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On Pointe: Q&A with Dancer Maisy Gustaveson

Posted November 28, 2022September 25, 2023 ninogphotography1 CommentPosted in Dance Photography, On Pointe Q&A, Women Artists

“I want to help the audience feel something when they watch me dance, and the skills I learn from theater help me do that.”

At what age did you start dancing?

I started dancing when I was about 4 years old.

When did you realize you wanted to pursue dance?

I didn’t get serious about dance until my 8th grade year when I had the opportunity to play Clara in the Nutcracker. I fell in love with the feeling of performing and sharing this beautiful art with others.

Who are your influences in general and in dance world?

My greatest influences are actually the girls I dance with. Each individual dancer on my company is so incredibly talented in different ways and I learn so much from training with them.

Please share your favorite moment with your dance instructor.

I remember my first private lesson with the lovely Miss Dayna. I was so nervous. However, this wonderful woman treated me with so much kindness and positivity that I felt more confident in my dance than I had ever before.

What is your favorite theater piece?

I believe that musicals with hardcore dance are just so powerful. One of my favorite shows to watch is Newsies. The use of choreography is marvelous and done so flawlessly. It always makes my heart happy.

Do you get nervous before performances? If so, how do you overcome it?

I actually get VERY nervous before performances, even if it doesn’t seem like it. I’m a hardcore perfectionist, so the idea of messing up is scary. However, before I step onstage, I always close my eyes and think about the people in the audience supporting me. I know that they love me no matter what, and the best I can do is go onstage and perform for them.

What was the most challenging role you played in The Nutcracker?

For 4 years I had the privilege of being in the Arabian Coffee dance, and every year I got to partner. Partnering was very different than anything I had ever done before, and took a LOT of getting used to the first year.

Does your interest in theatre influence the way you approach dance performances?

I always try to blend my two worlds of theater and dance. I believe that they can’t exist without each other. When you go to see a ballet or dance performance, a dancer’s expression is what moves you. I want to help the audience feel something when they watch me dance, and the skills I learn from theater help me do that.

What are your plans after graduating high school?

After high school I plan on attending Brigham Young University and majoring in Dance Education and Choreography. I want to teach and mentor little dancers and help them to grow into their love of dance. I’ve had two incredible dance teachers who have done the same for me, and the least I can do is pass it on.

Lisa Temple painting Maisy Gustaveson on the McKinney Cotton Mill grounds. November 5, 2022.

ON POINTE: Q&A with Dancer Sadie Puckett

Posted June 2, 2022September 25, 2023 ninogphotographyLeave a commentPosted in Dance Photography, On Pointe Q&A, Women Artists

What did you want to be when you were little?

When I was little, I wanted to go into the medical field. I was always fascinated by genetics, nature, biology, etc. My favorite “toy” when I was younger was a microscope! As I grew older, I picked up piano, drawing/painting, and eventually ballet. It was then that I realized that my heart belonged in the world of art.

What made you realize you want to pursue ballet professionally?

I didn’t truly know that I wanted to go professional until recently! I started ballet 4-5 years ago, and I was obsessed from the start. I went once a week for a couple of years before switching to ballet company and training at Allen Dance Studio. Once I joined the company and was training around 25 hours a week, my love for ballet grew even deeper than I ever thought it could. The joy I get out of performing, and even daily class led me to decide that I wanted to take ballet further and make it my career.

Who are your idols?

I love Marianela Nunez, Natalia Osipova, Maria Khoreva, and many other professional ballerinas. I aspire to dance with such beauty and assiduousness like these ballerinas do. On a more local scale, I aspire to be like my ballet teacher, Miss Dayna! She is so incredibly loving and a very talented instructor, and she has many special qualities that I hope to develop when I teach in the future!

*Ms. Dayna Meixell | Ballet Director from Allen Dance Studio*

We know you love playing piano. How has that influenced your dance?

Playing piano and knowing music theory has helped my dancing drastically! I think every dancer should at least know basic music theory and history because it really makes a difference in the way you can interpret and dance along to music. Musicality really adds an extra element to your performance! I have also loved having my piano background because it allows me to understand and appreciate ballet’s history in a much deeper way.

What was your favorite role from the Nutcracker 2022 and why?

It’s hard to choose a favorite! However, I did really enjoy the opportunity to dance as Snow Queen in the Nutcracker, and to perform with my amazing partner who is a professional dancer. I had never partnered before receiving the Snow Queen role, so it was a challenge- but so rewarding to learn the art of partnering while also learning the role. It was such a magical and enjoyable scene to dance, and so different than any other role that I’ve performed!

Describe the most challenging role you performed in a production.

Each role comes with their own challenges, but Chinese Tea from the Nutcracker is one of the most challenging roles I’ve performed! Although it’s short, you need a lot of stamina and strength to properly execute the steps with energy and liveliness. The role was almost entirely jumps and hops en pointe, so it could get tiring very quickly! The silk fans were also an added aspect of challenge, especially while turning. The first year I did Chinese Tea, I ended the production with two badly bruised toenails from all the hopping en pointe! Despite the challenges, it remains one of my favorite roles I’ve gotten to perform!

Describe your practice regimen.

Aside from dancing in the afternoons and evenings at the studio, I do a few things at home to supplement my training. After my night of dance, I always come home and either take a hot shower or epsom salt bath, with an occasional 20 minute ice bath if my muscles are extra sore. I then roll out my muscles and stretch for 30-45 minutes. I am naturally pretty inflexible and tend to get tight very easily, so it’s important for me to lengthen out my muscles and take care of myself after a long day of training!

What are your goals for the next five years?

In the next five years, I hope to be dancing with a major ballet company! I will be accepting a trainee position with a professional company this year, and I hope to continue my training and receive a contract with a major company in the future. I also want to continue playing music, and I hope to be teaching piano, dance, (or both!) within the next five years.