Tag: kat wildish

Why the Rise in Performance Opportunities for Adult Recreational Dancers Matters

On a cool afternoon last November, Linda Past Pehrson, just a few days shy of her 77th birthday, warmed up backstage at the Peridance Center in New York City. She was wearing the white tutu she’d spent the previous evening ironing—her costume for the latest Performing in NY Showcase, organized by Kat Wildish. Pehrson’s group […]

Why Adult Ballet Students Should Be Taken Seriously

More than once, when I’m sporting my faded, well-loved ballet hoodie, some slight variation of this conversation ensues: “Is your daughter the dancer?” “Actually,” I say, “I am.” “Wow!” they enthuse. “Who do you dance with? Or have you retired…?” “I don’t dance with a company. I’m not a professional. I just take classes.” Insert […]

The Freelance Zone

Nine dancers discuss life as independent teachers. Not every dance teacher imagines their name on the front door. Running a school can take time away from actually teaching, never mind the constraints of teaching in one place. Freelance teaching has always been an option for dancers—an elastic schedule can work well to complement their performance […]