Columbus-native, Alexis Britford, has had dance running through her veins ever since she was a toddler. A graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts’ high school Classical Ballet program, Alexis has also trained at the Boston Conservatory, The Ailey School, Houston Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Hungarian National Ballet and Boston Ballet. Alexis graduated summa cum laude with a BFA in Dance Performance from Wright State University while simultaneously dancing with Dayton Contemporary Dance Second Company. She spent seven seasons dancing with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and was recently a guest artist with Neos Dance Theatre in Oberlin.
Alexis is looking forward to making her GroundWorks debut during our Summer Series.
When did you start dancing?
I started taking dance classes at age three. Most people assumed that my interest in dance would be a phase, but I was determined to be a prima ballerina by the age of eighteen. Although my ballet dreams didn’t pan out, I’ve been blessed to have a thriving professional dance career for almost ten years.
Why GroundWorks? What are you most looking forward to?
Artistic growth. I’m here to continue learning and discovering in the studio and on stage. As a dance artist, you can never have enough tools in your tool belt to help you cultivate your movement and I believe that GroundWorks is the company I need to continue growing in this ever-changing community.
How has it been working with Banning Bouldin?
One thing I love about working with new choreographers is being immersed in their style. Sometimes it fits you like a glove and other times it requires a bit more work. Either way, as an artist, you are given the opportunity to expand your thoughts on movement and become a vessel for the ideas and images of the choreographer. Working with Banning opened me to a style/technique of movement that I haven’t previously focused on and it’s a welcomed challenge.
What is your favorite aspect of dance?
There isn’t one aspect of dance that is my overall favorite. Actually, there are three pillars in which I enjoy dance, with the first being community. Instead of six degrees of separation the dance world consists of one or two degrees. Everyone is connected through classes, friends, and experiences with choreographers making the dance world one gigantic extended family.
Secondly, is vulnerability. Annette Messager, the French visual artist, puts it best “Being an artist means forever healing your own wounds and at the same time endlessly exposing them.” Dance can be the greatest therapy, but sometimes the work requires you to relive past experiences. For me, the captivating dance artists are able to hone this vulnerability. They give the audience an invitation into their humanity.
Lastly is simple – fun. There are moments and experiences when dance is simple, pure, and fun.