The Inspiration and Motivation behind the Dancer. An Interview of Brittany DeBoer by Emma Tynan

 

The Inspiration and Motivation behind the Dancer. An Interview of Brittany DeBoer by Emma Tynan

Brittany DeBoer is of Dutch and Ukrainian descent she is from Armstrong BC. Her mom enrolled her in dance when she was 3 but it never really took. After that she had lots of different interests and passions, but she didn’t really love any one over the rest. At 16 when she began dance lessons again it was like a light went off and she never looked back. When looking at something to pursue in university she decided dance was her passion, she then applied to SFU and after auditioning she was accepted into the Dance program. 

ET: What’s your most embarrassing moment?

BD: My most embarrassing moment happened when I was auditioning to get into a dance program when I was in high school. This program would allow me to do dance for half the day and school the other half. It was understood because my town was so small that all those who auditioned would get in anyway. So, I didn’t even think to read the posting for the auditions. When I went for the audition I prepared a jazz solo piece. However, if I had read the posting I would have known I was only supposed to audition with a contemporary dance or ballet solo. I went and did my audition with the jazz solo I had prepared, and at the end the examiner asked me if I knew it was supposed to be contemporary dance or ballet only, and so I responded “just pretend it was contemporary.  

ET: What do you like about your work and what do you dislike about it?

BD: I really like how everyone interprets everything differently. How someone could start from their chest and another could start from their feet even though they are all given the same instructions. I also really like that you can tell how different people’s bodies are and how they all hold tension differently just by watching them dance or by holding parts of their body to direct their movements. One thing I don’t really like about dance is that people think it’s exclusive, like you have to look a certain way or be flexible to be a dancer, but you don’t because dance is actually really inclusive. However, on one hand ballet still isn’t super inclusive but we are getting there. On a personal level one thing I find very challenging is I have lots of doubts about myself and what I have to do. I keep thinking I have to do everything a certain way or have a certain look. I find some artists spend so much time being so critical about themselves that they don't actually accomplish what they set out to do. I try not to get sucked into that frame of mind.

ET: What is your dream project and who inspires you?

BD:  I am not currently working on any projects. However, my dream project would be to create a dance film that makes people feel something so deeply that it allows them to understand the dancer and their passion through the way the dancer moves. I am inspired by many of my teachers that I have had over the years, they are great inspirations. These people along with the works of Phillip Chbeeb and Pina Bausch are who inspire me to dance. They inspire me to create something that will reach the hearts and minds of those who watch. 

ET: What role do you think Dance plays in society?

BD: I think that dance isn’t just about the movements we normally associate with dancing. It’s about everyday movement and how people move through their lives. You can see dance by going and sitting on a bench in downtown Vancouver and watching people walk about their day. Dance is about the small pedestrian movements that make up everyday life and for some people it can also be a form of healing and comfort.