We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Andrea Brodine a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Andrea , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
I’ve known since I was a young child that I was born an artist, destined to accomplish great things and influence the world in a positive way at the highest level possible. My dreams of this began at the age of 6, if not younger. Even before I began formal dance training at the age of 8, I would be found dancing around the house and making up dances to the recordings of Bach and Mozart. Piano lessons from the age of 3 gave me an innate sense and understanding of music. I was always told by my parents and grandparents that we had an “artist gene”, thanks to my great-grandfather on my Dad’s side who immigrated from Sweden at the turn of the 20th century – a multi-lingual musician and painter who had traveled Europe honing his artistic crafts before coming to America and settling in Rochester, NY – where my grandfather was then raised and where my family has now resided for 3 generations. Although my great-grandfather and I never met, I will always be inspired by his story in following his God-given creative talents. I am blessed to have been brought-up by two wonderful parents who encouraged myself and my three siblings to pursue everything we chose to do to the highest level possible, and that anything we could conceive in our minds we could achieve. However, although my parents involved us in a variety of extra-curricular activities as children, both artistic and athletic, pursuing the arts professionally was not encouraged due to the instability of that profession. Following my parents wishes, I attended college majoring in Biology, intending to follow my dad and older brother’s path in Dentistry, a much more “stable profession” than the arts. In the meantime, I also minored in Music for Piano Performance while also serving as president of the Ballroom Dance Club for 3 years and choreographing for the bi-annual campus dance performances at Grove City College. It wasn’t until my Junior year that I finally admitted to myself that I wasn’t meant to become a Dentist and instead decided to move to New York to pursue dance upon graduating college. Reluctantly, my parents finally decided to support me in this endeavor. Upon college graduation, I was faced with one final proposition – either stay home, save money, and attend Dental Hygiene School, or move to New York for a trial 1 year. Without question, I chose New York to pursue Dance and Musical Theatre. I have how been pursuing Dance, Choreography, and Direction based out of New York City for the past 6 years (with a hiatus during Covid), and have never turned back. Although the artist lifestyle is filled with uncertainty, I have come to the conclusion that every career path has it’s own level of uncertainty and life is about choosing the journey that aligns the most with what you know in your soul to be your true God-given purpose. There has never been a doubt in my mind that I am now pursuing what I am meant to do on this earth. In fact, the more challenges I face and subsequently overcome, the more certain I become that I am doing exactly what I’m meant to. I may have big dreams, perhaps “unrealistic” in the minds of many, but yet, I have and continue to believe with absolute certainty that I am following the right path – the path the God has planned for me, filling the purpose He has set for me that only I can fulfill.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Originally, I moved to New York to pursue a career as a Professional Dancer and performer, with dreams of performing on Broadway. I also always knew that I had a natural skill as a Choreographer and after more than 15 years of dance training in styles including Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, and Ballroom, I had versatility in my artistic voice. I moved to New York directly following college in the Fall of 2017 to attend the programs at Broadway Dance Center and become integrated into what is known as “The Industry.” After an exhilarating experience training at BDC, I began auditioning for shows as I simultaneously took on several side hustles to stay afloat financially. At the same time, I decided to begin showcasing choreographic works throughout the city – congregating a few of my dancer friends to learn my choreography to then showcase at various venues. I began to realize at that time, that I had an intrinsic motivation to pursue Choreography in a way I didn’t find myself motivated as a performer. Covid sent me home for “2 weeks”, which turned unto 2 months, which turned into 3 years. During the years 2020-2023, I continued to teach Dance in my hometown as well as choreograph dances on film, often filmed by my sister who is also a trained dancer and skilled videographer and editor. During my time at home, I always maintained the goal of returning back to NYC when the time was right. Also during this time, I frequently traveled back to New York to get projects filmed professionally and work with other dancers based there. I quickly had close friends and family encouraging me to re-focus my artistic career on Choreography and Direction rather than performance. At first, this was a difficult pill to swallow, as I had continued to keep up my dance training via online classes and loved performing, but I also knew that I could get further in the industry by focusing on my strongest skill – Choreography. In moving back to New York City in Fall of 2023, I decided to give Choreography my all and have since choreographed, directed, and produced 2 music videos, and continue to pursue choreography for both film and stage. Through my brand AB Theatrical Productions, I collaborate with dancers, musicians, film-makers, writers, and