Community Connection ~ Celina Booth
For my Community Connections Outreach Project, I had the pleasure of interviewing one of my biggest inspirations and role models, Celina Booth. Celina is quite the versatile dancer and is trained in both classical and commercial styles. She has been dancing since the age of three and she has been awarded Modern Provincial Representative and competed at the BC Performing Arts Festival. She has performed at the 2010 Olympics, BC Lions Half Time Shows, Vancouver Pride, multiple shows with The Lovers Cabaret, and danced in the Netflix film, Puppystar Christmas. Every week, I get the honour of working with Celina to train in in various styles of dance such as hip hop and jazz. Below are Celina’s thoughts and answers to 6 questions relating to her experiences as a dance teacher, choreographer, and performer.
Question 1 ~ Can you explain your roles and responsibilities with your current position?
“In my current position as a dance teacher and choreographer a lot of my roles differ based on each sort of class I teach. I teach a variety of different styles of dance including hip hop, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, and musical theatre and have trained extensively in all of these styles. So, it is my responsibility to pass on this knowledge and also provide choreography and technique as well as teach my students to perform on stage, camera or in front of an audience. I also have experience with many different ages from very young (babies and toddlers) to pre professional adults. Knowing how to cater classes to different ages and levels is very important in my job to help my students feel as comfortable and fulfilled in class as possible.”
Question 2 ~ What obstacles have you faced to get to where you are today?
One of the biggest obstacles in any creative job is self-doubt and anxiety that the work you’re putting out isn’t “good enough.” I tend to worry that my work won’t be received well by others. Finding ways to consistently be proud of the things I create without seeking as much outside validation has helped me grow so much. The longer I’ve been doing this as my career I’ve recognized I’m putting out more choreography that makes me happy and work that I am personally proud of.
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Question 3 ~ What advice would you pass on to someone interested in doing what you are doing?
A huge piece of advice I would give to somebody who wants to get into this field is be aware that there is so much more that goes into choreographing and teaching other than dance itself. I spend so much time editing music, finding costumes, sending multiple emails a day and financing. While it’s a very fun and artistic job, there is so much more that goes into it to mentally prepare for.
Question 4 ~ Why are you passionate about your job/role?
One of the things that I am most passionate about is watching not only the growth in myself but seeing the growth in my students throughout the years. I would say it’s the most fulfilling part of this job. When you can visibly tell you are making a difference and have a lasting effect on another person because of something you taught them is such an amazing feeling.
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Question 5 ~ What would you consider your biggest accomplishment or achievement in your career and why?
I would say my biggest achievement is making a career out of something I’m passionate about. I know a lot of people want to take more conventional routes when thinking about their career paths, but I always knew I wanted to do something more artistic. I am proud that despite feeling some judgement or stress that I chose to pursue something that would make me truly happy.
Question 6 ~ What are some skills you consider necessary to do what you do?
There are so many skills that are necessary in this role. Some of the most important ones besides obvious years of dance training are as follows: good communication skills, patience, the ability to work with children of all ages, an eye for detail and a creative, open mind.
In conclusion, I learned a lot about the inner workings of Celina’s role. I think after knowing all of her answers to the 6 questions, I got a better understanding of what it is actually like to be a choreographer, dancer, and performer. Finally, thank you to Celina Booth for taking the time to interview with me!
