Spotlight: Ballerina, Eva Alt
Eva, tell us about yourself? What led you to become a dancer?
Sure! Well, I live in New York and have for eight years. I'm originally from Buffalo and started dancing when I was very young, about 6 years old. As a child, I was serious, and had a natural joy and gift for dance. I was 11 when I knew that it would be my profession, and so became very driven on that path. It's a choice, but in a way I also feel I was called to be a dancer, and that sharing my love of dance is my purpose.
Your work spans various disciplines from choreography, teaching, writing, and performance. Which area of your art do you feel inspires you most?
Each of these facets inform one another and make up my lifelong practice of dance. I certainly go through phases where I'm more focused on one, but often find myself fluidly moving through each.
What do you hope to achieve through your dancing?
Dance is the way in which I view the world and myself. Dance is a culture and a connective tissue—it's a way for me to have fun with friends and meet people all over, which is wonderful. It's a constant source of self-knowledge and discovery. When I was younger, I only hoped to achieve becoming a professional dancer, but today, it's so much more than that for me. It's something I plan to do for my entire life, so the goal is really longevity.
How do you incorporate wellness and self-care into your routine as a dancer?
Caring for myself and my body has been a deeply ingrained and integrated process within my practice since I was a child. Cross-training, body work, nutrition, and so on are essential to this life.
What is the best piece of advise you have received thus far that you can share with the LINNÉ community?
A teacher and mentor of mine would tell us "Just Be". I like to keep that with me always. It can mean many things, depending on how you think about it: just be yourself, or just be in the moment, etc.
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