Born in New York and raised in Connecticut, I have made my home in North Carolina for the past X years, continuing to advance my career as an artist, a dancer, and a teacher. My goal is to earn my MFA at XXXX University with a focus on dance, complementing the two master's degrees that I have already earned, first an MS in Organizational Management in Vermont and my MA in Art Business at Sotheby's Institute of Art in London, England. I am convinced that my more than 25 years of experience as an artist and dancer will enable me to make valuable contributions to discussions at XXXX concerning dance and its relationship to the broader academic and art worlds of our times.
Now, with more than a quarter of a century of professional experience centered on dance – performing, teaching, and choreography, I have become proficient in various dance techniques and styles and have become accomplished at teaching dance. I delight in the relationship between dance and culture. I now want to focus on the visual aspects that impact dance, keeping it alive and developing as an integral part of the culture.
Research stands at the center of my long-term professional plans, especially interdisciplinary research into disabilities associated with aging. I look forward to traveling as part of my research and teaching and passing on the torch to new generations of artists and scholars. Few things excite me as much as the prospect of teaching dance, movement, and visual culture, serving in a uniquely creative environment where research and departmental growth are revered, and collaboration between professors, students, and other departments is encouraged to maximize artistic choice.
I hold certifications in Yoga, Gyro tonic®, and Gyro kinesis® and have performed with diverse dance companies and many musicals. My passion lies in Contemporary, Ballet, and African dance techniques. The choreographers that I have worked closely with include Patrick LaCroix (Massachusetts), Kelly Holcombe (Connecticut), the Alvin Ailey Student Group (New York City), Pierre Matras (Zurich), Misato Heimann-Inoue (Bern), and Maja Zurbuchen (Bern). My foremost mentors include Arlene Begelman, Ana Marie Forsythe, Kevin Wynn, Gerrie Houlihan, and Irene Tassembedo. Presently I am rehearsing with Gerrie Houlihan for an upcoming performance at XXXX. This February 29th, I will give an intention-based Gyro kinesis class as part of the Culture Mill's Black History Month Celebration in Savannah.
Dance is composed of streams of movement and pauses and has been a steady constant in my life. Academically and professionally, I have maintained over two decades of conceptual continuity, developing myself as an artist and a human, made up of different streams of movement and pauses. I now crave the opportunity to gain further academic experience and professional preparation by earning my MFA in Dance at a state-of-the-art university such as XXXX, where I plan to become a more vital conceptual thinker and learn to focus my energy better to make my maximum contribution to society.
I hope my background and extensive experience will enable me to contribute to the rich tapestry of the XXXX MFA in Dance Program. I look forward to interdisciplinary collaboration and access to a robust support system of solidarity and cooperation between artists, thinkers, and esteemed scholars in performing and visual arts, sociology, and health studies. This will prepare me for the rigorous investigation of dance, movement, visual art, and healthy aging through trans-disciplinary research, in its method of creating, publishing, and performing for the greater good through exploring social issues and engaging with the community.
Many beautiful experiences in learning as an undergraduate student at the School of the Museum and Fine Arts and the XXXX School of Dance helped me synthesize my voice with my visual and performing arts creator abilities. However, as someone who fully embraces lifetime learning, my current education level fails to offer me adequate opportunities to continue advancing as an artist and educator. Thus, I need to earn the MFA to regain my momentum as an intellectual, teacher, and dancer.
I have lived amongst many different people and their cultures at various socio-economic levels. My work with various adult day facilities as a coordinator of activities, director, and dementia practitioner, particularly with Parkinson's Moves initiatives, has given me a great desire to encourage and assist people in engaging in practices beneficial to themselves and their society – especially as they age. Obtaining an MFA in Dance from XXXX will provide me with a platform to share my findings through teaching, publishing, performing unraveling, expanding, and reinventing my practice.
After earning my MFA at XXXX, I am incredibly excited about the possibility of teaching at a collegiate level. It will inspire and empower me to give back my absolute best to the Arts, my profession, and my society.
Thank you for considering my application to the MFA in Dance Program at XXXX.
MFA Dance Personal Statement, Artist, and Dancer