Today we’d like to introduce you to Krista Carson
Hi Krista, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started dancing at the ripe age of three when my aunt started her own dance company. I spent the majority of my years performing at events, competing & more all around DFW. Eventually, I hit a wall & moved myself away from dance for a while in my early teens, but found my way back very suddenly in high school. I fell in love with dance all over again in a different way (& still continue to every day). One thing lead to another, & I ended up finding a dance community that really helped shaped me into who I am today. I went on to get my Associates of Arts with Dance Specialization from Tarrant County College & my Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Texas Woman’s University. Currently, I majorly freelance alongside working with a couple of different companies in & around the DFW area to perform, travel, teach & choreograph for a variety of levels & ages, areas of dance, & in types of dance forms.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely not! Dance is an endless pursuit of exploration, refinement, experiences, growth, the list goes on. Not to mention the politics & biases in the dance world that are extremely prominent. Moreover, I have faced my own adversity in the industry due to my body. Most performance companies want the taller, extremely lean build- both of which I am not as a muscular build standing proudly under 5′.
The topic of weight/ body image as a dancer has been discussed more heavily over the past few years, but no one ever talks about height. Most places that hire performers will turn you away immediately over your height, regardless of your experience or abilities. Don’t get me wrong, I certainly understand needs for specific areas/ideas, particularly since dance is a very visual experience to the world, but the heart of dance is in what someone has to offer- not what someone looks like. If I had a dollar for every time someone has told me “you don’t look short on stage”- I think it could change everyone’s mind beyond the superficiality mindset. Once you get over the initial impression of a short person on stage, that detail disappears in the midst of everything else to witness.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As a freelance dance artist with diverse experience, I have the pros/cons of not being tied to any one area. I’ve studied, taught, choreographed & performed in a variety of dance styles over the years; from ballet, tap, & jazz, to modern/floorwork, contemporary, Latin & Korean dance forms, musical theatre, hip-hop, commercial dance… I’ve dabbled just about everywhere I can get my hands on, I greatly value understanding & appreciating what every form has to offer & teach someone, & they’ve all taught me things that bleed into other forms, or just into life. I’d say my personal soul-tie in dance is more in the realm of contemporary/modern/floorwork- it’s just what comes most naturally to me & I personally find to be the most freely expressive.
On the surface, I believe I’m seen as/known for being “that short/tiny dancer,” but frequently (& thankfully) that is usually followed with a compliment on my performance/work. I like that it serves as a means of identity, & I’m proud to hear that my height takes a backseat to everything else when it comes to me & my work, but it’s definitely not all I want to be remembered by. When you have something that sets you apart from the “norm,” you learn how to overcome the challenge in a different way. I can move just as big across stage (or even bigger sometimes) as someone over a foot taller than me. Because when you don’t have the choice- you learn how to make it happen, especially with things you care about.
Aside from the discussion of my height, I’ve in more recent years come to face some adversity due to some health complications/diagnoses. I think when something sets you back or apart from your life, you really take inventory of what you have right in front of you. Regardless, I don’t let any of it stop me. Sure, it’s made it a bit more difficult in some new ways, but I never let it stop me. If anything it makes me want to work that much harder.
I’d say that I think what sets me apart from the majority is not just who I am, but my work ethic above all else. My motto for life is “Do it with passion, or not at all,” because there’s nothing in this life you truly have to do, so if I’m going to invest my time into something, I’m going all in with everything I’ve got. I’ve never let anything keep me from the art, whether that was school, long commutes, multiple jobs, life- I have & will always find a way to make it happen & keep it in my life. Dance is a core piece of who I am, & I don’t feel like myself without it. Beyond myself, I believe it’s a transcendental art. Nothing does dance justice like being able to experience it first hand. Dance is basically a natural instinct & universal language- some may just be a little more fluent or familiar with a particular one than another. But I think dance is for everyone, on all levels & in all walks of life, & I keep those values close to my heart when teaching & performing.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
I could speak for an eternity on the impact the COVID crisis has had, but it certainly put a lot of life into perspective for me.
I was actually in Chicago on a dance trip in February of 2020 when slowly, one by one, everything started to shut down. Being away from home, it was a bit hard to realize what was happening wasn’t just “phone news,” but really taking over life. The last day of the week’s trip, the dance production I was supposed to see was cancelled, & then I flew home just hours before Chicago O’Hare shut down that same day. Dance felt pretty impossible being isolated in my tiny apartment, but thankfully a large online community developed with everyone facing the same struggle. Free online dance masterclasses popped up nearly every day, people began creating screendances (dance films) & everyone was sharing to keep ourselves & our world’s moving. Dance already brings people together, but with COVID, it was an incredibly unique time highlighted in the silver lining of a strong online dance community.
In the late summer of 2020 is actually when I decided to go back to school & pursue my Bachelor of Arts in Dance. Navigating classes online was an interesting struggle, but we stayed strong in the pursuit of what we loved through it all. The most interesting of which was seeing people dance (generally) in their home spaces. Dance already has such a unique identity to oneself, but seeing it in these spaces felt like a greater insight to embodying who someone was. I think we were all united under the uncertainty & it gave me an even deeper appreciation for individuals in practice.
Pricing:
- Pricing packages available upon request for choreography, classes or performing rates
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kncdnc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kncdnc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KNCDNC
Image Credits
Lynn Lane Photography
Shea Kendall Photography
Steve Hwang
