The Well Canto Convo with Amy West (1/2)

Part 1 of 2

The Well Canto Newsletter Conversation with Amy West

April  26, 2024 

Volume 11

University of Michigan Professor (SMTD), Dancer, Wellness Coach/Presenter, Choreographer, Ice-Dance Coach, Personal Trainer, Producer, Mentor, Wife, Mother

Photographer Brittany Benion

Amy West’s website:

https://amywestwellness.com/

Watch Amy West in action: Dance Department Film

B: Hi Amy! Thank you so much for making time for this. The reason I want to hear from you is for you to share your wisdom and experiences with the readers of The Well Canto Newsletter. My aim is to provide aspiring creatives with valuable insights from people who have spent decades ‘in the biz’.  

You started your training at age 3, so there is a lot of background that we are skipping over. But to jump right in, what do you see looking back to your young-adult self from where you stand now?

A: As I look back at my younger, developing self, I see someone who was very determined and very hard-working. The family structure that I came from definitely emphasized a strong work ethic, perfectionistic, high standards - it’s in my hard-wiring.  And being fully transparent, sometimes I could work against myself… a bit of sabotage as well as struggles with confidence. Being placed in an advanced college class during my senior year in high school was the appropriate level physically, but it was hard for me, emotionally. 

B: And you were far from home in another state living with relatives, right? I think that would be hard for anyone!

A: Yes, the result was I never felt that I fit into that culture because I was so much younger. Fast forward to when I was a sophomore in college at University of Utah, still in the highest level, and I auditioned for the big showcase. Well, I didn’t get cast at all from that audition, and I was the only one from the upper level who was not placed. That was hard. Really hard. I approached my professor, Conrad Ludlow (New York City Ballet dancer) and I asked, “What happened?” He seemed surprised himself, and suggested that I understudy the piece. I admit I had to swallow my pride a bit, but decided to show up because I’d rather be dancing than moping in the corner. So I did show up. I learned all the parts. During the second week, one of the dancers became injured with a broken foot, and it happened she was the lead. Of course I’d never wish ill will on anyone, but this became an opportunity for me. I was prepared for the role and stepped into the rehearsals. And because I didn't originally get cast, I believe the professors and choreographers came to see me in a totally different light. Gosh, I haven’t thought about this for such a long time, but that was perhaps the first time I was truly seen. The piece was a Ragtime, my personality came out, it was fun to dance, and I felt the stars aligned. 

B: “When preparation meets opportunity” as they say. Also, that work ethic, a growth mindset, and the need to dance rather than not dance. 

A: Exactly. And at the same time I had started with Ballet West, so was also bouncing between campus and downtown.  So, the moral of the story for me is that most of the work I have gotten, from that point and into my professional life, was being in the right place at the right time, but also being willing to step in and learn or understudy or whatever. Auditioning was never my strong suit… I never saw myself as that ‘wow’ dancer. I am consistent, dependable, hard-working, and I’m also prepared. I will always show up as a professional. I’ve seen over the years that sometimes those lightning-type dancers don’t necessarily have the capability to show up day in and day out to do the work. And that is what my reputation as a dancer became: hard-working, doesn’t complain, puts in the time, and is prepared.  

B: Absolutely, 100%, but of course you also had the skills and technique from your extensive years of training. Marilyn Monroe said, “A career is born publicly, talent in privacy.” So yes, your underlying values are front and center, for sure. But let’s be clear that it’s not just, “Good ‘ol dependable Amy. Better ‘n nothin’,” or anything like that. I’ve seen you dance! And I agree with you, I had similar experiences with my singing career...I was always rehired by companies. My principal mentor and dear friend, Richard McKee,  told me when I was coming up that symphony conductors were basically too lazy or too busy to hear auditions, and that as long as you didn’t mess up the last time, they’d have you back.  I know that doesn’t sound glamorous, but I took enormous pride in being reliable, in being a pro, in being rehired time after time. But again, you have to be of a high level, you have to be all of the artistic things, too. 

