{"id":488,"date":"2021-12-01T00:24:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-01T01:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/multiplemta.com\/?p=488"},"modified":"2024-08-24T00:29:44","modified_gmt":"2024-08-24T00:29:44","slug":"coming-back-to-dance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/multiplemta.com\/index.php\/2021\/12\/01\/coming-back-to-dance\/","title":{"rendered":"Coming Back to Dance"},"content":{"rendered":"

Part One<\/h2>\n

Life has its seasons \u2014 shifting practicalities and needs leading us in different directions. Dance is a pursuit calling for sincere dedication, for hours in the studio full of mental, physical and spiritual investment. Yet, there are times when life guides us elsewhere, and we place that dedication elsewhere. Once a dancer, always a dancer, however; those hours and energy spent become part of who we are.<\/p>\n

Accordingly, sometimes we find ourselves back in the studio, back doing pli\u00e9s and counting off \u201c5678!\u201d What\u2019s it like to come back to dance after time away \u2014 physically, mentally, creatively and otherwise? What\u2019s challenging, and what unexpected gifts can emerge? To learn more here, Dance Informa spoke with four dance artists who came back to dance after time away from it \u2014 two of their stories shared here and two more shared in Part II of this series (stay tuned!).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Alexandria Nunweiler: Dance is the answer\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Alexandria Nunweiler\u2019s mom is a dance educator and studio owner, so growing up dancing was a rather natural outcome for her. She attended College of Charleston before transferring to Winthrop University, where she majored in dance and professional writing. After graduating, she was a full-time dancer and teaching artist in Charlotte, NC. That came with a whole lot of travel and \u201chustle\u201d, leading to burnout. The lifestyle felt financially unsustainable as well. Craving change, she decided to head back to school for business in Boston, MA.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After graduating, she held a corporate job in Boston for two years. Technically,\u00a0she could still dance<\/a>, but what ended up happening was \u201ctaking class sporadically and presenting work here and there,\u201d she explains. \u201cI gave into pressure to take a more traditional path.\u201d Ultimately, Nunweiler realized that such a path wasn\u2019t the right one for her. \u201cWhat am I doing, and why am I miserable?\u201d she would ask herself. She realized that dance was her answer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n
\"Alexandria<\/a>
Alexandria Nunweiler. Photo by Olivia Moon Photography.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

COVID was really the thing that made that dynamic crystal clear for her<\/a>, crystal clear enough to take action for change in her career and in her life. \u201cThe pandemic spurred reflection for me, and I also couldn\u2019t distract myself with fun things and \u2018breathers,\u2019\u201d she recounts. \u201cI fully realized that what I was doing wasn\u2019t fulfilling.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Shifting course to being a full-time dance teaching artist again wasn\u2019t easy, particularly in the midst of a pandemic. Yet, Nunweiler found tools to help with that, including massage therapy and a yoga teacher training (for building strength and stamina back up as well as mental and physical self-care). Her mom is also a mentor to her, she notes (which demonstrates the importance of calling upon social networks for help with big career and life shifts).\u00a0<\/p>\n

The result of coming back to dance full-time for Nunweiler? \u201cI\u2019ve noticed a big, big difference in my mood and a feeling of fulfillment, which my partner has even noticed!\u201d she shares with a little laugh. She\u2019s been able to build her own schedule \u2014 and even cut back on teaching a bit and focus more on creative projects, particularly in the summer when teaching artist work naturally slows down.\u00a0<\/p>\n

One of those projects is\u00a010 recalling\u00a0<\/em>20, which will include film, COVID-safe in-person, workshop, and writing components. The project will highlight, through dance and storytelling, 10 different individual\u2019s experiences of living through 2020 \u2014 10 people from all walks of life. \u201cI feel like I\u2019m living and working more on my own terms now,\u201d Nunweiler says joyfully.<\/p>\n

Along with skills like acceptance from yoga, she affirms that \u201cit\u2019s all relative; it\u2019s not about status or comparing ourselves to each other or competing.\u201d She believes that what matters is finding fulfillment in touching people\u2019s lives in big or little ways. For her, that\u2019s through sharing the art of dance, which is \u201celemental to humans,\u201d she argues. \u201cThere are so many ways to have a life in dance, and the body and soul can start to shut down when you\u2019re not dancing but still you need it.\u201d Nunweiler has found that she can\u2019t just let that shutting down happen; dance is a much better answer, and it\u2019s her answer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

David \u201cSincere\u201d Aiken: Find and share what\u2019s\u00a0you<\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\"David<\/a>
David \u2018Sincere\u2019 Aiken. David \u2018Sincere\u2019 Aiken. Photo by Clifford Cannon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

