By Joe Duffey, Percussive Dance Project Audience Favorite Award Winner
A few weeks ago, I spent a beautiful spring morning with Joy of Motion Dance Center’s Director of Production Rachel Pearl down in the Atlas district, where we explored interesting backdrops to be featured in my photo shoot, as part of the prize package I received last year for winning JOMDC’s Percussive Dance Project audience favorite award. Our adventure took us through various streets and alleys off of H Street, and over to a nearby school, all of which provided us a great mix of color and texture.
Per Rachel’s artistic ambition, our shoot culminated with an Irish step dance across H Street, during the brief moments when cars were not whizzing past. This ended up being my favorite assortment of photos from the shoot. Hey, why walk when you can dance across the street? There is also something distinctively DC about the perspective looking down one of the most dynamic streets in the city.
It was such a treat to spend time with Rachel, who offered me some valuable advice about how to make ends meet being an artist in the District. Joy of Motion Dance Center is a great resource for dancers and an integral part of the blossoming arts community in the DC area. I am excited to see their Dance Project series grow and present even more undiscovered dance talent!
This May, I will complete my BA from George Washington University and plan to pursue dance full-time. Currently, I teach and choreograph for the Teelin Irish Dance Company, based in Columbia, MD. We just presented our hit show “StepDance” at the Lyric Opera House in Baltimore. I am excited about the prospect of working on innovative new projects, and I am confident that my work will lead me to collaborate with a diverse range of artists and creative minds.
I recently submitted my video audition for an online talent search hosted by the producers of Riverdance for their new show “Heartbeat of Home.” The 10 entries with the top votes will get to go on to the final audition, and the judges will select another 10 entries. Please take a minute to check out and consider voting for my entry – a 90-second Irish dance/tap acapella piece I choreographed exclusively for the talent search. The search ends April 26th!
