We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shelby Green a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Shelby thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
When I look back on my journey, I realize I moved to New York and started my own dance company all within a couple months. At the time, all of this doesn’t seem like one big decision- just a ton of tiny little decisions compiling. The decision I made a decade ago to be a pursue dance; the decision I made years ago to be a choreographer; the decision I made months ago to move to New York; the decision I made weeks ago to open its own Instagram page; the decision I made 30 seconds ago to look into LLC status for companies. None of these things quite so grand or daring in the moment. I remember each one of these commitments I made along the way and how huge and scary each of them felt. But I think it’s all of these small decisions that turn into big ones and make it feel less like a big risk.
Shelby, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m a choreographer and director. I choreograph works for stage, provide movement direction for plays musicals and photo shoots, and direct music videos and dance for films! I see myself as an entertainer who uses performance to question identity and deliver truth through satire and humor. Growing up Jewish and queer, I’ve learned to embrace contradiction and complexity, qualities that dance allows me to express without needing resolution. My work resists categorization, drawing from Gaga, drag, and ballet to reflect the layered aspects of who I am. I aim to evoke a wide range of reactions, using comedy and maximalist design to draw audiences in, only to reveal emotional depth. Each piece begins with imaginative world building, blending genres and creating surreal environments that demand a distinct movement language. I’m fascinated by the tension between façade and authenticity, especially in how we perceive and perform gender. My choreography is both raw and theatrical because I believe that sometimes, the more masks we wear, the more truth we uncover.
@shelby.green
@yaroquedance
Yaroque.com
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Recently, I started feeling a lot of physical pain and was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. At the time this was crushing for my dreams of being a dancer, but in hindsight, it’s unlocked another one. This diagnosis allowed me to more intensely pursue the creation and the direction of the art form I love so much.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Consistency is key. Don’t worry about whether your content is good or bad— just post it. You’re not trying to please an audience you’re trying to please an algorithm. The game we, as creatives, have to play with social media is terrible and I hate it- but I see it as having two options. 1. Reject it and resent it. 2. Play the game (know the game is stupid) and use it to my advantage.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Yaroque.com
- Instagram: @shelby.green @yaroquedance
- Youtube: Shelbyngreen
Image Credits
Julia Asher
Sam Derison
Jack Tajerstein