We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Claire Bechard. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Claire below.
Claire, looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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.
The goal is to take a risk. The goal is to be brave and step through the unknown, taking challenges in stride and staying consistent in practice. Creativity thrives on risk and the ability to trust your gut and fellow creatives when taking the risk. I’ve been in many rehearsals where options are questioned and eyebrows are raised, but having a strong vision and a sense of group cohesion can pull most anything off. We were creating a piece in 2022 that utilized projections, sheets, and ladders and I really appreciated the way the team stood behind our ideas and we presented a fully conceived work. It could have been a hot mess but it ended up being better than my dreams.
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.
I’ve been a performer since childhood and have spent the majority of my life in the performing arts. I graduated from Wayne State University with a BFA in Dance Performance.
As a student, I was mainly interested in becoming a professional ballet dancer, so shifting my career to modern dance and choreography was a big change.
Now, I can share my love for ballet as an instructor and I perform mainly modern dance.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Twyla Tharp’s “When Push Comes to Shove” has had the biggest impact on my creative career. She pioneered a brand new wave of dancing and helped showcase dance to the public. Her passions and struggles resonated with me and I felt connected to a larger purpose after reading it.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I want to be the most honest version of myself when I am performing. I started disliking performing for some time because I didn’t want to force myself to smile when I wasn’t happy. Not every artist is a performer and I have been contemplating where my voice fits in. Lately, I have been doing more improv-based performances which have helped my goal of honest and of-the-moment feeling.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.clairebechard.com
- Instagram: claire.bechard
- Linkedin: Claire Bechard
Image Credits
-John Sobczak -Erika Ruch -Brendon Kirouac