Meet the Writers: Ellen Gerdes

What are you most excited to cover through TD?  
Anyone who has sat next to me at a show knows that I get jazzed talking about cultural politics/representation in choreography.

How has TD affected your other dance-related work?  
It makes me re-think the difficult task I set for my students.  It isn't easy to succinctly and articulately describe a dance event.  I think a lot about how to make writing about dance more fun for them.

Which part is challenging, scary, difficult? 
I'm worried people will see me only as a writer and will forget about me as a performer.

How/when did you learn to type?  
I am self-taught, so I don't use the home keys (and rarely my right middle finger).  It works just fine!

If I never see another …. again, it will be too soon.  
...another dance with purposeful bad singing...unless it is Eleanor Bauer!

What would your parents say about your work in the arts?  
"Ellen is busy navigating her free-lance artist's lifestyle with a color-coded schedule she sends to us via email.  She is brave and talented.  A lot of her shows look like Wesleyan dance concerts."

If you were to write a dance love-letter, it would be to:
Bebe Miller.

Finish this sentence "Good writing..."  
...makes me jealous.

Finish this sentence "Good dance..."  
...stays with me.

By Ellen Gerdes
February 22, 2012