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CommentsFlights of the spirits
Opendance founder has danced throughout the world
Staff
Opendance - Michele Ceballos Michot Founding Director
Michele Ceballos Michot, the 52-year-old founding director of Opendance, began studying ballet at the age of six in Bogotá, Colombia. A recipient of several scholarships, Ceballos continued her studies in New York City at Thalia Mara’s National Academy of Ballet and Theatre Arts, the School of American Ballet, the American Ballet Theatre School, and the Joffrey Ballet School.
Ceballos joined the Royal Ballet School in London at 16, where she spent two years studying under the sponsorship of Margot Fonteyn. At 18 she went on to dance with the Deutsch Oper Am Rhine in Dusseldorf, Germany, Ruth Page’s Chicago Ballet, and as a principal dancer with El Ballet Nacional de Colombia. In 1990, Ceballos founded Opendance, a non-profit, multi-cultural, intergenerational, dance arts and educational outreach company, based in Phoenix.
What inspired you to the art of dance?
Music. My first memory is in the living room, record on, dancing for hours,
creating stories through dance.
How do you define dance?
The most primal instinct, to move.
What training did you have?
Ballet, Contemporary, Spanish, Character, Multi-Cultural dance, visual arts, theatre and music.
Who were your mentors?
Many teachers, friends, parents. Look for and work with those who encourage you and believe in you. Stay away from anyone who puts you down, even if they say it’s for your own good. Don’t give up your dreams.
Why did you found Opendance?
I felt stifled in the traditional dance world, which can be very selective and biased. I wanted to create a professional dance company and school, which opened its arms to all forms of expression, all people regardless of age, body type, gender, race, training or economic status.
Describe dance members, past and present.
Passionate, inspiring. Opendance attracts people who at once danced but were discouraged because they weren't “right” for dance, men who couldn’t because their fathers felt it wasn’t what boys do, people who like to work collaboratively. People who have a mix of styles, people who have families so need to work in an environment that is flexible, high school, college students who love dance and education, care about human rights, the environment, understand the healing properties of dance and the arts and their power to create change.
What attributes does dance bring to the performer that he/she can carry throughout their lives?
Confidence, coordination, discipline, body awareness and control, problem solving, team work, heightened sensory awareness, stress release, health and wellness.
How is dance transforming?
Connects you to your core and the core of the earth and universe.
How do you view the current art scene for dance troupes in the Valley?
Not as strong as the visual art, music and theatre scenes.
Other art forms are more connected to each other, dance is still isolated. Diverse groups do not communicate, collaborate together, or share resources, unless they are cut from the same cloth. But there are a lot of little dance groups working on their own, in a variety of styles, in non-traditional ways and venues, so I do feel the “underground” dance scene is flourishing.
What does the competitive landscape look like?
It’s still very open in Phoenix. Room to create, grow, be seen. But, as usual, no money, no pay. We have to change this, the dancers, artists, by valuing our work and time, and not giving it away, unless it’s for an important cause, or some sort of exchange. When artists themselves start to speak about their work as professionals, as do lawyers, doctors, then people will understand that this is our life, our work, what feeds us outwardly and inwardly. And we can’t survive just with air. Air does not pay the rent.
What does your personal future look like?
Fantastic. Opendance has worked in the community for over 18 years, performing and teaching with varied populations, so we are very connected to the heart and soul of Phoenix. We are about collaboration, and have had many incredible ones with art and performance groups around the Valley. With the Latin@ Cultural Center offering us a home, we can finally structure our class programming, choreographies, workshops and performances, exactly how we have always envisioned. ¡Para todos!
For more information about Opendance performances and classes, visit www.opendance.org.
Reader Comments:
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