Today we’d like to introduce you to Sharon C. Carelock.
Sharon C., please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
My career began young. I danced, sang, and acted for grade school and my youth group at church, and as a teenager, I competed as a singles figure skater. That experience solidified my desire to pursue a professional career in the arts. I enjoyed the performance aspect of skating more than trying to win a medal.
I attended Emory University (Oxford College and Emory College) for my undergraduate degree, and majored in Dance and Movement Studies and Theater Studies. During that time, I went abroad to Oxford, England to study 20th century British theatre and Shakespeare. I also received a scholarship to the 2006 American Dance Festival. There, I worked as a stagecraft apprentice and assisted shows for Keigwin + Company, Pilobolus, and Ron K. Brown/EVIDENCE. I performed many times as well, in Theater at Oxford’s the Dining Room (2005), Theater Emory’s Alcestis (2005), and several times with Emory Dance Company. Undergrad was where I learned how to balance my passions and talents.
I graduated from Emory in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and took whatever job I could to stay in the arts. I choreographed for Moving in the Spirit in Atlanta, Georgia, as well as many solos and duets independently. I danced in Atlanta companies such as DENSE, Ground Delivery Dance Theater, Beacon Dance Company, and Core Dance, and also for artists such as Ishmael Houston-Jones, Wayne Smith, and Corian Ellisor. Under the mentorship of Emory dance faculty, Greg Catellier, and BlackLight Productions, Andre Allen, I freelanced as a stage manager, lighting designer, and technician for the Emory Dance Department, True Colors Theatre Company and Staibdance. I worked as a production assistant at Bates Dance Festival and assisted shows for Doug Varone, Monica Bill Barnes, and Coco Dance Theater.
I felt like I was an island of many Sharon’s and each piece of land was named for one of my passions or skills. I needed a way to make these parts of me come together. That’s why I went to grad school. I applied and was accepted to the Master in Fine Arts program at the Florida State University School of Dance. There, I studied and performed with prestigious faculty and notable guest artists, including Alex Ketley, Daniel Clifton, Rachel S. Hunter, Rodger Belman, and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar. I worked on a project with Emily Johnson while she was in research and development for her piece, SHORE. With this experience and valuable mentorship from professor Anjali Austin, I learned to combine song with dance to create unique movement and vocal works, such as, How He Went Home (2013), Bardo (2014), and my thesis work [Contain(her)] (2015).
Once I graduated in 2015, I moved backed to Atlanta. I reconnected with Sue Schroeder, artistic director of Core Dance. This led to a commission of my solo work Un-[Caged] (2016) and eventually a position at Core Dance as Production Coordinator. This job has allowed me the space to continue to grow my skills and the time to listen and follow my artistic voice. This leading brought me to anicka Austin, Sunday morning at 7, and my role in her work, Sanctuaries and Fortresses. I am so grateful for where I am in my life and excited about where I am going next.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I make shows. Whether I am on stage or off, behind the scenes or in front, manifesting my vision or the dream of someone else, I am driven by the notion that I can create characters and worlds to be experienced and enjoyed by others.
I’d like to think that with every character I play, every work I choreograph, every project I help produce, I am holding up a mirror. First, I want to continue to see myself, to look inward to find the possibilities, adventures, and sometimes answers and conclusions. Second, I want to my audience to see themselves, to confirm or affirm what they know about their inner self: their desires, aspirations, and characteristics. I also want us all to be okay with the process of questioning those aspects of ourselves and our circumstances that don’t make sense.
It’s a process that takes time, but I want those who are near me, who see me, to know that they are not walking that path alone. Someone is with them.
What would you recommend to an artist new to the city, or to art, in terms of meeting and connecting with other artists and creatives?
Attend classes, workshops, events, performances, meeting, and the like. To connect with more artists, be where artists are. Introduce yourself. This can be daunting, but many rewarding and interesting projects, relationships, and collaborations have come out of “Hey, how are you? My name is…” conversations.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I’m excited about new dance film created from the live performance, Sanctuaries and Fortresses. Lev Omelchenko, the director, has teamed up with Anika Austin, the choreographer of Sanctuaries and Fortresses, to make The Birth of Pleasure. It’s set to premiere this fall. Please support the Instagram profiles, @sundaymorningat7 and @birthofpleasure.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @seecarelock
- Other: www.coredance.org
Image Credit:
Headshot: Paige McFall
Performance photos: Alan Kimara Dixon
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