Today we’d like to introduce you to Arielle Cole

Hi Arielle, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?

I knew dance would always be special in my life since my first dance class at Jensen’s School for the Performing Arts as a 3-year-old. Everything about it brought me joy: the discipline, the community, the performance… I remember making up entire dance productions in my bedroom, complete with a curtain hanging from my loft bed, detailed programs I handed out to my parents, and recruiting my brother as the emcee and stagehand. I danced throughout middle and high school, performing with competitive dance teams and performance groups. After earning my BFA in Dance from the University at Buffalo, I performed for various dance companies, most notably Keshet Dance Company in Albuquerque, NM, and PERSpectives Dance Company in my hometown of San José, CA. I also taught at dance studios throughout the Bay Area, cultivating my passion for sharing dance with others.

In 2018 I started my own contemporary dance company called ArcTangent Dance. The name came from a lifelong interest in science, technology, and math. Plus, I come from a family of engineers, so a nod to that side of myself seemed appropriate. In addition, the first three letters, A, R, and C, are my initials! My vision for ArcTangent Dance was to give dancers in my hometown more opportunities to perform and cultivate their craft without making the long trek to San Francisco, a world-famous contemporary dance hub.

After I recruited dancers who shared my vision and I started to create a company repertory, I quickly realized that though I knew how to craft a dance, there were gaps in my knowledge regarding the business side of running a dance company. I felt the best way to improve my knowledge was to return to school. While looking at MBA programs, I visited my dear friend at his MFA Dance program in Utah. I realized I missed being in an academic environment while being immersed in my craft. This led me to Mills College in Oakland, CA, which at the time allowed those in a master’s program to stay for one more year and earn a Master of Management. It was the best of both worlds! I could focus on developing my choreographic voice and learn how to run a business. So, in three years, I earned my MFA in Dance and a Master of Management. While at Mills, I became heavily interested in the intersection of immersive theater, technology, and community activism. I would have to say this led me to where I am now – dance choreography in virtual and augmented reality and how it connects to my local community.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

The road for me had its detours and challenges. As many in the dance world can relate, I struggled with my body image. This caused me to lack the self-confidence to put myself out into the world. I wouldn’t go to auditions or certain dance classes because I felt like I didn’t belong because of the body I had. Because of this experience, it has been important to me to value talent, intelligence, hard work, and etiquette in my company dancers. This has made ArcTangent Dance rehearsals a joyous and welcoming place steeped in respect towards one another.

Another struggle was finances. Throughout my 20s, I teetered between finding jobs for the sole intention of getting paid rather than pursuing my dream of running my own dance company. To financially support myself, I taught Zumba, was a children’s birthday entertainer, and was a museum tour guide. I even flirted with the idea of becoming a physical therapist. I thought I could balance these gigs while pursuing my dream. Instead, I was pulled in too many directions and not grounded in my “why” in life. The biggest lesson from this was cultivating the skill of finding the positive and benefit in every opportunity. My attitude was that I could learn something from every situation, even if it meant learning what not to do! Standing on this side of my life in my 30s, I now see failure, dead-ends, and shut doors as part of the process. It is up to me to define success in not just the big life moments, but the small ones as well.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

I am most proud of my development and production of the SpARC Dance Festival on September 21, 2024, at Mexican Heritage Plaza. This is the festival’s first year, and I am so excited for it to grow. Earlier, I mentioned that my mission for ArcTangent Dance was to provide local dancers with dance performance opportunities. SpARC expands this idea by creating a performance opportunity for local San José and Silicon Valley dance talent. My vision for the festival is to spark an interest in more events like this in our community so we become a hub for dance. The festival has three parts: a performance, dance classes, and pop-up shops.

For the performance, the focus is on emerging and mid-career choreographers. However, established dance companies rooted in the community are also encouraged to apply.

The festival also includes a free, all-level dance class for the community, taught by one of the guest choreographers. Emphasis is put on a class where the movement is accessible to all ages and abilities. I believe that moving together builds community, helps our mental health, and brings joy to ourselves and those around us. In future SpARC festivals, I plan to have multiple dance classes in different languages, such as Spanish and Vietnamese.

Another exciting aspect of the event is pop-up shops in the theater lobby during the dance classes and performances. Craftspeople, artists, and vendors with connections to the community are given the opportunity to share their goods in an event that celebrates the arts.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?

I have always loved fiction, especially science fiction and fantasy. When I have time, I love reading or listening to audiobooks by Brandon Sanderson. I’m drawn to how Sanderson creates stories in the worlds of the Cosmere Universe. As a choreographer, I’m inspired by how creating a fantastical world in a book can be applied to contemporary dance. In the context of my choreography, I think about where the dancer is, who or what they are, and their relationship with the audience and to each other. This approach recently helped me conceptualize my latest dance piece, performed at the SpARC Dance Festival, called “The Selection.” The dancers were murex snails begging Cleopatra to be used for her favorite color, Tyrian Purple. It was truly fun thinking of a fantasy world for the dancers to inhabit while they performed the piece.

Balancing my life often means working out at home is more time-efficient than driving to the gym. I rely on workout apps and have tested out quite a few. My favorites are Ladder and Down Dog Yoga. Ladder has a new workout every day, and you are in a mini-workout community where you can cheer each other on. Down Dog allows you to customize your yoga session based on the type, length, and body parts you want to focus on. Both give me the perfect balance for what I need as a dancer – I get weightlifting and cardio from Ladder, and I get my stretching and mindfulness from Down Dog.

Pricing:

• Tickets to SpARC Dance Festival: $10-$40

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ariellecole.com
• Instagram: @arctangentdance
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arctangentdance
• Other: https://www.arctangentdance.com

Image Credits

Lauren Hoskins, Kavan Lake, The Studio CV, Sana Budiak