Artist Statement & Bio: Athena Lewis

Artist Statement

I started dancing just like any other child would; my mother put me in baby ballet classes, and in my free time at home I would wrap myself in “costumes” of colored fabric and put on recitals in the living room. Though much has changed since then, I have not lost my childhood love for this expressive art form. As a dance artist, I believe that movement should elicit a sense of curiosity in both the performer and the audience. Whether it is a visceral relationship with the physicality of dance itself, or a pure enjoyment of the music, I dance because something inside me is eager to explore.

I have always loved rules and structure, so as a new choreographer I often use tools such as text and tasks in order to guide myself through the creative practice. I am drawn to movement that is simple yet powerful, and I find pedestrian gestures to be extremely captivating when presented in the correct light. On the other end of the spectrum, given my ballet training, I am also biased towards technically virtuosic styles of movement. I aspire to find artistic balance between the mundane and the physically demanding as I am captivated by both ways of moving.  

Additionally, I hope to continue my work on collaborative projects with dancers and artists in other fields. I am constantly inspired by the creative energy of those I surround myself with, and I am eager to continue to strengthen my ability to work comprehensively with others.

At this point in my career I know that I have so much more to learn, and I hope to continue to come into contact, figuratively and physically, with many more artists. In my opinion, dance is a journey that never has a definitive ending, and I know it will continue to be an integral part of who I am and who I am yet to become.

  

Artist Bio

Originally from the United States, Athena completed most of her dance training at a CityDance conservatory where she gained exposure to renowned artists such as Ronen Koresh, Andrea Miller, Ronald K. Brown, Maleek Washington, and many more. While dancing at CityDance, she was also granted many unique performance opportunities where she got to learn and perform the repertory of these artists. Throughout her secondary school studies, Athena additionally attended many dance summer intensives throughout the US, and she is thankful to have moved to Vancouver after finishing her first year of college at Florida State University. Currently, Athena is taking prerequisites for naturopathic medical school as well as working towards her BFA in dance at Simon Fraser University. She hopes to someday become a permanent resident of Canada and continue to be a working artist in her field.