Back Stage with California Contemporary Ballet gives you an inside look into what it's like to be part of this remarkable company, and the lives of the dancers who make up the ensemble. This week, we get up close and personal with CCB's Laura Smith Mauldin.
Hometown: Fountain Valley, CA
Favorite
Dancer (living or dead): Moira Shearer (Best ballerina of her time in my opinion)
Working with Jodie Gates on the re-staging of William Forsythe's "Artifact Suite" definitely gave me a sense of accomplishment. The fact that I was cast by Jodie made me think that I really had a chance to be a professional dancer.
Where did
you train? Any memorable teachers
or programs?
What’s your
favorite style of dance to perform?
Ballet! It's what comes most naturally to me; I love the elegance and the grace. Although, I also love to do things that are strong and dynamic too, such as modern dance or modern-ballet-fusion.
What do you
feel is the biggest challenge of being a dancer in Los Angeles?
California is so big that it adds a new challenge because everything is so spread out. You could have gigs in places that are two hours away in opposite directions, not like New York where everything is so close. And the traffic-- Oi Vey!
When did you
join CCB?
I
did a dance festival with CCB in January 2009, but officially joined CCB in the summer of 2009.
What has
been your favorite piece to perform with CCB?
Playing the role of Gerda in last December's production of "The Snow Queen" was by far the most fun. I got to be onstage the whole time and I loved her range if emotions: happy, worried, frustrated, defensive, and above all determined. Gerda and I merged personalities very easily.
Right: Laura partnered by Filip Stanek in The Snow Queen.
"Predea" is probably the most challenging piece and there is definitely a love/hate relationship there...It's a fantastic piece, but it kills me!
Why do you dance? What keeps you going with it?
I dance because I love it. I love moving and performing. I get excited over any performance whether it's at the Pasadena Civic Center or in a mall somewhere. I just love to dance for people.
I could be anywhere in five years. I could be a mom, I could be in culinary school, I could be dancing for CCB, I could be teaching....any combination of any of those things is possible!
Any advice
for young dancers just starting out?
Do you have
any pre-performance rituals or superstitions when you’re backstage?
I like to be quiet in my own mind right before I dance. I visualize my choreography and go through the emotions of the piece in my head. I definitely practice anything that is tricky for me before-hand. And I always make sure I take off my jewelry!
Meet all the members of CCB each week here on the CDA blog and for upcoming performances and more information visit CCB's website.
Don’t Judge Me By My Tights
Photo credit: Nathan Perkel for NewsweekAbove it All: Ballet was worth a fat lip or a black eye
Being a male dancer means battling many stereotypes. But the rewards of my job are limitless.
By Sascha Radetsky | NEWSWEEK
Mar 17, 2008 Issue | Updated: 1:15 p.m. ET Mar 8, 2008
My business attire is a pair of tights. All right, there it is. I wear makeup onstage, and some of my colleagues are gay. Can we move on now? Can we leave behind the tired male-ballet-dancer stigma—that ballet is not a masculine pursuit—in order to move toward an appreciation of the athleticism and artistry involved in this line of work?
On an average day at the job, I handle lithe, lovely women, engage in duels and delight in the experience of an exotic locale. I move like a gymnast or martial artist and embody the vilest of pimps or the most chivalrous and passionate of lovers. I constantly expand the borders of my physical capabilities, and I hone my mind to a quick-learning, focused edge. Come 8 p.m., I'll fuse dynamic movement and storytelling with the grandeur of a full live orchestra.
Yes, I'm proud of my profession. Yet I find myself slightly guarded when I tell people what I do. Like some sort of incurable blight, the male-dancer stereotype has taken root and metastasized in our cultural consciousness. Pioneers like Baryshnikov or Nureyev might have opened some minds, but their days have long passed, and despite the noble efforts of a handful of current ballet leaders to expose fresh audiences to our art form, a whole new generation looks at male dancing with skewed vision. Some of my peers are foreigners; in many other countries male dancers are held in higher esteem. I studied in Russia for a year and always marveled at the way Russians celebrated their artists, whether their medium was dance, music or the written word. But I'm American, and I want to live in my own country, as a dancer, with some respect.
The most irritating aspect of the male-dancer stereotype is the underlying insinuation that we in some way lack strength of character or a courageous spirit. Male and female, all dancers undergo strenuous training from a very young age, and constantly wrestle with injuries and fatigue. But male dancers must possess a special type of will and fortitude if they are to become professionals, for, like fish swimming upstream, we have to fight through the current of thinly veiled contempt that much of society harbors for our chosen path. In our culture, girls are encouraged to take ballet; boys receive no such endorsement, except of course from ballet teachers or exceptionally supportive parents. The boy who perseveres in dance must have a genuine hunger for it, must be uniquely motivated and dedicated, and must develop a truly thick skin.
I started taking ballet when I was 5. My open-minded parents thought it was a good way to channel my rambunctious behavior. A few years later I was hooked. I loved the physicality and, of course, the girls, but I also learned that not everyone recognized the value of dance the way I did. I don't remember the first fight I got into for being a kid who took ballet, but I remember fighting a lot before I realized that maybe I should keep my extracurricular activities to myself. But ballet was rewarding enough to be worth a fat lip or a black eye, and I emerged from my years of dance training more focused than ever. My background is not unusual among my American colleagues—they share similar stories of discouragement, harassment and even violence. But these experiences served to harden resolve and develop courage, and I know I can always count on several of my dancer buddies for steadfast support—they got my back! Ironically, the stereotype of the sissy male dancer has given rise to a male dancer who is anything but.
It's frustrating that I feel obliged to extol the virtues and describe the rigors of my profession. I'd just like to make it known that the path of the male dancer isn't necessarily easy—as with any truly worthwhile endeavor—but the rewards can be limitless. I feel lucky to have discovered a vocation that has allowed me to glimpse the great depth of human potential, both physical and mental, and has given me the opportunity to bring joy to so many people in so many places. I feel there is honor in the arts, in the world of dance, in the realm of male ballet dancing.
Exposure to ballet is all that is needed to open minds, for the combination of athletic movement, ardent drama and beautiful music can instill a profound appreciation in an audience. But for you out there who still feel compelled to malign male dancers with half-truths and petty stereotypes, well, maybe we need to step outside. I'll leave my tights on.
Radetsky lives in New York City.
© 2008
At California Dance Arts, we have several young men currently training, and really enjoy training men. We are offerring a boys and mens class over the summer in which girls are not allowed, where young male dancers get the opportunity to hone their skills. The class concentrates on classical and contemporary styles of dance giving men
the opportunity to learn male specific movements, tricks and techniques. It’s a must for any aspiring male dancer. Click HERE for more information.
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