We were lucky to catch up with Zoe Keijser recently and have shared our conversation below.

Zoe , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

Growing up, our house was constantly filled with music, from Gershwin nights with family and friends singing next to the piano, to melodies on the marimba, and Afro-Cuban drumming classes. My first exposure to dance lessons was as a baby when I would come to work with my dad, tucked down by the piano on the floor, listening as he improvised music for the dancers. What my family taught me from an early age was that art and life are inextricably linked. Music, dance, and art are more a way of being than something confined to a studio or a finished product. One thing I love about dance is how truly alive it makes me feel. It is fleeting, like witnessing nature; it is true and real. This has manifested most in my life when a creative plan meets the present moment and evolves to take a new shape. That could look like coming to dancers with planned choreography that is transformed as soon as I am met with their unique energy, or the artistic expression brought to a performance after spending the day with an old friend.

Zoe , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have always been determined to follow my passion. I left Nova Scotia during my high school years to attend the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet on scholarship. After high school graduation, I went on to dance professionally in the US and Canada. During that time, I had deeply memorable experiences like recreating the works of Merce Cunningham performed at City Center in NYC, dancing for the Vancouver Opera, The Connecticut Ballet, and performing at my two favorite art museums in LA (LACMA and Norton Simon). Since 2016, I’ve worked for Align Ballet Method as an instructor and administrator, making ballet accessible to anyone who wishes to learn the craft. It has been such a special experience to witness the joy and connection in this community. While working at Hussian College teaching ballet courses, I was inspired by the young artists and incredible faculty. I enjoyed the challenge of pushing the students to strive for excellence while feeling supported and embracing each other with kindness. Hussian, while it existed, was located at the Los Angeles Center Studios, so it was always fun to go to work and see what shows or films they were shooting that day. Most recently, I launched my own company, Equilibrium. I am excited to grow this company in new directions. I love being with my students and believe in the power of movement to heal and bring us a greater sense of vitality.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

There is something so beautiful and pure about coming to the studio. We all put away our phones, take our eyes off the screens, move, connect, and listen to classical music. Ballet is such a unique combination of challenges. Not only is it physically demanding, but memorizing and coordinating the movements is truly a mental puzzle. Combining those aspects with musicality and artistic expression, to do that simultaneously, you can’t think about anything else. It brings everyone into the present moment. There has been a lot going on in the world (to say the least), so I find a sense of peace and solace in the work I do and the people I do it with.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

At a young age, I left home for ballet school shortly after losing a parent. That period of time forced me to figure out how to be resilient. The ballet school pushed us beyond our limits, and while in retrospect I don’t think all aspects of it were healthy, I learned what it meant to persevere through difficult times both physically and emotionally. It is so important, especially for young people, to have something they can latch on to when they need to be resilient. That could be a trusted friend to talk to or an art form where they can express themselves. I think about kids who go through similar experiences often, and would one day like to create a program centered around helping youth.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.equilibrium.dance/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/equilibrium-creative-los-angeles?utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)

Image Credits

Jennifer Rocholl

Seulki Kim (only the picture by the window)