We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Danielle Diniz a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Danielle, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Meaningful can be encompassing of so many factors- whether you found a coveted rapport with your collaborators, or it happens to be your favorite choreography you’ve created thus far, or if the subject matter of the piece was personal to you and your views, or everything seemed to click and you found an ease within process and product…

It’s completely impossible to choose one with so many cherished memories, indebted to dancers and leadership for their commitment and openness when working together… But if forced to narrow it down, I’ll choose the second time I had a formal work presented. It was the first time my choreography had been on a New York stage and was for DanceBreak NYC, founded and directed by Melinda Atwood. A most revered choreographer I had had the pleasure of working with consistently at the time recommended me for the opportunity, which was a true honor as it was an incredibly sought after platform for all theater dancemakers.
The only female identifying choreographer presenting work, it was a blur of excitement standing up alongside men in the industry I so greatly respected. I was able to choose my own dancers, which was very special as I knew their skillsets and could highlight them the best way I knew how. Though I love ballet and get tremendous pleasure out of making them, theater is, and will always be, where my heart is- storytelling through technique and carefully curated vocabulary is a constant and ever exciting premise. With that pure passion for this facet of the arts, I dove into crafting a different take on the “Barn Dance” from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers… Instead of the male identifying artists taking the helm, jumping and turning and commandeering all the fun material, I made the challenging vocabulary equal amongst the parties…. Perhaps even showcasing the women’s athleticism, artistry and energy a little bit more. Unfortunately in musical theater, women are still not afforded the chance to dance as such and one of my main choreographic missions is to make sure they always shine in the most technical and athletic of lights and spheres.

Danielle, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Danielle Diniz and I’m a freelance choreographer (and dance educator) in New York City.
Although initially not a strong technician, I worked very hard to improve upon my technique due to absolute, sheer love of dance. I’m grateful to have grown up at a competition studio, exposed to a myriad of styles and perspectives, allowing us to draw from constant inspiration and different perspectives. I began to study acting at the Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute and musical theater performance at the Paper Mill Playhouse Conservatory as my passion and calling towards theater progressed and became more focused.
With a simultaneous love for academia, I attended Cornell University, earning a B.A. in English and Theater (concentration in Shakespearean Studies), minor in Dance, which allowed me to become more analytical about theater through text as well as dance vocabulary and how messages/stories can be communicated. It afforded me a directorial lens when working on a multitude of projects and sides of the craft.
I immediately began auditioning post graduation and was incredibly grateful to be cast on the AEA National Tour of Dirty Dancing (u/s Baby, Lisa, Elizabeth) and connect with creative teams consisting of amazing artists such as Hunter Foster and Lorin Latarro.
I pivoted to choreography, for ballet and musical theater, about 6 years ago and find MUCH greater joy in allowing others to shine onstage! I’m most proud to provide opportunities to let the artistic process and product feel personal… Although I enter commissions with most of the choreography already completed, I feel this structure then allows me the incredibly important time to tailor the created movement and integral moments to the dancers in front of me. I budget time to get to know them as people and treasure the chance to let their instincts come through… It’s what makes the piece pop with personalization and resonate with artists and audience alike. I don’t find it fair to ask for the dancers’ full investment if I’m not equally taking the time and care to invest in their thoughts, which translate into interesting and individual choreographic choices and will always keep the work alive.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Yes! Allowing women to dance as technically, athletically, artistically and energetically as men in theater!
This is still not something available, nor celebrated… With so many musicals and dance breaks, there should not be a gender gap in who executes the choreography if not very specifically designated as such by the story! There are SO many BEAUTIFULLY equipped dancers today; the level of talent is truly astounding! It’s my mission to allow all to thrive and be showcased!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Known for exuding overwhelming joy on stage and in the studio, when it no longer felt genuine-whether through the audition process, in class or in performance- it was a clear sign to pivot. Still fully committed and drawn to dance and theater, I knew full separation wasn’t an option, but gentle encouragement from others opened a door I’ll always be grateful for. It’s wonderfully and scarily true that others can often see something in you that you never recognized in yourself and I’m immensely grateful for those who had vision and voices to push me to this next step.

There should neither be shame nor stigma surrounding why you graduated from “plan A” when there are B, C, D and more to explore. As long as you know you love something with every fiber of your being, there’s a way to pursue it, and, in a lovely way, often lifting up others along the way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.daniellediniz.com/
• Instagram: danielle_d28
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danielle.mia.3

Image Credits

Two shots with dancers- Sophie Williams
Headshot- Jon Taylor
Jumping shot- Benjamin Rivera