Today we’d like to introduce you to Dana Crigler.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Nothing in life will have a “smooth” road. If it does that means life is over because there is nothing left to learn or grow from. Dance, the love and hate relationship of my life! My life has taken so many twists and turns in this thing called “dance” that I don’t really know where to start, or how to keep it from becoming a 500-page novel. But, here’s a stab at a few struggles I have gone through:
1. Being a black ballerina in the 1980s and 1990s was a struggle mentally, emotionally and physically. It was the “Balanchine” age, were looking like you were going to die soon if you didn’t eat a real meal was the culture. My idols were all the Balanchine dancers along with the Bolshoi and Kirov stars. So the pressure I put myself under to have the “look” and the talent was immense and it broke my spirit. I was a good height, great flexibility, good turnout and artistry, but at the end of the day, when I looked in the mirror I was a black girl in a white world whose body was muscular and bronzed. I spiraled into and major eating disorder lost my mind and quit dance to save my life.
2. I over-worked myself because being the only black student in most classes meant I had to play the “see me” game by always pushing myself to the limit physically. My passion became an obsession.
3. Just life…..every time I walk away from it, it pulls me back. My teacher, Madame Boistov told me “You will never leave it, it is in your blood!” And dammit, I still here is as clear as the day she said it, over 20 years ago! God, please let me just give it to someone now who can use it (I’m now 47)??? I’m 47, four kids, married, and still want it just as much as I did in my 20’s…The struggle is real!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
By day I am a Sr. Software Test Engineer with Abarca Health. By night I am a dance instructor, private coach….and dibble-dabble with still trying to go to class to one day hit the stage again.
I have been in the IT industry for 20 years. Yes, how old am I really…right? Well, during my time…back in the 1800s, my parents did NOT believe that being an artist was a career. My parents said you can dance, but you have to get your degree and be able to sustain yourself. So that’s what I did. I got my Bachelor of Science in Business Information Systems and Master in Computer Information Systems.
Dance…..like I said the struggle was REAL. After I quit Boistov, I got married, had kids, was back and forth with going to class and finished my degrees. I really, really thought dance was OVER……..
Seven years ago after returning to dance because again…..it was calling me through the blood that flows through my veins I started taking a class again at Atlanta Ballet and became a part of the community. I was approached by Wei Deoung and Jenny Chun to teach at Atlanta Professional Dance Academy. I never ever wanted to teach but thought 1 day a week would be ok. Well, that turned into 7 days a week, multiple classes and up to ten privates a week, which has now lead me to a faculty teaching position in San Francisco at San Francisco High School of the Arts.
Also, I met a young man named Antwan Session who has become an amazing partner and brother in spirit and dance, who had the passion to open his own school called Namari Dance Center. He and I both decided to start Namari Dance Conservatory three years ago.
I’m a jack of all trades honestly. God truly has blessed me with being able to use both my left and right brain. I am analytical yet creative…and within being creative my analytical self has led me to become extremely detail-oriented. I am a realist. I don’t beat around the bush when it comes to training, what the dancer life is like, and if you have a shot at it. I don’t want to waste parents’ money and the time of a student, so I really have sit-down talks with both parents and students and coach/guide them through their desire for dance. I also known for being the dance fairy godmother. I truly love every student of mine and know each one of them individually, their likes, dislikes, asperations, insperations, goals, etc, and that’s over 30 kids a week.
I am most proud of who I have become in this thing called “dance.” After I quit, I truly did believe that I was done with dance. I do believe that God’s purpose for me is to share my passion even though I could not fulfill my passion on stage. I’m proud that I have the ability to teach with purpose and compassion. I demand excellence and I am able to pull that out of dancers no matter what their dance career ends up being.
What sets me apart from others is that I care about the whole dancer, mind, body and spirit. If one of them is off it affects the whole and I cannot get what I need out of the dancer until I have all three in balance.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I absolutely love collaboration. Look, I am NOT an expert at anything! I need the knowledge of other teachers and dancers to build my skills (whether that be teaching or me taking classes) and continue to feed my passion and inspire me. When I have the input of my peers and we can creatively create, man that is the best feeling in the world!
Anyone can reach out to me on Instagram at dancin4life4eva or at Dana Crigler on Facebook for private, semi-private, and group classes.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.twinkletoesapparel.com
- Instagram: dancin4life4eva
- Facebook: Dana Crigler
Image Credits
Atlanta Professional Dance Academy Namari Dance Center
