Today we’d like to introduce you to Kalyn Hardman.
Kalyn, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
When I was a toddler, my parents loved going to restaurants with live music and I loved it even more because I got to trot around the dance floor. At the age of three, I was already channeling that energy into dance classes. I was a competition dancer and theater kid until I graduated high school. I went on to major in English (creative writing) and minor in dance at the University of Georgia. There, I got a crash course in concert dance, focusing on modern and aerial work. One professor, Daryl L. Foster sat the class down and asked who wanted to be a professional dancer. We all raised our hands. He said if we wanted to be professional dancers, we had to move to Atlanta. One semester later, I was the only one to pick up and move.
Daryl graciously put me on scholarship at Gotta Dance Atlanta, where I trained in commercial dance. It was hard being a full-time student at Georgia State and taking 6 hours of dance classes a day. But I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Gotta Dance gave me the training and connections that I still use to this day. I currently go back and forth between the concert and commercial worlds. You can catch me doing anything from educational performances like Kristel Tedesco’s Mathematics in Motion to film/T. V work like the Netflix Original Step Sisters. I also love utilizing both my writing skills and dance background as a writer for blogs like The Working Dancer.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
As a dancer, actress, and writer, my art takes a few forms. With dancing and acting, I usually receive an outline (like choreography or lines) and fill in the gaps with my physicality, emotion, and personal experiences. It is my job to bring the director’s vision to life. Oftentimes, the he doesn’t know what he wants until he sees it so I have to be a step ahead of the curve. The same choreography could be performed fluidly or sharply, or perhaps a mix of both. A set of lines could be read playfully or resentfully. That “outline” could mean a thousand different things depending on delivery and context. For the performer, it’s all about finding the human emotion beneath. Even when asked to tell somebody else’s story, I end up telling my own.
What I hope people can take away is that we are all connected. No matter someone’s skin color, religion, sexual orientation, or belief system, you can relate to them on some level. The more that people accept this, the more they will show love over hate.
As a blogger, my goal is to educate. I tend to find inspiration in my own life-things that I wish I had known or am currently struggling with. I look for the solutions in hopes that others can benefit as well.
Any advice for aspiring or new artists?
For the most part I think I learned my lessons exactly when I was ready to hear them. There’s only one that didn’t sink in as early as I wish: every time you work on a job you are auditioning for the next. When we book a job, we tend to celebrate and think the hard work is over. But really, it’s just beginning. We can never settle with our work. In every rehearsal, class, or shoot day, we must push further than the day before. While working on one job, a director may love your work ethic and bring you on to his next project. Or he may see that you’re too comfortable or a bit lazy and skip over you next time. And it’s not just the director. It’s the PA, lighting technician, make-up artist, and crafty personnel. Every connection you make has the potential to take you a step closer to your dreams. And the moment you start seeing those relationships as true human connections rather than business connections, doors will begin to fly open.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
The beautiful thing about the film industry is that the more you watch, the more money the performers make! So, head over to Netflix to watch Step Sisters and Honey: Rise Up and Dance. Then use your free one-month trial to watch Step Up: High Water on YouTube Red. You get convenient and dope entertainment and I get residuals. We all win! For uptodate information about performances and film releases, check out my Instagram at @kalynhardman32. Also check out my website KalynHardman.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: KalynHardman.com
- Email: kalynhardman@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kalynhardman32/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kalyn.hardman
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCic9fnx_Lb-PUfIiEHys_sQ
Image Credit:
Justin Roth, Holland Reid, John Nalls, Amanda Neeley
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