Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Arye Shannon-Carmichael. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Arye, appreciate you joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
It’s a classic story, and dancers have experienced it time and time again. You fall in love with dance and spend years of your childhood training to grow up and choose another career path. So that’s it? I’m done performing, creating, and expressing myself through this avenue? I didn’t think I should be.
I had it easier than others because I chose to keep dance in my life in some capacity as a dance educator. It was comforting when I decided I could obtain everything I needed from dance through my choreography and teaching. I also had no illusions about my talent. I had professors who told me I could certainly make it in the professional world, but, not being a competitive person by nature, the idea wasn’t very appealing. I am also a fairly practical person – almost to a fault – and the thought of trying to compete for positions in companies, hoping I could find something consistent enough that would pay enough for me to support myself, did not seem like I was setting myself up for success. That isn’t even mentioning my astounding student debt.
I navigated the years after graduation by teaching dance in the private, charter, and public school sectors, and I found fulfillment. I was also honing my craft and expanding myself to mastery in dance education and arts and academic integration as well. However, it became apparent there was an ever-increasing void not being filled through the choreography I was creating as a dance educator.
The issue is there aren’t many spaces for classically trained adult dancers who chose other career paths but still want to create and perform. There are adult dance classes, but with goals to provide a fun way to exercise or to put together one dance for the recital next to some, admittedly, incredibly cute five-year-olds in tutus. I was looking for something a little more serious. To put it another way, I needed a space that was more than an adult dance class but less than a professional career in dance. I also was extremely confident I wasn’t the only one with this need.
So after a few years of navigating the art scene in the West Michigan area, I decided it was time to create the space for myself. In January 2020, I filed for my LLC, opened my business bank account, and started my social media presence to hold in-person auditions for Atelier Dance Company’s first season. March 2020, however, had different plans. The world spiraled into a global pandemic. I faced a choice, throw in the towel or pivot. Is it a surprise that the dancer chose to pivot? I realized that I and others would need an artistic outlet now more than ever. But how in the world was I going to do this successfully? This was different from anything we’d ever known because dancers move and create in the same space with each other. Our bodies are our instruments, and they need to interact with each other – to touch and feel one another and the space we move through. This most definitely was going to take some trial and error, and I hoped the gamble would pay off.
I was ecstatic to start the season with fourteen dancers, including myself, but there was a heavy sense of urgency to figure out how to navigate this new online space. Through experimentation and dabbling in Zoom classes, I decided against a live platform to teach choreography. There were too many issues with music lagging, freezing videos, and getting kicked out of meetings with time limits. So we moved forward with the season by having each choreographer film themselves teaching a section of their piece and posting it on our private YouTube channel. In turn, each dancer would then learn the choreography, film themselves, and send it back to the choreographer for feedback. Of course, dancers had to find a space in their homes to move effectively, which often involved moving lots of furniture, but it was working and exciting to see these pieces coming together.
Over the fall and winter months, we all realized that this video platform, when you’re not in the same space with other dancers, is only going to take you so far. You can get the bare bones of choreography and phrasing for the most part, but bringing your piece to the final refined level (timing, musicality, artistry, collective breath, and execution) can only truly be done when dancing with others in the same space. Additionally, a choreographer cannot move through the entire choreographic process until that happens. But that moment for all my dancers and choreographers would have to wait until Spring, as we decided we would come together to dance masked up outdoors so we could feel safe. At that moment, we would be able to take our pieces to the next level.
On top of all these challenges, we embraced a new art medium by putting all of our pieces on film. We hired a videographer to film each of our dances in their chosen site-specific places. Atelier Dance Company’s first season’s theme was titled [Emanate] Nature, where the choreographers created works under the theme of nature. There were pieces that danced in water, and in the woods, explored the concepts of nature as a sacred place, the restoration of the Grand River, and people rediscovering our parks during an unprecedented time. We learned how to create storyboards and think of our choreography’s possibilities by not just dancing on a proscenium stage. The end result was a triumph. I’m not saying we danced perfectly on film or that the editing was without fault. But our friends and family came together on August 7th, 2021, to sit in a brewery to eat, drink, and watch the product of an incredibly challenging year. So it was indeed a triumph.
It is too difficult to express my thoughts and feelings about that first season eloquently. What I can say is that we as dancers, whether you are a professional dancer or a dancer with Atelier Dance Company, have a need to communicate through this art form. We best communicate our thoughts and feelings about everything in life through movement. The endless opportunities to say something from the emotional, intellectual, political, scientific, or religious aspects of life through movement help elevate us as human beings. Dance can light up the entire brain and release serotonin and dopamine. It’s like a drug. And who doesn’t like getting a nice injection of those hormones? Dance also creates a space for human connection, which we so desperately need. I honestly feel we are still recovering as a society from the deprivation of that human connection we experienced during the pandemic. As dancers, you literally share blood, sweat, tears, and emotional and physical experiences with each other. It creates a strong bond. These dancers have become my friends and tribe; we all know how precious those can be in life. As Atelier Dance Company has just started its third season, I think it’s safe to say this missing space in the dance world needs to continue to be filled.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?
