Our Monthly “MEET THE ARTIST” Series- KELLY SILLIMAN, Choreographer in Residence

THE BASICS

Name: Kelly Silliman

Age: 32

Astrological Sign: Pisces

Hometown: I was born and raised in Bloomfield, CT; I now live north of Charlottesville in Dyke, VA.

Role in C’ville Ballet: Board Member and Resident Choreographer.  My studio, The Dance Barn, is the official rehearsal home of Charlottesville Ballet.

FAVORITES…

Food: My favorite food has been basil pesto for as long as I can remember.  I love cheese and vegetables.  I also have a serious and barely-controlled sweet tooth.  Ben and Jerry’s……Mmmm!

Color: I like reds and purples.

Book: My two faves are Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernières and The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.  I also love The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley and pretty much anything by Barbara Kingsolver or Margaret Atwood.

Movie: It’s probably Good Will Hunting…I love me some old school Matt Damon.

Quotation: “Aw, I see what’s goin’ on here.  We done disturbed the freak hive, and all the worker freaks is trying to protect the queen!” –Glee

Spot in C’ville: I like the McGuffey Arts Center and the Downtown Mall.

Business/Store in C’ville: I’ve got to give props to Maya Restaurant.  (The “Free Range Chicken Breast” is sourced from Sweet Dog Farm!)

NERDY BALLET QUESTIONS

Tell us about your dance background and training:

I trained in ballet for ten years before discovering modern dance as a teen.  I studied modern and ballet and spent a lot of my time choreographing in high school, but my main interest was musical theater.  In college I started teaching dance at a local studio and loved it, and realized that teaching and performing on the local level was what I wanted to do with my life.  My full bio can be found here: http://www.dancebarn.net/faculty.html

What genres of dance do you enjoy? I like modern and ballet best, followed by jazz and theatre dance, tap, hip hop, ballroom, and various obscure styles.

What kind of pointe shoe do you wear?

I currently am using a Bloch pointe shoe, maybe a Serenade?  I am ambivalent about it, although I like it a lot better since I made it a 3/4 shank, but I’m not dancing on pointe enough to complain, or spend too much time finding the perfect fit.  My all-time favorite shoe was a Capezio Prelude but I don’t think they make them anymore.

Do you have a favorite ballet:

Of the classics, I like Sleeping Beauty.  I haven’t seen enough live contemporary ballet to really choose a piece from that genre.  My favorite modern company is Alvin Ailey. All that said, in general I prefer smaller, local companies’ work to their larger, more famous contemporaries.  I feel more invested in watching when I know a company has roots in the community.

What’s your favorite ballet/dance step:

I love turns in ballet, especially traveling turns.  In dance in general I love floor work and really athletic choreography.

Tell us, why do you dance?

I can’t imagine not dancing.  I get twitchy if I go too long without using my body, and no other movement practice brings me as much joy and satisfaction.  I love the combination of athleticism and soul-searching artistry.  I love discovering new things about my body in every class and rehearsal.  I love that I can offer so much and still have so much to learn.  I love the sheer physicality of dance, and I love the creative outlet.

OTHER…

What other jobs/activities/life pursuits are you involved in?

I own my own studio, The Dance Barn, in Stanardsville, VA.  My husband and I own Sweet Dog Farm, where he raises pastured poultry as well as goats, dogs, cats, and kids.  We home school our four children, ages 11 months to 8 years old.  I perform and create work as an independent dancer/choreographer.  I love to read.  I am constantly striving to live with less impact on the earth, and with a greater focus on local, sustainable living and community.

What other talents or passions do you have?

I can tie shoelaces in a bow with my toes.

Anything else you’d like to express: I am thrilled to be working so closely with Charlotteville Ballet.  Since I moved to this area in 2003 I have wondered why Charlottesville didn’t already have a professional ballet company, and it is really exciting to be involved with this growing group of amazing dancers.  It is positively decadent as a choreographer to work with professionals on a regular basis!

I am especially looking forward to bringing together some of the Charlottesville Ballet dancers with local modern dancers in a new work I’m creating called Ordinary Joy.  We will be performing the piece at Miki Liszt’s First Friday Series on September 3rd at McGuffey Arts Center.  I also hope to do a Greene County showing in The Dance Barn’s studio theatre!