Mind Of An Artist

FTSLETG SATK TF.€g LAYgffiS Aru* gMr*wHffi!htG *ANef;ffig Bg Britto ng Fride nstine-Keefe Lifeis likean onion.As the depthof our understanding, of ourselvesand our environment, deepenswe peelawauan outerlaVerrevealing somethingmore profound. As we pull backlagerafter lager,we realizethat the lagersrepresent the potentialpowerof our understanding. Whendancing,I find no endto exploring a pieceof choreographg, whichchangeswith eachperforming experience. I lovethe opportunitu to performa piecein multiplevenues becauseit allowsme to discover somethingnewin evergstep. In mg dancinglife,theselagersare just beginning to exposesomerhinglong concealed. Likemangdancers,I found the beginningof mg careerwas a combination of survival,acquisition of skill,and a searchfor performing opportunities. Throughmg experience withthe JamesSewellBalletin Minneapolis, Minn.,I cameto understand that whiledanceis somethingverg personaland all encompassing, I also learnedto seedanceas a business, mg business. Andit'sa businessthat serves mUcommunitU. At the JamesSewellBalletI was fortunatethat boththen-executive directorGargPeterson, andJames Sewell, the artisticdirector, encouraged theirartiststo exploreall facetsoftheir careers,on stageand off.Thegadvocate for a compangof dancerswho havea personalresponsibilitg to the organization andalsoto the communitg that it serves.Thelrencouragement empowered me to see begondmgself, andto takeaction.

Brittong Fride nstine-Keefe photo: €tikSoulitis

A1JamesSewellBallet,allthe dancers - grantedit is onlgan eight-member - areinvitedto attendboard companU meetings,receiveboardminutesand companU financialinformation. I still don'tknowexactlghowthe budget sheetswork,but that transparencg and education changedhowI viewedwhat I do in the studioand on stage.First, I sawhowmuchworkwent on in the administrative sideof the organization and I realizedhowimportantthat work

wasto keepthe companggoing.ThenI sawhowmucheachitemcosts.Il was overwhelmed to realizethat the theater rentalaloneexceeded mg gearlgsalarg!J BUattendlngboardmeetings,I also formedpersonalrelationships with board membersand learnedabouttheirlives andtheirserviceto the organization. In turn,I shareddetailsof whata dancer's lifeentailsandwhatthat precious time in the studiois reallglike.I realized that as artistswe becomeso immersedin how we livethat we take for grantedhowuniqueour

WHILEDANCE ISSOMETHING VERYPERSONAL ANDALLENCOMPASSING, I ALSOLEARNED TOSEE DANCE ASA BUSINESS, MYBUSINESS. ANDIT'S A BUSINESS THAT SERVES MY COM MUNITY.

lifestgleis for thoseon the outside.I met boardmemberswho hadno ideawhat a dancer'sdailgrehearsal scheduledemanded, nor what implications a lagoff period had

on a dancer financiallg, phgsicallg, a n de m o tionallU. Through theseopen relationships I becamean ambassador for mg organization and for dancersin general. Theempoweredstate of mind that I acquiredenabledme to pursuenewopportunities outside the organization as well.During this time I beganreadingthe Donce/USA Journal to learn

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aboutthe issuesfacingthe industrgand the plagerswithinit. In 2004,I happened uponthe first NationalPerforming Arts Convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsglvania, whereI sawthe needfor empowering moredancers.Empowerment means

EMPOWERMENT MEANS

OPPORTUNITIES FOR DANCERS TOBETTER UNDERSTAND THE BUSINESS SIDEOFOUR FIELDANDHOW THE COM PANIES WEDANCE FORSERVE THE COMMUNITIES WELIVE ANDWORKIN.

for dancersto better opportunities understand the businesssideof our fieldand howthe companies we dance for servethe communities we liveand workin . I becameinspiredto servedance begondthoseelusivemomentson the stage.Backin Minnesota, I beganoffering moreof mgself,not onlgto the organization that I dancedfor,but alsoto mg communitg. Aftersix monthsof planning,I launcheda ballet-based summerintensivefor childrenwith specialneeds.UndertheumbrellaofVSA Artsof Minnesota Arts], [VergSpecial I created,marketed, administered, securedfunding,andtaughtfor Kidsin Motion! | broughteightstudentsto the Hennepin Centerfor the Artsin downtown Minneapolis, wheretheg couldsee professional dancersrehearseandthen taketheirown class. Mg experience was bothrewarding andverghumbling.Toseethesechildren with vargingphgsicaldifficulties so elatedbg dancewasworthallthe effort necessaru to createthe program.lt

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wasn'taboutme as a performer, get,it felt greatto give otherssomething tangibleutilizingwhat I hadlearned throughmg Uearsof dancing.Even greaterstillwas mUown senseof in havingcreated accomplishment somethingfor others.MUdancetraining taughtme howto interpretotherpeople's visions;howto createandto takecareof multipledetailsbehindthe sceneswas a greatnewaccomplishment. Perhaps it is naturalas humansthat we serveourselvesfirst. Yet.the I found empowerment throughopenworking andthrougha environments perspective broadened remainsrelevantto the danceindustrg.These havehelpedme experiences understand mg placein the fieldbegondonlgperforming. Mostsimplg,I nowview mgselfas an ambassador to mg Whobetterto advocate communitu. danceto the publicthan the dancers? As dancerswe understand not onlUthe nutsand boltsofthe profession, but we alsorecognize the organizational and economicimpactourworkhason the communitg.I can nowuse mg new-found and understanding empowerment of danceonstageand in the backofficesto reachout to mUUogateacher, to the local grocer, the phgsicaltherapist,andthe bartender downthe street.I can servedance.I can makepeoplecare aboutdance. As I lookagainat that onion,I am excitedbg the wisdomencapsulated in the nextlager.Themost rewardinglaUers haveinvolvedservingothers,notjust mgself.ThemoreI am educated aboutmg profession, the moreownershipI take of mUown career. I knowthat Dance/USA is thereto serveindividual artistsand companies so that we can be empowered andaffectour industrgand our communities. As GargPeterson oncesaid "Wearethe faceof dance, of dancers, but we alsohavea voice."

Brittong Fridenstine-Keefegrew up in Seottle,Wsshington,and trainedat the Pacific NorthwestBollet School.Sheis currentlgo memherof AmericanRepertorg Bollet. Previouslgsheperformed with Pittsburgh Ballet Theotre,Bollet Memphis, MinnesotaDonceTheotre,ond theJames SewellBallet.Brittong hosoriginotedroles in works bg VolConiporoli,Luco Veggetti, HeatherMalog,RonDeJesus,dnd Groham Lustig.Lostsummersheperformedin Germongand ltolg in a solo improvised show bg LucsVeggetti.Sheo/socreotedo dance theropgprogromfor children with speciolneedsthat she implementedin mang cities. Certifiedin the Ggrotonic@ exercisesystem,Brittangis currentlgthe choir of Dance/USA's dd-hoc Doncers'Council.She administerso blog, www.doncersmorts. blogspot.com,to provide resourcesand linksfor photo: RexTranter professionol doncers.