Below we have a guest blog from Jourdi Waller, Administrative Associate with the Stephen Petronio Company and an American Corner delegate to the 2014 CINARS Biennale in Montréal, Canada.
Last month I attended CINARS in Montreal, Canada as a representative of Stephen Petronio Company and American Dance Abroad. CINARS was an eye-opening, informational experience; I now better understand Stephen Petronio Company’s place within the global dance landscape and have made connections with numerous arts programmers from around the world.
Because I had the freedom to create my own schedule for the conference and performances, I was able to tailor my experience to best fit Stephen Petronio Company’s needs. With our Executive Director Laurie Uprichard also at CINARS, I was fortunate to have several mentors on-hand throughout the conference. It was invaluable to meet dance presenters from Western Europe, the Nordic countries, and Canada, learn about their programs, and share Stephen’s new initiative and recent work with them. As my first international dance immersion, it was a great introduction to the world outside of NYC; it opened my eyes to the many gateways and paths available for bringing American dance across borders.
I am beyond thankful to have experienced CINARS and such a deep-set shift within me. It was transformative to realize how the dance landscape grows and diversifies beyond just NYC to culturally rich cities and countries all around the world. More than ever, I understand the power of dance. With an enriched perspective, I look forward to sharing Stephen Petronio Company’s work and dance with the rest of the world.
Jourdi has worked with Stephen Petronio Company since January 2014. Throughout her formative years in Portland, Oregon, college, and life thereafter, Jourdi has balanced arts administration with practice as a dancer and choreographer. Before moving to New York, Jourdi graduated with a BFA in Theatre Management from The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago, IL with a minor in Management from the Driehaus School of Business. During her time in Chicago, she interned with renowned organizations including Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Remy Bumppo Theater Company, and choreographed and danced with several hiphop companies throughout Chicagoland. Along with her current role at Stephen Petronio Company, she is also a freelance dancer in New York City engaging in dance-theatre projects, waacking & housing scenes, Brooklyn hiphop hipsterism, and meditations on rooftops.
American Dance Abroad 
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