We wanted to give you, our fantastical readers and friends, a chance to "meet" a few of the LVDT artists. Readers, meet Keli.
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| Conversations in Concert, April 2012 Jonathan R White Photography |
I’m choreographing and dancing, I will be helping distribute flyers and helping with food donations for shows.
How long have you been working with Leverage (including when it was aTrek)?
Since August 2011.
What do you find exciting about working with Leverage?
I like the opportunity to choreograph and have a group of artists help give feedback and grow. So often choreographers don't have a support group and are only subjected to criticism after a dance piece is finished by way of review or audience feedback. I like that we put on unconventional shows and do pieces that are emotionally and/or performance challenging. I also like that while there are directors who have the final say there is a lot of open discussion about the direction of the company and our role in it. I never feel like my opinion is disregarded.
What does Leverage offer that’s different than other companies (in St. Louis or elsewhere)?
Leverage offers a combination of technically strong dancers with unconventional dance. We can kick our legs high and we can also stand still and perform. I like to think that our performance quality is something that helps us stand out. Each dancer is very committed to the movement and/or theme of each piece they perform. I think Dancing to Music, which debuted at New Dance Horizons and is also a part of Seen Unseen, is a nice example of that quality.
What would you like to say about your piece in Seen Unseen?
This piece, The Older I Grow, was initially motivated by families, the relationships between parents and children, and the role reversals as caregivers later in life. With that basis, the piece ultimately is about the reflection of a long-lived life. Along the way, the dancers have been reflecting on their dance careers and how their bodies have responded to age. I am striving to convey a variety of emotions a person may experience as they age. I don't want to say too much, though, as I hope the audience will discover their own storylines and feelings!
What dance experience do you have prior to/outside of Leverage?
I danced for four years at Modern American Dance Company (MADCO) and also acted as a teaching artist for their education program “Books in Motion.” I have also done projects with Common Thread Contemporary Dance and Dawn Karlovsky & Co. My choreography has been seen locally at St. Louis Dance Festival, National Dance Week, and 60x60 Dance and I have been at guest artist at University of Missouri –St. Louis, Cottey College and Creekview High School (Texas).
Do you hold another job outside of Leverage? What challenges/opportunities does this present?
Oh lord yes. I am heavily involved in teaching and choreographing at Arts in Motion in Webster Groves. I also teach one day a week at Denoyer Dance in Arnold. Monday through Friday, I also act as the billing supervisor at Sports Medicine & Training Center, a physical therapy and performance training facility with locations in Crestwood, Clayton and Creve Coeur. Working multiple jobs often means working seven days a week which is very challenging for my mental state. I enjoy teaching and working in the office setting, but often wish I could change my hours and availability to provide more opportunity for creative work.
Stay tuned for Q&A's from other artists, coming soon!
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