Shelby's History of Dance

So the story goes like this. At seven years old and searching for a hobby, my parents signed me up for a Co-Ed baseball team. Since all the boys were allowed to play the bases, as one of the few girls, I was secluded to the outfield. After being scolded by my coach for "dancing in the outfield", I decided baseball wasn't for me, and consequently enrolled in dance classes. I was definitely not the girly type, so ballet was not an option. I started in beginner Jazz classes and grew to love it. I continued studying with different teachers at Nancy Dianne Studio of Dance in Menomonee Falls. I began studying Modern technique in middle school with Jaimi Patterson. For the majority of my time taking classes with her, she was studying dance at UW-Milwaukee, and much what she was learning was being fed to us young dancers. I went to see her choreography in New Dancemakers and saw her perform "Nutcracked" with Your Mother Dances. I continued studying with her and she really saw the potential in me. Her encouragement and passion for the art form really led me to consider continuing dance into college. In an effort to experience a city further from my hometown, I settled on UW-Green Bay after high school. I decided on a Graphic Design major with a Dance minor. It was at this school that I took my first class of Ballet class EVER! It was a great environment to learn because I was in a class with lots of other people who had never danced in their life. The teacher really started with the basics and taught all of the specific positions and their appropriate names. I am so grateful for this class to be my first experience with ballet, which definitely didn't leave a sour taste in my mouth. At this school I also took Jazz I technique, which was very easy for me after my then 11 years of experience with Jazz. After attending this school for a semester, I really missed my family at home and I was beginning to realize that the Dance department at this school was mostly technique for Theater majors instead of dance technique for dancers. Because of these two reasons, I talked to Jaimi Patterson, and decided to transfer to UW-Milwaukee in Spring of 2010. Because this school didn't have a minor in dance, I planned to double major with Graphic Design and Dance. This was a whole new world. I was so amazed and overwhelmed my first semester, but I didn't want to stop. I was lucky enough to be casted in two pieces in New Dancemakers of Fall 2010. Following this, I was casted in my first faculty piece with Luc Vanier, premiered in January 2012. I was completely shocked and thrilled to have this opportunity. I put everything into learning the material and doing my absolute best at fulfilling what was asked of me. This experience really taught me a lot about dance in the real world. Later, I was also casted in Summerdances 2012 with my first guest choreographer, Colleen Thomas. She really was a choreographer from the dance world, and I once again gave it my all and learned so much. Continuing to take technique and academic dance classes, I searched for my place in the dance world, and I still am today. I try to merge my graphic design expertise and understanding of design principles to my theories of dance. I also struggle with how my design work could connect with the dance world. Then, I was approached by Gerald Casel to help him create advertising for his upcoming dance performance, and I finally saw the connection. I was able to bring my knowledge of dance to the design to showcase the performers, yet do it in a smart, marketable way with my design experience. Most recently, I was casted in a piece with Katie Sopoci-Drake and Simone Ferro's recreation of Magnetic Field from 2007. I was given the opportunity to dance with an ex-Pilobolus dancer, Edwin Olvera. This experience has truly changed me and given me the confidence that I can dance! It was so amazing to hear such great feedback and encouragement from my family, friends and peers that sometimes I really crave. Now having Edwin as a personal connection to a large dance company is amazing. He taught me a lot as well, about the live as a dancer of Pilobolus and it was great to get to know him personally. Dance is a daily exploration for me. It seems that every new experience I have, my love for dance grows. I am very excited to try my hand at a larger scale choreographic experience for my senior New Dancemakers  project. I am also looking forward to working with Stephen Koplowitz and understanding his vision of site-specific work. Although I wouldn't call myself an artist, this statement is true. An artist's work is never done.