Dancer On The Move
Highlighting: Janine Beckles
Principal Dancer and Assistant to the Artistic Director
Janine is in her 11th season with PHILADANCO!. As a principal dancer and soloist with the company, she will soon complete a full year as Assistant to the Artistic Director. She also is preparing to receive her Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Leadership from Southern New Hampshire University. Her desire after dancing professionally is to be an executive director of a major Black dance company. Currently, Janine is an adjunct faculty member at Rowan University teaching Elements of Dance and Repertory.
What IS special about PHILADANCO!?
PHILADANCO! is special to Janine because of the touring schedule and the repertoire. This is one of the reasons she auditioned for the company. Janine loves traveling, touring, and performing within the United States and abroad. In fact, as a young dancer growing up in New York, she dreamed of dancing at “The Joyce” and SummerStage, and PHILADANCO! provided her the opportunity to accomplish these goals. In addition, she felt that ballets from renowned choreographers like Rennie Harris and Ronald K. Brown enhanced and expanded her approach to dance and her dance vocabulary. These different opportunities made her appreciate all that PHILADANCO! afforded her. She says it feels great being in a place that “helps her fully develop her artistry.”
What MAKES PHILADANCO! special to you?
What makes PHILADANCO! special to Janine is Joan Myers Brown (JB) and the people at PHILADANCO!. She appreciates and honors the honesty of JB and believes that not many people in the dance/art world are as forthcoming as she is. JB’s character has helped Janine push pass her comfort zone. JB’s tell-it-like-it-is insight has helped Janine develop a “a tougher skin” and Janine states, “That is what you need in the dance world.” JB’s ideology has assisted her in making better choices and has fostered a belief and behavior of not shying away from conflicts. She has learned how to take constructive criticism and apply it to become better.
Along with the mentorship she has received from JB, Janine enjoys the personal relationships she has developed over time. Her personal relationships with dancers who were with the company are key to her development as a dancer. In her first audition for PHILADANCO! while in college, she was cut in the beginning, but friends and mentors who were in the company told her to not give up. She prepared herself by taking more classes, and whenever the company was in her town, she made sure to take classes with them. Former PHILADANCO! company members who hold a special place in her heart are Heather Benson, Adryan Moorefield, Alicia Lungren, Michael Jackson, and Jay Staten.
How DID you and other dancer deal with changes during COVID?
In March of 2020, the company was in Germany, near the beginning of their European tour, when COVID reached its peak. The company had to return to the states immediately. To adjust to the stay-at-home mandates, the company began by having Zoom conversations, then classes, and then rehearsals. Janine appreciated the conversations and discussions via Zoom but found it challenging to learn choreography due to screen and music interruptions. She often felt that the interruptions limited the rehearsals and made it painfully clear that dancers need human contact and interactions.
Due to the lack of human contact and other issues associated with COVID, Janine began to spiral downward. She reached out for therapy, which was offered to dancers as a free service. Through the feedback she received, Janine began to change her mindset. For comfort, she went to Florida to spend time with her family. To advance her career, she began teaching virtually in higher education. And to prepare for her future, she enrolled in graduate school. After returning from Florida, still during COVID, Janine worked in the PHILADANCO! office, fulfilling her duties as Assistant to the Artistic Director which also helped alleviate feelings of isolation.
As the country slowly re-opened, theaters began to stream virtual performances. Janine and former company member Joe Gonzalez performed at the Annenberg Center, dancing on stage for the first time in six months to a virtual audience. In January 2021, the full company performed for Haverford College. Although it was live-streamed and audience members present had to use the social distance protocols, Janine fondly reflects and says, “Even though social distancing was in place, it was great dance again with the company and to see people’s faces.”
Where do you SEE yourself in 10 years?
Janine sees herself in arts administration in ten years, in the role of an executive director for a Black dance company. As a future executive director, she will have her MBA, along with the insight into what it takes to run and manage a successful company. She wants to be able to create strong ties with board members and keep the company fiscally strong. Janine looks forward to working with agencies outside of the dance/art community, and she is excited about applying for grants. Currently, as Assistant to the Artistic Director, she is learning and gaining an understanding of the artistic side. She will be a well-rounded leader equipped with a professional background in dance, teaching experience, artistic insight, and education.
What do you want to TELL young aspiring dancers?
“You have to do your research, especially the dance companies you are interested in dancing with, and be prepared.” Janine also stresses that dancers are more marketable if they know all dance styles. For college and high school students, she urges them to start networking. Conferences like the International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD) is a platform where students can take classes; meet renowned choreographers, teachers, other dancers; learn about the complexities of dance in the U.S. and abroad; and be immersed in the current issues and concerns in the dance world.
In addition, young dancers need to do summer intensives and, while there, become as connected as possible. She suggests, especially to high school students, that finding a program that fits their goals and dreams is imperative. Also, they must dedicate themselves to their artform so their technique is impeccable. “Push yourself beyond your comfort level,” she says. Growing up, Janine says that it was hard for her to remember choreography. She discovered ways that would help her retain material. She watched videos, took notes, and came in early to work on places of concern. “Write notes when given corrections, and go over them before going to bed,” Janine suggests. “Along with that, figure out your learning style.”
Janine cautions young dancers about negatives associated with social media. Social media, if used the wrong way, can be a hindrance. “Make sure to keep your sites clean,” she stresses. Dance companies and people in the art world search on social media platforms for artists. What they find can make or break a career. Janine suggests that young dancers use their sites as a platform to cultivate their career by putting up resumes, headshots, action shots, and clips of themselves dancing. Janine also wants young dancers to find mentors and talk to people who are doing what they want to do. She suggests staying connected and letting learning be mutual: “Do not just receive; become a volunteer and give back,” she says.
What is Janine’s most important piece of advice?
“Find a work life/balance! Your life can’t be all about dance.” Janine insists that dancers need a strong support system of family members and friends. Mental health is as important as physical health, and they tie together. Dance is known to alleviate stress; however, this may not be the case for everyone. She encourages dancers to have conversations about things that may trigger them, because dance may not always be a release. “You need to find support from something else,” Janine says. “Don’t be so hard on yourself and understand that everything is part of a process.” She feels it’s important to “tune out harmful opinions and suggestions.” She feels that all dancers have ups and downs. Regardless of how they feel at the time, however, Janine says, “Don’t let those emotions get the best of you.” She encourages them to “Be humble and take the correction.”
Her other suggestions?
“Find time for you by reading a book, meditate, sitting with friends at your favorite coffee shop. Don’t doubt yourself and believe in yourself and your ability. You are here for a reason!”