Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mariah Henry. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Mariah thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you feel you or your work has ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized? If so, tell us the story and how/why it happened and if there are any interesting learnings or insights you took from the experience?
As a dancer/choreographer whose work is greatly influenced by my faith, I think my work or what work I “should” be producing is often greatly misunderstood. It is important to me that all my choreography, movement, projects, or even clips of dance I post that may not be my choreography point back to my faith in one way or another- however some individuals think this means I have to produce and post overtly evangelical works of art. Other individuals think my works should be completely separate from faith and thus view me or my works or mentality behind dancing as uninteresting or awkward. As a creative I constantly remind myself that all individuals are entitled to their opinion and comments, even if it comes out as a mischaracterization of my work. I have worked through this by reflecting on how to positively change the stigma of a creative whose inspiration is their faith, and using their opinions as fuel to open discussions about what my art or reasons for dancing really are.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Like many dancers I began dancing at the age of 3 years old right in my hometown of Houston, Texas. I went on to study dance receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Houston. During my years of study I began my nonprofit dance company Deeper Than Dance in 2018. We are a performance based company, creating pieces that take inspiration from faith and life stories. We focus on creating dance film works as well as working on upcoming in-person dance concerts. We are extremely proud of producing positive and inspiring dance works that pinpoint faith in a digestible and natural way for all individuals to enjoy. Aside from working with my nonprofit, I offer private dance classes, group classes, and choreography for performances and parties.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
The particular goal or mission driving my creative journey is 100% my faith in God. I am incredibly thankful and awestruck thinking about the fact that I have been given the ability and power to create from the creator of my very life and abilities. This is something I hope to constantly point back to in my creative journey. I can create because the creator created me that way. My goal is to make this known through all of my successes and even “failures” in the worlds eyes as I create and further put my art into the world.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
I believe a big part of society supporting artists is being educated on the art itself. It’s not enough to just listen to a song or watch a dance because you like it. While that is important and all creatives do want you to like their work, there is inescapable history and culture in everything we create. The more we acknowledge that and become interested in art history, the more we can create with more depth and fully appreciate the art that fills the world around us. Supporting art is also supporting the years of history and culture behind us that lead us to create that art following said inspiration and foundation.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.deeperthandance.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deeperthandanceorg/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deeperthandanceorg
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariah-henry-83b7181bb/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@deeperthandance1670/featured
Image Credits
Aichon Media, Erin Peyrani, & Rachel Redding