other choreographers and directors to create new artistic work. I am now convinced more than ever that what “the industry” needs is simply more NEW ART that is innovative and grounded with clear intention and purpose. I am most passionate about bringing together artists who are at the top of their craft to create something brand new that the world has never seen. I have often struggled with the idea of “fitting in” or “getting chosen” for the right job or project, but this struggle has over time led me to believe that I myself must be and become the change I wish to see – rather than sitting around waiting for my “big break” or the next big opportunity, I must take the initiative to CREATE new opportunities, both for myself and others. As an individual who has always been not only creatively-minded but also an entrepreneur, I have allowed myself to continue dreaming of the possibilities of what could come next. I now have ambitions of becoming a Choreographer and Director, both on Broadway and for film and television, among many other creative and business plans. The ideas are vast, and I can’t wait to continue sharing my ideas with the world in a variety of ways.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
For me, my creative journey is directly tied to my overall purpose and mission in life – to glorify God through all that I do and all that I am in every pursuit, and in doing so, positively impact the lives of others. I was raised in a Christian household, but my faith journey has certainly been my own and is ever evolving as I continue to grow as a human being throughout life. Pursuing the arts as a Christian is almost certainly a topic in and of itself due to the narrative that becoming an artist is a more “liberal” career path and therefore has no room for religion. However, I am of the mind that in fact the opposite should be true. If one believes that we as humans were created intentionally by a divine being, and in the image of such a being, it is therefore in our very nature as humans to BE CREATIVE – in whatever way that manifests within each one of us as an individual. To me, this makes so much sense! This is also why I love pursuing a career as a creative, because art itself gives us the ability to connect with other human souls in a way that mere words cannot. The struggles I have faced as an artist living in New York City have only drawn me closer to God, especially over the past year. It’s crazy how going through times of immense uncertainty can quickly cause you to question where you are placing your trust, and the purpose for which you actively choose to continue to undergo such struggles. This could be said and experienced in any profession, but I would argue that Christian artists have an even more difficult time wrestling with the most fundamental life questions: who you are, what you believe, and why – because the answers (or lack thereof) show up directly in the art that we create, which stems directly from the individual we have chosen to become. In short, there is no hiding out. You had better figure yourself out in order to get where you’re going, or you might as well give up. Because without living with a greater purpose that extends beyond this world, there isn’t a lot to keep one going when the going gets tough – and I will tell you right now that dreams of fame and fortune aren’t what get you out of bed in the morning. In short, I believe I was created by the Creator to BE CREATIVE and inspire the lives of others by living out that very purpose, which is reflected both in the art that I create and the person I decide to show up as on a daily basis. To me, this is such a beautiful realization, and allows me to turn my daily focus toward the things I DO have control over, rather than the things I should leave up to God. My hope and my trust is in Him, I am guided by the Spirit, and I know with certainty that is where my strength comes from.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative, to me, is most certainly being able to positively influence the lives of others through my art and storytelling. This all begins with the team of creatives that I assemble, even if it’s involving just one other person, but my goal is always to facilitate an environment that is fun, easy, and enjoyable for all those involved. I feel as though I have a gift for leading a room, but in doing so, I have a great responsibility to lead with clear intention, humility, and grace – encouraging and empowering each of my collaborators to do their best work. I have found the most success when I myself am having fun and enjoying the process, and in doing so, I set the tone for everyone else in the room to enjoy the process as well. I do my best to only do work that I am genuinely passionate about, and work with the people that I genuinely enjoy working with. On my projects, we quite literally have fun doing the work – and to me, that is the magic in it all. After all, I would hope we are all in this profession because we have chosen to create a career out of the thing we love most, so why not let it feel like play? In creating this sort of environment amongst a group of passionate and skilled creatives, I find that when skill and artistic prowess meet, one has the potential to create the most intentional, beautiful, and undeniably authentic art that will live on through the ages.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.andreabrodine.com
- Instagram: @andrea_brodine
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrea.brodine/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@andreabrodine2843
- Other: Latest Music Video – “New Orleans Tango”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a1T9s-eW80
Image Credits
Matt Baker Photography
James Jin Images
Eric Bandiero