Thanks to Holly at the SuchCoolStuff blog for doing a little interview with us! You can view the full interview here.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
LA Unbound Dance Company
I was just thrilled that Betsy Uhler of LA Unbound Dance Company took a moment out of her very busy schedule to let us know what her dance company is all about.
Tell me about how you originally got into your craft.
Each of us began dancing when we were young, but LA Unbound as a company was founded about 2 years ago by myself (Betsy) and my friend Elizabeth. We wanted to create an outlet for all the dancers and choreographers in Los Angeles who were looking for performance opportunities. The dancers and choreographers of LA Unbound aren’t necessarily full-time, professional dancers, but we all love dancing and want to keep it as part of our lives for as long as possible!
How do you describe your art to people?
Our company has something for everyone! If you’re a dancer, chances are we incorporate your style of dance into our shows in some way. If we don’t, we’re open to including it! And if you’re in the audience watching one of our shows, we guarantee that you’ll see at least one dance that you love.
What is your favorite style of dance?
The most common types of dances in our performances are modern/contemporary, jazz, and hip-hop, but we have also had ballet/pointe, tap, belly dancing, burlesque, swing, can-can, juggling, and our next show will include some aerial pieces. We love it all!
What is your biggest challenge when it comes to the business side of dance?
The biggest challenge is finding the time to do everything! As Co-Directors of the company, Elizabeth and I do everything from organizing auditions to renting the theaters, to recruiting dancers and volunteers. Not to mention we also choreograph and dance, so there are lots of rehearsals to attend! We both also have full-time jobs, so it’s quite a lot of work to fit into nights and weekends.
What other artists out there do you love?
I think I can speak for many of our dancers and choreographers when I say that our inspiration comes from many sources, be it music or art or costumes or other choreography. With my ballet background, I greatly admire the work of Balanchine, Tchaikovsky, and Degas.
What is your favorite thing to do in the whole wide world?
Dance, of course!
When you were a kid, what did you think you were going to be when you grew up?
I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up! But regardless of what happens, I am happy to say that dancing will be a part of my life for a long time to come.
What does your future hold?
Hopefully, the future of LA Unbound holds many, many more performances! We are continually growing in number of dancers, styles of dance, and quality of our shows. We can’t wait to see what else we can do for the Los Angeles dance scene!
Saturday, August 1st from 2-5pm are auditions for their next show if you want to get in on the action. They will be held at Sophie Dance studio at 310 S. LaBrea Ave in Los Angeles.
Their next performances will be held at 4pm and 8pm on Saturday, November 7th, 2009 at El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood, CA.
I am impressed! My friend Michele invited me to attend the Nov 7 show. I had no idea what to expect. After reviewing your site, I know I’ll see some very good dancing!