We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Taron Harris a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Taron, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with talking about how you serve the underserved, because in our view this is one of the most important things the small business community does for society – by serving those who the giant corporations ignore, small business helps create a more inclusive and just world for all of us.
Growing up the majority of my dance training was not in a dance studio, and from personal experience, and brief conversations with dancers that it is sometimes looked down upon because honestly there is a higher level of intensity and discipline in consistent training. Unfortunately, consistent studio training can be costly, and not compatible with most aspiring dancers like myself who have had to find our way in an underserved community. I am grateful to have experienced studio life, but most of my training began in the classroom, progressed through the summers in devised arts camps, and polished up with more intensives and conferences. Wunderkind Dance has a curriculum that involves creative movement, dance composition, and the exploration of international dance. We have been able to reach a variety of ages from early learning, to K-12th, and seniors taking place in multiple settings such as community wellness facilities, after-school electives, shows, summer intensives, and community class events. Most classes are usually offered free to the community or through an affordable paid program.
Taron, 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?
Wunderkind Dance started with me creating a safe space for students of all ages who have a love or interest in dance but need to find their dance language. That is why I offer a personalized curriculum for clients to expose them to different styles they are interested in while developing the technique of that movement and making it their own. The multiple creative community classes I have created include techniques like Latin, African, musical theater, and more with a generalized breakdown of each movement that easily builds into a whole combination. This is why I incorporate creative movement and dance composition so that the students can continue to build and create off of what they’ve learned and not just boxing it into a basic technique which is an important foundation. Most importantly the goal is to release the intimidation off of dance making it fun and effective because it’s honestly a major way we communicate and express emotion.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
The lesson I had to unlearn, and am still unlearning is the stereotypes behind what it takes to be a successful artist. That can honestly mean different things for different artists and that’s okay such as success in a company, community, or mainstream industry. There are so many fulfilling professions in these options that can benefit financially as well, but sadly there are usually limited views on what an artist can do. Also, we are in a time where we can connect with a lot of like-minded creatives and individuals through social media and many other platforms where we don’t need a stage or gallery to present our work and impact lives. This is not always an easy route either for some because it requires a lot of thought and vulnerability so having a strong foundation in creativity and composition using Wunderkind Dance creative curriculum will give you fresh new ideas for content and creating.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I’ve always known that teaching and sharing my knowledge with my community would always be a goal of mine so when I graduated with my BFA in Dance I knew exactly what I would do and how I would get there. Even though I was flexible with those plans the pandemic changed the dynamic of everything for me and I was forced to start a new route in my career. One quote by Woody Allen always stuck with me; “If you want to hear God laugh, tell him about your plans.” Soon after the pandemic, I didn’t have the resources to train or take the classes I needed so I decided to fulfill my interest in Ballroom dance which was a major shift from the technical training I’d just received with it being very intricate and you’re required to move the body in a different way than all other technical styles. I trained for a while and grew to love and understand the dance style. Eventually, I realized I wasn’t receiving as much knowledge as I was progressing so I decided to pursue what I originally set my goals on which was to teach my community and help other underserved spaces that helped me. Currently, I have been able to go back to most of the places that shaped me as an artist and give back through my craft from teaching Wunderkind Dance creative curriculum at my elementary school to choreographing a musical at my high school and teaching diverse dance styles at multiple community facilities, organizations, and events. That pivot did not discourage me from ballroom dance or even giving back to my community, but it did prepare me to become a better teacher find better ways to communicate with all students, and start Wunderkind Dance (Performing Arts & Creative Movement)!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/wunderemporium?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=6a4c1c8f-925c-43aa-a355-b1fe410c0294
- Instagram: @Wunderkinddance
- Facebook: Wunderkind Dance