Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina Massad.
Hi Christina, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’m a Christian Arab American from Palestinian descent – dancer, artist, choreographer, teacher, photographer & videographer, and Auntie Nina are all of the hats I wear. I spent my summers growing up in Israel playing on the beaches with my cousins. I began dancing at the age of 3 and have continued for all of my life leading up to this moment. I graduated from KSU Dance in December of 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and a Bachelor of Science in Media Studies & Entertainment. I began dancing professionally in 2017 – it’s been such a fun ride. KSU Dance was truly a springboard for me into my professional dance career. Being a part of that program connected me with multiple Israeli choreographers which has been a total dream to work with them and continue those relationships to this day.
Since graduating, I’ve danced professionally for The Atlanta Opera, Omar Román de Jesús from NYC, Sean Nguyen-Hilton, Dr. Ivan Pulinkala, Otis Sallid, John McFall, CoreDance, Nathan Griswold and more. She’s also danced principal/solo roles on set in Iann Dior ft. Gunna’s “Stringz” music video, Otis Sallid’s short film, and Michael B. Jordan’s Netflix show Raising Dion.
I began my own photography/videography business in 2019 after graduating from university. In 2015, I tore my ACL in a ballet class during my sophomore year of college and was out of dance for nine months after getting surgery. This encouraged my parents to encourage me to add another degree — I caved and added the other degree. Those nine months were incredibly challenging, but eventually, I bounced back. My extra degree allowed me to dive into graphic design, which has been a nice addition. Majority of my photo & film background have either been learned in high school, self-taught, or taught by a very close friend. I wasn’t expecting to make a career out of photography and videography, but it’s been a nice discovery! I photograph all over the city for multiple dance companies and have been flown out to Hawaii and Chicago for videography.
I joined the Fly on a Wall Team in 2017 and it’s been one of the best decisions I have ever made. Fly on a Wall is a non-profit arts organization whose mission is to present and support innovative performance. I get to wear all of my hats for this platform – I dance, teach classes, photograph, film, run social media, and designed our website from scratch. I love being a part of Fly on a Wall.- we put so much effort into supporting the ATL Dance community and I love using the platform to support other artists. We put on multiple programs for all ages and have multiple shows coming up this year. I also started a new program through Fly on a Wall called Open Bounce where we partner with Restoration Atlanta which is where I teach dance classes to kids in shelters who are either currently experiencing homelessness or are previously experienced homelessness. It’s been such a joy!
I love combining all of my jobs together. I love dancing. I love photographing. I love filming. I love photographing and filming dance. Doing all the things together is the best world I’ve created for myself.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wouldn’t say it’s been the most bumpy road, but also not the smoothest. As I mentioned earlier, I tore my ACL in 2015 while in a ballet class and that was the most physically painful moment of my life. I had to get surgery and was out of dance for nine months. After returning to dance, I had to wear a metal brace all over my right leg. Because of this major injury, I wasn’t able to perform a duet I was chosen for. This was really hard to deal with mentally. I felt so excited, grateful, honored to have had been chosen for that duet and it took everything out of me to not be able to dance it. I still think about it to this day and wish I could still perform that duet. That piece really started to change me as an artist. However, eventually I bounced back. I still have some limitations due to that surgery, but just glad to be dancing again. As an artist, it’s hard not to compare yourself to those around you but you just have to believe in the work you do and be your biggest advocate.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I do a lot of things! I dance, I teach dance, I choreograph, I photograph, I film, I do graphic design!
I live a life full of freelancing, I make my own schedule, I live life from gig to gig. My life is full of creative time! I wouldn’t want it any other way.
When it comes to dance, I would say I specialize in a contemporary genre but I do it all! I enjoy dancing works that are super grounded and feel raw and genuine. I dance professionally in all styles which is fun and keeps it refreshing. My choreography is inspired by the contemporary dance scene in Israel and often reflects the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. My work has been presented at the Modern Atlanta Dance Festival in 2019 where my piece closed the show! I’m excited to say I’m in the midst of creating a new section of that work which will premiere at Excuse The Art in April of 2022.
When it comes to photo and film, I enjoy capturing dance the most. Not all photographers can capture dance well behind the camera – I think that’s what makes me different is that I am a photographer that dancers want to use because I know the best angles, I can move quickly with the dancers, I have the intuition of when grand movement is going to happen, I can capture the small details of movement, I am able to capture those moments that last for half a second in the air. Along with filming, I have the ability to remember choreography quickly, so I can remember where I need to be in order to make the best dance film.
There’s a joke that if I’m not dancing in the work, then I am probably photographing or filming it. I’m proud of the fact that I’ve built my own style when it comes to dance photography. I never would have thought I would be making a living using a camera, making my own schedule, being my own boss, but I am super proud of how far I’ve come with it. I’m proud of being Palestinian and allowing that to influence my work in the ways that it does.
Another thing I’m very passionate about is giving back and investing in the next generation. The platform I am a part of – Fly on a Wall, has enabled me to do this through allowing me to build my own program called Open Bounce. Open Bounce is a program that works with underserved youth at local shelters and youth service programs to engage children in a fun and active dance experience. Currently, we are partnering with Restoration Atlanta (RATL) to make this happen. I visit RATL once a week and facilitate an educational dance class to help children stay active while also developing key characteristics that will help them find success in their growth, such as character building, leadership, and communication. It’s been extremely fulfilling to give back in this way.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love living in the city. I love how artistic and vibrant our city is. I love the culture and diversity that lives in our city. I love that there’s always something going on, every weekend there’s always some sort of dance performance, or theater show, or concert. I love the public and hidden nature trails leading into the city surrounded by water.
Something I love least about our city (like any other city) is the traffic and at times, questionable driving decisions. I hate that there’s so much homelessness in our city – that’s something I wish I could completely end and solve. I wish I could give everyone a home and a warm dinner.
Contact Info:
- Email: christinajcreative@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.christinajmassad.com
- Instagram: @christinajmassad and @christinajcreative
Image Credits:
Darvensky Louis (photos of me) Caylee Robillard (photos of me) Dance photos I took: Fly on a Wall staibdance Terminus Modern Ballet Theater
