Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Abby Hase. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Abby, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
At my elementary school, the drama department had an audition for a school musical called “Use Your Imagination,” and I auditioned for one of the lead roles. I was cast as The Spark of Creativity and had my own solo song in addition to dialogue. Learning and memorizing all of the music, choreography and dialogue was such a joy, but the part that stole my heart was the moment the lights were down, the audience was settled, and the spotlight was on me as I sang. There hadn’t been a moment in my ten years of life where I had felt so powerful or in control of what I was doing. It was thrilling to watching the audience smile and experience the same level of joy that I was experiencing through music and storytelling. It was exhilarating, and I promised myself during that run that I would do everything within my power to make that experience my every day life.
Abby, 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 originally from Wisconsin, and have a bachelors degree in vocal performance from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, and a Masters of Music from Ithaca College, in Ithaca New York. For the last 24 years I’ve been a practicing musician, and have had the immense gift of working with many extraordinary teachers and colleagues, and performing in an eclectic variety of shows, concerts and readings.
Because of the many years of training and academia, I also had the opportunity to learn how to teach, and connect with people in one-on-one and classroom settings. Teaching music burned me out, as I spent all day learning and practicing for myself, or teaching it to others. After graduating from my masters program, I put teaching away, thinking I wouldn’t return to it, and honestly I didn’t want to.
I moved to Manhattan in 2015 and after a couple years working on a bunch of film and television projects doing background and stand-in work, my purpose felt aimless and I didn’t feel like I was making a difference with my art. Auditions were falling flat and I felt like I was broken, and couldn’t fulfill the goals I had set for myself. My dream of working on Broadway depended on too many green lights from people I didn’t know, and who didn’t know me.
Two things happened during this time: I took up distance running, because running goals were at least tangible and 100% dependent on myself simply showing up. Second, best friend Makayla, casually asked me to be a practice body for one of her Pilates teaching finals. That one session changed my life, and I knew that Pilates would be the thing that brought me back to teaching. I HAD to share this with others. Makayla helped me get into the Pilates certification program at Balanced Pilates in Manhattan in 2017, and by 2018 I was teaching at the studio and reconnecting with people and my purpose. My purpose is to bring unconditional joy to others, and to shine a light on how incredibly resilient and inspiring people are.
What sets me apart from others in the fitness industry? I came into teaching fitness as a musician, not an athlete. Throughout the certification program, my learning curve was pretty significant, as I was learning not only how to cue the moves, but how to execute them with my own body, and learning all the musculoskeletal anatomy at the same time. This turned out to be a huge benefit, because now when I work with adult clients who are new to fitness or coming back from a long fitness hiatus, I know that starting place, because I started there too. Clients new to fitness have a special place in my heart. My approach to teaching comes with the nuance of musicianship. The technique and specificity of each move is most important, and I want my clients to understand the “why” behind what we do together. There is a designed purpose to each class that I want executed in a specific way to allow for continued buildable growth. I want to take away the intimidation or exclusive feeling of Pilates. Pilates is for every single body, and I firmly stick to that.
In September of 2020, the studio I had been working at since the beginning of my Pilates journey, closed. Within 72 hours, I had an LLC request submitted, and Mini Viking Pilates was up and running. Never in a million years did I see myself owning a business, but here we are. It is exhilarating and terrifying, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. My mission is to connect with people across the United States and meet them wherever they are on their fitness journey to share the joy of movement and discovering their personal strength. This is why my business remains virtual, and will continue to do so.
As life would have it, my confidence returned through teaching Pilates and watching my clients become stronger. My performing career also picked up and I started acting at The Metropolitan Opera in their Actors/ Dancers department. Performing at the Met has been a lifelong dream that felt significantly unattainable for a very long time. Now I have the great honor of calling that opera house my theater home, and the privilege of calling those singers, actors, dancers, stage managers, and directors my colleagues and friends. I am also singing around town premiering new musical theater and operatic work and recording demo audio tracks for new shows in town. My dream is to play Christine Daae in The Phantom of the Opera, and I know either via the West End, or when it returns to Broadway, that show is in my future.
Living and working in Manhattan has been my lifelong dream. It takes my breath away that every day I get to wake up and call this place home- even through the difficult days, and those are abundant. I never imagined owning a business, becoming an athlete, or a Pilates instructor, but it has made my performing life all the richer. Owning my studio has allowed for more human connection, and that joy is limitless.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My mission as a performer and as a Pilates instructor/ business owner is to give people a safe place to experience being human, and to marvel at how strong and resilient they are. When I’m on stage singing or acting and sharing the choices and adventures of a specific character, my hope is that the people watching can find relatable bits that foster a connection to the story and an openness to play and reflect in their own lives outside of the theater. In my work as a business owner and instructor, my goal is to create an open and safe space for people to take the chance to be vulnerable, explore strength and mobility, respect their body, and get excited about the growth they will undoubtedly take out into the real world once our session is complete. The advancement in fitness that I’ve seen in the clients that have been working with me for years gives me so much joy and pride in their hard work and consistency.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
The greatest thing a person can do to support artists and creatives is to invest interest in their art or business. As a VERY small business, I don’t have a marketing budget or PR team. All I have are my two feet, work ethic, and an education in Pilates and music. Marketing for me is hustling around NYC with flyers and speaking to local businesses about partnerships, and trying to grow a client base from there. Social media is an oversaturated market full of fake or misleading information, and advertising through any social platform drowns you in a sea of influencers and other professionals trying to get their voice out into the ether. If you see a small fitness studio, give it a try. Take a class, email the owner and see what the business offers. Peloton and SoulCycle are great, but I can guarantee you, the workout I plan for my clients is individual and personalized for each of their specific bodies. The Peloton app or SoulCycle class can’t do that. Word of mouth is also the BEST way to spread the word. Referrals are the only way my business has gotten new clients, and I’m deeply grateful for each and every one.
In regards to supporting artists, the same applies. Listen to the new CD, Spotify track, or go see the new show. It is near impossible to get cast in a show these days against established stars, nepo-babies, and rich kids whose family can buy them their way into show business. As someone who moved to NYC with no connections, no money, and no idea how networking worked here in New York, it was a defeating shock. Nine years later, I’m still here and grateful to be performing, but it is a daily fight against maintaining the major three: food/shelter/safety, maintaining a livable income, and fighting for my place in show business. This art isn’t for the faint of heart, I can share that much. The rest is honestly luck and who you know. So if you know anyone who is an artist, support them by seeing the art, so producers can see that audiences are interested in seeing normal people who are working artists.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.abbyhase.com, www.minivikingpilates.com
- Instagram: @officialabbyhase, @miniviking
- Facebook: Abby Hase, Actress, Mini Viking Pilates
- Youtube: O.K Crafts
Image Credits
Fitness photos credited to: Lauren Graham