The Ballerinatist – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Anamarie McGinn is the School Director for Central Florida Ballet. She has received training from prestigious schools all over the U.S. such as; American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, Miami City Ballet, and Joffrey Ballet School. She danced professionally  with Orlando Ballet for 19 seasons, dancing under Fernando Bujones, Bruce Marks, Robert Hill, and Jorden Morris. In 2006, at the American Dance Competition, Anamarie was awarded the Gold Medal in the Senior Classical division as well as The Fernando Bujones “Excellence Award.”  Anamarie received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Central Florida.  During her tenure with Orlando Ballet, Anamarie also held the title of Company Rehearsal Assistant, where she worked closely with the company and Artistic Staff to stage choreography and run rehearsals.  Anamarie received her ABT Teaching Certification, and was on the teaching faculty for Orlando Ballet School for over 15 years. 

Takeaways from our conversation:

-always give it your all whether in rehearsal, class, or performance

-explore how you can move in different techniques and styles

-advocate for yourself inside and outside of the studio - a dancer’s life is unique

Thanks for listening to our conversation, thanks for sharing this episode with a friend and for leaving a review. 

Learn more about Anamarie and Central Florida Ballet.

You can learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers at theballerinatist.com

Today we’re looking at shaping a personal statement as a dancer. As you progress through your artistic development, you’ll be asked to share for artistic philosophy, or perspective. Having a foundational awareness of one’s artistic identity offers a filter through which to make work, choose work, and represent yourself. That identity will continue to add layers, but it also gives you a self-accountability tool so you can center yourself, bring yourself into alignment, and move with confident purpose through life. As artists, sometimes the personal identity becomes one with the artistic identity. But, having a personal identity separate and distinct from your creative life can help anchor you in the world outside of the studio. In The Dancer Career Planner, we start by crafting a personal statement. Before we even look at creative goals and dreams - who is it that you are trying to be? This is important because the big shiny lights can sometimes bring things out of focus. It is easy to find yourself grinding away at a project or choreographic work and suddenly wonder, “why I am doing this?” So, a personal statement helps you forge and maintain an identity outside of dance.

Takeaways from our conversation:

-values matter, they shape your character

-your character impacts your reputation

-knowing how you want to live supports decision making

-understanding what motivates you empowers you to hone your strengths

Get The Dancer Career Planner: https://www.theballerinatist.com/

Thanks for listening to our conversation, thanks for sharing this episode with a friend and for leaving a review. 

Dancer-choreographers Brandon Masele and Laura Defretin shared about their work Rave Lucid which is being presented by Oz Arts Nashville February 29-March 2nd. Brandon, an Electro dancer and Laura, a hip hop dancer worked together in this piece to bring electro dance to the forefront as its own independent technique from hip hop dance. You’ll hear about their growth as creative partners and independent artists, their dedication to illuminating the nuances of their forms, and the process of finding synergy on stage, in movement. You can learn more about about Brandon, Laura, and their company Mazelfreten and if you’d like to experience their movement in your body, Oz Arts is hosting a free master class on March 2nd with company dancer Adrien Larrazet. Learn more about the show at Oz Arts Nashville. You can learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers at emceemovement.com.

Matthew Robinson has a diverse background of movement experience in dance and martial arts. He performed with The West Virginia Dance Company and Roanoke Ballet Theatre while studying to receive his BFA from Radford University. In Cleveland, OH he performed with The Dancing Wheels Company. He also choreographed for and worked with The Cleveland Dance Project Company, performed with North Pointe Ballet and MorrisonDance. He currently dances with di Mossa and Nashville Dance Collective - for which he serves as Artistic Director - as well as continuing to freelance choreograph, dance, and teach.

In our conversation, Matthew shares about the process of creating an artist-forward organization, operating with intention, and developing leadership skills. Learn more about Matthew: https://www.nashvilledancecollective.org/company2 If you or someone you know is interested in serving as a board member, you can reach out to Matthew through NDC’s website as well.

Attend NDC’s April shows: https://www.nashvilledancecollective.org/events

You can learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers at emceemovement.com.

