companies (sorry, no union experience, but “read your contract” will apply doubly, and you could probably safely toss in “talk to your representative” in there too), and hopefully my experience will spare you some of the error!

First, why do you want to move on?

Is it the choreography? Then yes, it’s time to move on. Every company has a mission and a vision that they’ve put a lot of blood, sweat and money into. Try writing an artistic statement of your own, forming a company around it, fighting for funding, and then see if you feel differently about their particular vision. If you find that you are not jiving with the company’s direction, that’s probably not something that is going to change until you’re in a new company.

In this case, you should be able to have a conversation with your director about your interests and they may be able to suggest avenues to investigate. Just be careful how you use your words. Make sure you steer the focus onto your interests and away from their choreography. After all, there’s an audience for everyone, and someday you may be facing a young dancer who “isn’t interested” in what you’re creating.

That being said, you did make a commitment to the company and they are putting oodles of time, effort and money into you, so look at your remaining commitments as a time to grow and expand your range of appreciation.

Is it the way you are being cast? That could be your own problem. My first inclination is to suggest sticking it out for a couple of seasons to see if you can’t improve your standing over time. If this is an ongoing problem over many seasons, it’s time to have a conversation with your director about your future in the company. They may not see you in a leading role…ever.

Is it the dancers? Are they just awful to be around? Are any of them planning on moving on? You might outlast them. On the other hand, the dancers ARE the company. Weigh your options carefully, you might consider getting advice from your director, or another person removed from the company dancers. They can help you figure out your options as well as gauge the current company climate against the whole history of the company.

Is it you? Some dancers just need a break. You might be there. Are you finding that you have the same problems no matter what company you are in? Are you consistently unhappy whether you’re dancing for your company or guesting? In rehearsal or in class? You might need to turn your attention to just training, just making work or your own, going back to school, or shifting your focus entirely, even if it is just for a couple of months.

You’ve decided to leave. So, what do you need to do?

Check in with yourself. Have you identified why really want to leave? What does that tell you about your future options? Write down those goals and what people you’ll need to reach out to to accomplish them.

Check your contract. Read it 10 times. Then have a friend read it and tell you what you’re missing. Figure out the minimum and maximum you need to do to fulfill your contract and have it at the ready for your next conversation.

Check in with your Director. Or the level of administration that is directly above your position. Talking with them first, before rumors get around will let them know that they are your first priority and leave the conversation open-ended. Then schedule a follow-up check-in. This is important. You need to let them know that you haven’t made any final decisions before you’ve gotten their opinion and had time to process it. They’re putting their resources into you now (no matter your personal feelings towards them), so the least you can do is show deference.

Assess your options. Get a second opinion from other professionals who can be discreet. Their experience and inside knowledge of the dance community can be invaluable. Every dance company and history is unique. Use that history to help you make a graceful exit.

Talk to your allies. These are the people who you will actively keep in contact with. You may want to dance with them, for them, or work with them in another capacity in the future, but that won’t happen without a little work on your part. We dancers are busy. It’s amazing how much we rely on rehearsal time to be the glue for relationships.

But, don’t talk to them about “that rotten so-and-so.” Here’s where the bad blood may come in. I have committed the sin of talking too much many a time. Don’t you do the same. Focus on the good, and remember, less is best. Tell your family and your trusted bestie about “that rotten so-and-so,” but don’t tell your coworkers.

After you’re gone, thank everyone for their time regardless of your personal feelings. I know, you had a terrible time and feel like a jilted lover. Well, pull up your superhero Underoos, and make sure that people know that you know that you appreciated the resources that were expended for you. The dance world isn’t the corporate world, it’s a family, and every show is Christmas. Don’t make Aunt Mary regret the time she spent knitting that horrid sweater for you. Just send her a freaking thank-you card. It’s just how we do things.

Contributor Katie C. Sopoci Drake, MFA, GL-CMA, is a Washington D.C. based professional dancer, choreographer and teacher specializing in Laban-based contemporary dance. Holding an MFA in Dance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, a Graduate Certification in Laban Movement Analysis from Columbia College – Chicago, and a BA in Theatre/Dance with a minor in Vocal Performance from Luther College, Sopoci Drake continues to take classes in as many techniques and practices as she can handle to inform her work and life as a curious mover.

Katie Sopoci Drake Photo by Scott Pakudaitis — Katie Sopoci Drake
Photo by Scott Pakudaitis

Katie has been on faculty at The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Nova Southeastern University, Miami Dade College-Wolfson, Miami Dade College-Kendall, Carthage College, and Lawrence University. She currently guest teaches and gives masterclasses around the D.C. area and wherever her travels take her.

As a performer, Sopoci is described as a “sinuous, animal presence of great power; watching her dance is a visceral experience.” (Third Coast Digest). Company credits include Mordine and Company Dance Theater of Chicago, Momentum Dance Company of Miami, Wild Space Dance Company of Milwaukee, and Rosy Simas Danse of Minneapolis. Katie has also made appearances an an independent artist with many companies including Brazz Dance, Your Mother Dances, The Florentine Opera, and The Minnesota Opera.

Katie’s choreography, described as “a beautiful marriage between choreography, music and poetry” (On Milwaukee), arises from her fascination with the idiosyncrasies of daily life, and the flights of fancy that arise from ordinary inspirations. Her work has been performed by numerous companies, colleges and studios across the country and her latest collaboration, Telephone Dance Project, will take her to states up and down the East Coast while investigating long-distance creation and connecting far-flung dance communities.

So, You Want To Teach Dance? The ABC’s Of Getting Hired

June 26, 2013 by 4dancers

by Risa Gary Kaplowitz

I have just been reviewing my latest masterpiece. It’s not what you think. It’s the schedule for my dance studio’s upcoming summer intensive. The process of completing this seemingly never-ending logistical nightmare is akin to choreographing a do-se-do of guest instructors, permanent staff and three student levels. Just one other job is harder–finding the right teachers to fill the slots.

The criteria of hiring guests and regular staff are very different from each other. For the prominent roster of guests, I am mostly interested in what they have to offer our students for the relatively limited amount of time (anywhere from 2-6 days) that they are with us. The students and I are so fortunate to have a solid core of exceptional guest teachers year after year. This summer, ballet legends Susan Jaffe, Cynthia Gregory, and Kyra Nichols, and former principal and current Pennsylvania Ballet Artistic Director, Roy Kaiser will share priceless wisdom with us as they have done for several years.

But hiring teachers who will teach for multiple weeks or multiple years takes more time to get right. I am lucky that my proximity to Manhattan makes finding a plethora of former professional dancers relatively easy. However, finding someone with important characteristics of a great teacher can be much more difficult. These are the ABC’s that I look for when auditioning a permanent dance instructor: [Read more…]

Goodbyes with Grace

First, why do you want to move on?

You’ve decided to leave. So, what do you need to do?

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