My name is Arye Shannon-Carmichael and I’m a dancer, dance educator, choreographer, and founder and artistic director of Atelier Dance Company.
I consider myself a unique mix of artist and Type-A personality, and that has contributed to Atelier Dance Company’s success. If I were to describe my artistic choreographic style, my fellow dancers would be the first to tell you I lean towards the angsty and dramatic. But more often than not, I’m the person in the room who talks too much and laughs too loud. In contrast, the Type-A component of my personality thrives off of systems, routines, and structure which helps me run the administrative parts of the company. It’s no secret to my friends, family, and colleagues that I enjoy organizing, color coding, or creating a lovely spreadsheet to increase efficiency in a process or procedure. I would love to be considered a beautiful contradiction, but more likely than not, I’m just one example of how beautifully complex and multi-faceted human beings can be.
What types of products/services/creative works do you provide, what problems do you solve for your clients and/or what do you think sets you apart from others. What are you most proud of and what are the main things you want potential clients/followers/fans to know about you/your brand/your work/ etc.
Atelier Dance Company’s purpose is to create a space for classically trained adult dancers who miss creating and performing with other artists. The space created is for dancers to collaborate, create, and perform thought-provoking and entertaining choreography. Dancers can express their creativity and fill their artistic void with like-minded and passionate dancers that have chosen other career paths. Our mission is what sets us apart.
The creative space I needed as an artist did not exist, so I created it. I am most certainly proud of that fact because it wasn’t done without emotional and financial risk. But I have to say I’m most proud that others have trusted me enough to join me on the journey and that they believe not only in my passion but in my abilities.
Entering into Season 3 of Atelier Dance Company, I’ve always been honest and transparent with my dancers and opened the door for conversations on what was working and what wasn’t. I’ve tried to create a space where everyone feels comfortable sharing their voice and opinion, not only artistically but in the logistics and procedures of the company as well. Continuing to navigate forward this way, I’m confident Atelier Dance Company will continue to grow and flourish. Not to mention that artists will always need a platform to share their art.
In a way, I consider Atelier an ode to a life lesson my Grandma and Mother taught me. They always said, and do say to this day, “You are responsible for your own happiness.” It’s simple and effective. If you’re unhappy, don’t just complain about it; work to make a change that will become a reality. It’s an empowering phrase. Something was missing in my life, so I created the space for it to become a reality. I hope my story can serve as a small source of empowerment to anyone who needs to create a space for themselves that doesn’t exist. I guarantee others will be glad you did if you wish to invite others into that space.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is having an outlet and a community to share what you create. Over the years, I’ve found relief in using my choreography to express my thoughts and beliefs about many topics. I’ve also used dance as a processing tool. When you decide to process an experience, feeling, or belief through movement, it inherently forces you to analyze everything under a microscope as you work through the creative process. Every movement is scrutinized for its intent, whether it communicates effectively and could translate in this way or that, and whether you should make the movement abstract or gestural.
On top of that, you need to work through the choreographic basics of time, space, and energy to make a piece interesting to watch. And just for fun, throw in some partner work. At times it feels like going to therapy, writing a thesis paper, and conducting an orchestra simultaneously, but fun.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
I’ve found a fair portion of people struggle to understand why we are trying to cultivate patronage to execute our art successfully. Let’s be honest; when push comes to shove, most people whip out their checkbooks for a coupon book from a student who needs to buy a competition costume and not throw money at a group of adults with full-time jobs. This isn’t meant to be a woe is me bid for sympathy but to make it known that art, in many ways, can be a wealthy man’s game. And for a group of dancers who are not independently wealthy, it’s a roadblock in our journey.
Society is not at a point, and may never be, where we value art enough to fund artists as they should unless they are the best of the best. To be sure, much of the population understands and appreciates art’s importance and the enrichment it provides. However, the phrase “starving artist” is still alive and well.
I believe an argument could be made for society to provide more access, or even just more affordable access, to public spaces in the public sphere to execute art. Just as I can walk into a library and access books, art should be accessible for those who wish to experience it and those who want to practice, create, and perform art. Art is what elevates us as human beings – that should be nurtured and protected.
As that is not the case, just like other artists, we need financial support and patronage to grow. And God bless the individuals who believe in art enough to support it in its many forms and needs… because renting a performance space isn’t cheap!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.atelierdanceco.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atelierdanceco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Atelierdanceco/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/public-profile/settings?trk=d_flagship3_profile_self_view_public_profile
Image Credits
Cydney Sheneman (professional photos) and Arye Shannon-Carmichael (other)