A Nashville based photographer specializing in dance and fine art photography, Martin O’Connor has worked with professional dance companies, studios, and collegiate dance programs to capture dance. He received the Dance Advocate Award from the TN Association of Dance in 2008 for his dedication and support of the dance community. In our conversation, Martin shares about the dynamics of creating meaningful images in dance, developing an eye for movement, and as a true member of the dance community, emphasizing the value of feedback to grow as an artist. Learn more about Martin: http://www.martinoconnorphoto.com/ Learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers at emceemovement.com.

Today’s guest Kaitlyn McDermitt graduated from Southern Methodist University with a BFA in Dance Performance in 2012. She has performed with Roxey Ballet, Avant Chamber Ballet, Ballet North Texas and Bruce Wood Dance Project. Following her transition from performing, Kaitlyn saw a need for mindset training and personal development in the dance industry and created her coaching business Confidance. Her mission is to help dancers feel more confident in themselves in and out of the studio, find their identity through dance and live life to their greatest potential. We talked about transitioning studios, Royal Academy of Dance training, and distinguishing your identity from being completely rooted in dance - you’re not just a dancer. You can learn more about Kaitlyn on her instagram, @developconfidance. You can learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers at emceemovement.com.

Melissa shares six Pro-tips for choosing a dance studio that will save you the time and frustration of feeling like you’re missing out on the best option for you and your dancer. Grab the free download and learn more about planning for a career in dance: emceemovement.com.

If your dancer is serious about dance and in a pre-professional dance program, you're probably learning that being the best dancer isn't always enough. This episode covers timelines for pre-professional dance training and milestones for dancers planning for a professional career in dance.

For more tools on planning for a career in dance: https://hpdtn.com/thingsdancersneed

Timeline for Pre-Professional Dance Training Download

Melissa shares from her ebook, “Parenting for Dancers: learn how dance training works and how to help your dancer be successful.” This is a must-have guide for parents of dancers whether your child is about to start dance training or has been dancing for years. If you feel like you have no idea how to support your dancer or manage their dance training, this is a great place to start. Get the ebook: https://hpdtn.com/thingsdancersneed/p/parenting-for-dancers-how-dance-training-works-and-how-you-can-help-your-dancer-be-successful Learn more: emceemovement.com.

About today’s guests: Nashville Ballet’s Artistic Director and CEO, Nick Mullikin oversees all administrative staff, artistic productions, and School of Nashville Ballet programs, serving over 40,000 Middle Tennesseans and 1800 students. He has commissioned over 20 new works for the organization, choreographed several works for Nashville Ballet and NB2, and is highly sought after for teaching and judging international dance competitions. Prior to joining Nashville Ballet, Mullikin has worked with Houston Ballet, Ballet West, and The Washington Ballet. Travis Bradley: Currently, Rehearsal Director for NB2, He has danced for Ballet Memphis, Houston Ballet, Richmond Ballet, and Julia Adam Dance. Travis has created numerous classical and contemporary ballets throughout the years, and has also co-directed and co-choreographed over 20 musicals. His new work will be part of the Nashville Dance Festival program. Mackenzie Kenyon: A member of NB2, she was previously a trainee at the Joffrey Academy of Dance and was able to choreograph as a part of the Joffrey Academy “Young Moves” program. Kenyon moved to Nashville in 2021 to join NB2 as a trainee and was promoted to NB2 Dancer in November 2022. Mackenzie has also choreographed for School of Nashville Ballet during the Academy Winter Workshop. Nashville Dance Festival takes place Friday, July 21st at Belmont University’s state-of-the-art Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at 7 p.m. and showcases classical and contemporary pieces performed by renowned guest artists from Dance Theatre of Harlem - including former NB2 dancer Alexandra Hutchinson, Collage Dance Collective, Nashville Ballet company dancers, NB2, Nashville Ballet’s official second company, and Nashville Ballet’s Summer Intensive students. Learn more: NashvilleBallet.com. You can learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers at emceemovement.com.