Colleen Leonardi

Artist Jane: Tiffany Rhynard

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Tiffany Rhynard is a rockstar in my book. She inspired me to go to graduate school, create a whole bookshelf devoted to dance and bodymind books and so much more. She is an amazing teacher, working with students from an authentic place to encourage them to find their inner drive and passion. She makes beautiful films. She makes beautiful dances. And she makes a beautiful life with her daughter and husband. My love and admiration for her runs deep. She is a kindred spirit. And I'm honored to share some of her wisdom here with you in the second installment of Artist Jane.

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What do you do and why do you do it?

I make art that has a conscience. I do it because I don’t know how else to function in the world.  More specifically, I work with movement (dance) and image (video). Moving and framing, moving and framing, moving and framing…

Over the years, themes of social activism have guided the content and intention of my work.

When did you first know you were an artist?

I guess when I was in preschool. All I wanted to do was draw. And spend time in nature. Those were two early indications. I was always a maker; I was always making things and staring out the window daydreaming. In grade school I remember making sure I knew all the answers in case I was called on in class, and then I would look out the window and let my mind go.

Who are some of your influences?

Nature for sure, although I don’t think you would gather that from looking at my work. People that have inspired me: the big influences are Frida Kahlo, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Pina Bausch, Alvin Ailey, David Lynch, Spike Lee and Michal Gondry, but there are many more filmmakers, painters, activists and choreographers who have impacted what I make and how I work.

Describe some creative rituals or practices you use to get into your creative process.

I guess there are some basic things, such as making lists, journaling, taking pictures, training my eye, training my body, observing people and nature… being present... and certainly gaining the patience over the years to be “ok” with the reality that I don’t always have to be brilliant or clever or “creative” at every second of the day. But really I usually just have to start working and the process comes (that sounds really pretentious, I don’t mean this in a lofty way…).

What do you fear as an artist?

That no one will see my work.

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How do you cultivate courage?

By not censoring myself. By being angry about things, things such as injustice and inequality and making work about them. And by trying to be a kind person, trying to translate the need for positive change into my everyday actions.

What advice would you give to the little girl you once were?

To speak louder and not be so concerned with what everyone thinks about you. Fail as much as possible but don’t ever give up. I think this is advice I will keep listening to! 

What is your relationship to motherhood and children?

I have a daughter who I love and adore, and she inspires me in many ways. Being a mother certainly changed my work, made it feel more important somehow. It also made me manage my time better!

How do you create solitude for yourself? How do you create community for yourself?

I go back and forth in my daily life between working alone and engaging with a lot of different kinds of people. For me, I really like this balance, and one serves the other. I have these “island” communities locally and all over the globe that I can tap into and then I also have this space in between projects and jobs where I can work on me. I guess that is where the solitude is, the spaces between action.

If you were a goddess, what would your name be and what would you represent?

Wow. I love this question but I feel so much pressure to come up with a brilliant answer! I would probably be modeled after some sort of amazon warrior princess. Maybe my name would be Bitch Please. I would represent the no nonsense, get your shit done and don’t weigh me down with your whining tribe of women.

What is true female power?

My gut response to this question was “being pregnant.” I felt a sense of power and purpose that I had never felt before when I was carrying my daughter. But I think what that experience really did was remind me of something that was already there—the capacity to go the distance and that all I needed to do was harness the energy. 

Learn more about Tiffany and view some of her work by visiting bigapedance.com. 

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{First photo by © Brent Simison, second photo by © Alan Kimara Dixon}

Artist Jane: Lauren Mark

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Lauren Mark and I attended graduate school together at the Ohio State University's dance department back in 2004. When the idea for Artist Jane first came to me, Lauren had just emailed me all the way from Taipei, Taiwan to let me know she had stumbled upon my blog. I was so struck by her email to me - how her questions about living a life as a dance artist were so similar to mine, how her concerns were like my concerns, and yet she is living in a completely different part of the world - that I wanted to share more of her words here with you. I'm excited to share some of Lauren's story with you as the first in the Artist Jane Q&A series. Enjoy. xx

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What do you do and why do you do it?

I dance because it feels like a complete, active expression of the soul. I choreograph to teach students teamwork and to give them diverse experiences collaborating, as well as to challenge them artistically and creatively.

When did you first know you were an artist?

I didn’t begin dancing until quite late, around the age of 15, so for the first several years, I was so preoccupied with improving my technical skills that I wouldn’t have called myself an artist. A big stepping-stone came for me when I took my first dance intensive at the Tisch School of the Arts in NYC midway through college. Having the chance to perform the repertory of different companies under the direction of their company members exposed me to a variety of movement styles that internally gave me the freedom to begin finding my own voice with any movement I was given and to create movement that felt good to me, instead of only trying to fit into other choreographers’ molds.

Who are some of your influences?

To name specific choreographers and dance practitioners, I’ve been influenced by Bebe Miller’s intelligent inquisitiveness surrounding movement and dance making, by the freedom and cross-body patterns of David Dorfman’s movement, by a familiarity of floor movement from my college teacher, David Marchant…陳壽琴’s frontal and lateral approaches to luscious movement… the pristine and breathtaking simplicity of Sankai Juku’s choreography… honestly, though, I’m influenced and inspired by so many dancers of all ages and levels of experience, from high school dancers to up and coming choreographers who post their work on YouTube.

Describe some creative rituals or practices you use to get into your creative process.

Movement-wise, I often use music that inspires me to move, and then I try to collect morsels from improvisation sessions to save for later. Conceptually, I initially draw inspiration from ordinary scenes in my daily life, or from feats of nature that can then be extended metaphorically to describe certain patterns in society.

What do you fear as an artist?

As an artist, I mostly fear that my original intention for a piece won’t read well, or at all, in the finished product. I’m also concerned that the people participating in the art piece, or project, won’t learn or get as much out of the process as they had hoped. Other than that, I usually try to take every aspect of art making as an opportunity to learn – about spatial composition, about transitions, about combining the creativity of dancers with my ideas as a choreographer, etc.…

How do you cultivate courage?

I cultivate courage by trying not to be too attached to egotistical concerns, and by trying to separate those from concerns about the purpose of a project and the well being of those involved. I also try to maintain a sense of curiosity when looking for sources of inspiration to start a new project, and open-mindedness in researching what other people have done and are doing...

What advice would you give to the little girl you once were?

I would tell her not to be afraid to fail, or to laugh at herself, and to approach every endeavor with the same sense of curiosity and enthusiasm that she would any experiment – because they are all a chance to learn. I would also tell her to never stop being silly.

What is your relationship to motherhood and children?

I love children, but I don’t currently have any plans to be a mother. 

How do you create solitude for yourself? How do you create community for yourself?

I set aside some time in my house to read, or research, or just be, instead of “doing.” Sometimes that involves meditating, sometimes emailing, and other times, just walking in nature.

What is true female power?

It’s debatable whether power needs to be separated by gender, but you might say that true female power is not being beholden to what men think of us, or to our appearance. As a visual art, it’s easy to allow aesthetic goals drive our dance making, and as female dancers, to be doubly concerned about the visual impression we make on others. True power comes from the courage to be just as we are, and to be authentic rather than try to please.

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Lauren Mark is a graduate of the Ohio State University dance department, and is fortunate to have since found a second home in Taipei, Taiwan. There, she is a founding member of the East West Culture Project, a center of cultural exchange and unique learning opportunities with traditional eastern practices. Lauren is also a part-time teacher and choreographer at the Taipei American School, and can be reached at laurenmark6@yahoo.com.