Meet the Writers: Whitney Weinstein
by: Whitney Weinstein
What would your parents say about your work in the arts?
Always reach for your dreams and be original, but remember you have rent. Find a balance of creative and practical.
Which part is challenging, scary, difficult about writing about dance?
The scary and difficult about dance writing is having the ability to find the delicate place of being honest without offending. I struggle to develop and proudly declare my voice, while choosing the proper way to communicate my opinions or observations. Especially through text, tone can be difficult to interpret, so word choice is my best friend and worst enemy.
How did you learn to type?
I learned to type in middle school, at first using one finger at a time. I felt like my fingers couldn’t reach all the keys from one base point.
If I never see another staged fight again, it will be too soon...unless it can be conveyed with realism and commitment. But I have yet to see that in a theater.
How has TD affected your other dance-related work?
I have become more thoughtful about my work. More often I consider my audience: the targeted crowd, how others interpret and relate to my work, and how I connect to the larger society. TD has immersed me even more in the dance community, providing a broader spectrum of dance-related experience to which I can use to compare, contrast, and inspire. I am a more critical thinker, looking for something deeper than simply being entertainment.
"Good dance....." has intention and value. Viewers can connect to it.
"Good writing..." is thought-provoking, reflective (of the author, piece being critiqued, opinions…), and avoids fluffy indecisiveness.
By Whitney Weinstein
July 31, 2014
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