American Ballet Theatre came to PS156 (Queens, NY), and they picked one young David \u201cSincere\u201d Aiken to help demonstrate the dance lesson. He had already been involved with singing and acting, so he gravitated toward dance fairly naturally. He didn\u2019t love aspects of ballet, such as having to wear tights \u2014 but after seeing a Michael Jackson-themed routine, he knew that he wanted to dance. Aiken had \u201ctwo left feet\u201d at first, he recounts with a laugh, yet he trained in a wide variety of styles and kept at it. After a couple of years, his technique was more refined and he was able to pick up choreography much more efficiently.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The studio where Aiken was dancing asked him if he could teach hip hop, and from there, he delved deeper into the style. With choreography and performance gigs under his belt, he got a scholarship to dance at Long Island University. Yet, while in school, he got an opportunity to tour with the R&B singer Ashanti, as a dancer, and made the hard choice to leave school in order to take the opportunity. That led him working as a dancer and choreographer in Los Angeles, and that\u2019s when he saw things in the dance world that bothered and discouraged him.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Through spaces like social media, auditions and rehearsals, he didn\u2019t see a true valuing of talent, hard work and dedicated years of training. With dance television shows like\u00a0America\u2019s Best Dance Crew<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0So You Think You Can Dance<\/em>, the dance industry also felt oversaturated to him, he shares. At the same time, Aiken wanted to be fully committed to dance and aim for excellence if he was going to do it all. \u201cI didn\u2019t want to just \u2018play around\u2019 with dance and movement,\u201d he explains.\u00a0<\/p>\n

All of those factors at play, Aiken decided to dive back into music rather than spend time and energy on dance. Yet, he \u201cdidn\u2019t realize how much I needed dance until I didn\u2019t have it. I needed [a dance community] around me,\u201d he shares. Aiken describes having low energy and \u201cmissing an outlet that I would normally use to release my emotions\u201d when not dancing. \u201cBeyond missing dance, I realized how much I needed dance to live. Dance brings joy to my life\u2026.medicine to my drama.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Black Lives Matter uprisings of 2020 rose up, and it became the thing that ultimately led him to dance again.\u00a0Aiken was moved to use his art to speak out on social justice<\/a>. He choreographed a solo to an original racial justice-themed song, had someone shoot it and then put it up on YouTube. That YouTube clip got a good deal of visibility, leading to booking requests and him setting the choreography on a larger group of dancers. Artists have been wanting to have content ready to release once COVID feels more under control, he adds, leading to more performing and choreography gigs. \u201cIt was sort of an organic return to dance,\u201d he says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Physically, \u201ccoming back to dance was rough for the first couple of weeks\u2026from getting Charlie horses in my legs and my body feeling like a truck hit it the next morning,\u201d Aiken explains. That \u201cquickly reminded me to stretch again,\u201d he notes. Getting stamina back, on the other hand,\u00a0 \u201cwas like riding a bike\u201d \u2014 because he had always been a dancer with a lot of energy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n
\"David<\/a>
David \u2018Sincere\u2019 Aiken. David \u2018Sincere\u2019 Aiken. Photo by Clifford Cannon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

These opportunities have continued, including being a choreographer and creative director for Lil Mama\u2019s \u201cUHOH\u201d music video. He also wants to make a visual album with his own choreography and music. He hopes to inspire dancers to \u201creally make something of their own and put a lot into it,\u201d he shares. \u201cIf you see something missing, make it yourself!\u201d As for social media, Aiken says he\u2019s found a \u201cniche\u201d within it as well as an appreciation for what\u2019s useful about it, such as networking and brand building.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI had to go back and realize why I dance \u2014 not for the clout, but because I love it,\u201d Aiken affirms. \u201cIt\u2019s not about the likes. I don\u2019t want to follow the trend; I want to create.\u201d The communities that dance creates \u2014 the energy and conversations that emerge in the studio, on stage, on set \u2014 are also incredibly meaningful to him. \u201cThere\u2019s no substitute for being together in space [in that way],\u201d he argues.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Aiken believes that he\u2019s with dance for good now. \u201cWhen a lesson is given to me, I learn my lesson. I think the lesson has been given to me; I know that I need dance.\u201d He also believes that he has a lot to share and contribute \u2014 his perspective of the importance of hard work, as well as going back to fundamentals and\u00a0honoring dance history<\/a>, for example.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cDo your research,\u201d Aiken advises. \u201cIt\u2019ll make you a better dancer. You can do it right and then make something of your own.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Aiken and Nunweiler\u2019s experiences show that sometimes it takes stepping away to know what that something of your own might be, and the degree to which you just\u00a0need<\/em>\u00a0to make it. After all, as\u00a0A Chorus Line\u00a0<\/em>tells us, \u201ca dancer dances.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

By Kathryn Boland of Dance Informa.<\/a><\/p>\n

The post Coming Back to Dance<\/a> appeared first on Dance Informa Magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Part One Life has its seasons \u2014 shifting practicalities and needs leading us in different…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":490,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/multiplemta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/488"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/multiplemta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/multiplemta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/multiplemta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/multiplemta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=488"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/multiplemta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/488\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":494,"href":"https:\/\/multiplemta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/488\/revisions\/494"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/multiplemta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/490"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/multiplemta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=488"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/multiplemta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=488"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/multiplemta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=488"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}