Keys to Your Dance World: 7 Dance Artists With Unique Journeys

Written by Olivia Perkins

So, you want to become a movement artist, dance educator, or choreographer, but you think it’s too late in your life. It’s never too late! Adulthood is not where you stop growing, and it’s not the peak of exploration or imagination. There is so much to discover about yourself at any given time, including expressing yourself through movement. In this series, we want to make you feel confident enough to begin your journey as a movement artist, or continue the journey if you feel stuck or overwhelmed. Below are 7 inspirational movement artists that started the game on their own time, and excelled in ways that they never would have imagined. 

Ayodel Casel

Tap

“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized every artist has their own talent.”

  • Then: Began studying dance at 19 in a college tap dancing course

  • Now: At 47, Casel most recently choreographed for the reboot of the Broadway musical Funny Girl :

“Starting later, for me it felt like I was in control of my journey since I was doing something I loved and I got to choose the route….The best advice I’ve received was from dancer Jimmy Slyde. He said, ‘Don’t compete.’ As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized every artist has their own talent. Just trust and believe that you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be."

Janette Manrara

Salsa, Ballroom, Ballet, Jazz, and Hip-Hop

“My favorite quote sums it up: ‘All of our dreams can come true; if we have the courage to pursue them.’”

  • Began studying dance at 19

  • Now at 39, Manrara is a TV presenter for the television documentary Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two

  • “My favorite quote sums it up: ‘All of our dreams can come true; if we have the courage to pursue them.’ That was something Walt Disney said and I’ve never forgotten it. What he achieved is testament to that.”

Philip Chbeeb

Hip hop

“I had to learn when to incorporate my own natural tendencies into someone else’s choreography—and when not to.”

  • Began studying dance after a baseball injury at the age of 16

  • Now at 34, Chbeeb is a director and movement designer for his own dance films and collaborations.

  • “I had to learn when to incorporate my own natural tendencies into someone else’s choreography—and when not to. I had to figure out how to break movements down into pieces: the bounce, the pivot. That helped me become more aware of my body and its subtleties.”

Alvin Mayes

Modern, Ballet

“…Part of that ego is not so much of what I do or what I have done, but the perception of my students…”

  • Began studying dance following his junior year of college after being scouted at a play. 

  • Now at 75, Mayes is a principal lecturer, and head of Dance Performance and Scholarship at the University of Maryland

  • “We all have an ego. Part of that ego is not so much of what I do or what I have done, but the perception of my students…what are they carrying away if I’m thinking of them as the next extension of my legacy?”

David Zurak

Ballet, Modern, Jazz

“You can wait.”

  • Began studying dance at the age of 23 by walking into a dance class after being inspired by a performance.

  • David Zurak passed away in 2017, but before his passing, Zurak began to develop a series of original choreographies inspired by the writings of Oscar Wilde. From the Depths and What Is premiered in 2017 at the Martha Graham Studio Theater in New York.

  • “When I first started training, as a tall man, I could have gotten work in dance anywhere…But I saw a lot of men dancers who had been hired too soon. So, I told myself, ‘You can wait.’ Working is not enough—you have to do work you believe in.”

Stephanie Walsh

Hip Hop

“…but I was never afraid to perform.”

  • Began studying dance in classes at age 27.

  • Now at 73, Walsh is a dance fitness instructor and a social media sensation, inspiring her followers to dance like nobody's watching. 

  • “When you start at 27, you don't necessarily always have the technique that it takes to be a really great dancer, you know, the multiple pirouettes and the grand jete. I couldn't do those, but I was never afraid to perform.”

Eileen Kramer

Ballet, Modern

“There is no age in creativity.”

  • Began studying dance at the age of 24 with Bodenweiser Dance Company

  • Now at 108, Kramer continues to make art as a dancer, choreographer, and writer. 

  • “Many people leave this world too soon, before they’ve really had time to understand themselves and to invent new ways of being… I am fortunate in that I’ve had 108 years to do it in, and I hope to go on for a few more.” "When you do creative work, you're absolutely timeless. There is no age in creativity. "

Now that you see that it’s possible, it’s time to figure out the best path for you. Throughout this series, we want to be candid about the difficulties you might face, but also provide the tools to overcome them. This series will share resources, tips and tricks, and encouragement with you on your journey. When you begin to think about why you dance, and what you want from this journey, It’s important to remember that mistakes are necessary, and perfection is not natural.

Check in on the next blog post to learn the first and most important steps for your dance journey!

Edited by Shannon White

Shannon Ashlia