A: Right, and in company class, which I always opted to take, I’d see resistance from other dancers when the teacher gave corrections, which is part of their job. But I was the one staying after class asking for clarification, or tips, etc. And the teachers would always stay after and work with me. I say to my students now, if you can spend just 10 minutes, even working on your own, but just 10 minutes after class you can gain so much from those 10 minutes as they add up over the week, the month, or years. And as a teacher I always stay around for those few students who want to figure it out now, not mañana. Having a constant hunger to learn and grow is why even now, for instance, I’m becoming certified in Pilates. I don’t need it, I don’t have to do it, but the excitement of learning another applied practice is endlessly fascinating to me. So, it’s just a continuation of showing up with a very high standard and a need to constantly improve.  

B: There’s the growth mindset again. What remains an eternal mystery to me is how one person puts that all together in their mind, and then acts on it day after day. There are correlations between becoming a ballet dancer and an opera singer at a high level in that neither is natural.  One has to develop in ways that are very specific and time-consuming.  So how does one student understand the ‘so extra’ aspect, in terms of the artform itself and effort and commitment, but others don't? 

A: Boy, it’s not an easy answer, and I’ve certainly asked myself that question, too. What I see in 35 years of teaching is that some of the kids that are so naturally gifted, where things come easily to them, sometimes they can blow off their own talent.  And the kids who maybe have less of the nature aspect, they are the ones who develop that drive. Personally, although I had a lot of natural talent, I am also tall (5’7”) and long-limbed, so I had to work hard to gain command over my body. 

And here’s a bit of a blanket statement: sometimes American dancers have so many options open to them, and so many distractions, that they spread their focus out too wide. Or, there is a lot of fear about ‘making it’ in this profession and so they play it safe, maybe find excuses, and/or self-sabotage in a number of ways. But it isn’t really rocket science. If you truly have to do this - not want to, but have to - and put in the time, doors will open. Maybe not in the way you imagined, but it is just the law of compensation… You put in the effort, something will come from it. 

B: What I’m hearing in here, too, is about process vs outcome. Where do you put your focus? To put it simply, fall in love with the process, and let go of the outcome (which none of us can control). It is very hard to do, admittedly. But I believe we should be training our young artists, we should be saying these things out loud. You don’t know what opportunities are out there. I don’t know! No one knows, and they are constantly shifting. 

A: Two things come to mind. When students come to me and ask, “Do I have what it takes?” Well, first of all, as teachers it is very dangerous to presume we can define someone else's destiny…

B: Absolutely…

A: But, I say, while I’m here to best support your training, etc, if you do not have to do this, do something else. Because all the years of dedication and focus, and the skills and self-knowledge you’ve gained you can funnel into something else. And if you find something that feeds you more, then just dance recreationally. And enjoy it and love it for what it is.

B: And do not judge yourself…

A: The other part that is so important is to understand the mental, emotional, intellectual side of training, in tandem with the physical side of dance. When we create open awareness and a support structure we can combat burnout and self-sabotage, and things like body dysmorphia which dancers who stand around in leotards and tights everyday are susceptible to. Labeling and normalizing struggles, and realizing we are not alone takes away both the stigma and the hold they have over us. 

B: This is EXACTLY the purpose of The Well Canto Newsletter… 

A: I will add that I don’t believe in coddling, this is important… coddling doesn’t get anyone anywhere. But nurturing can plant seeds and open doors to authentic self-care. And when those light bulbs go off in students… Maybe they’ve been dancing 24/7 for 15 years and they are burned out. Maybe they need to explore for the next 6 months, or a semester, a summer, or another aspect of their life that will feed into their dancing, IF they choose to come back. But when we are so single-visioned… We do have to align with the work and the work ethic, but we also have to know when to put it up on the shelf and do something else for the rest of the day, the weekend or whatever. We have to learn how to disengage and unplug. That took me a long time to figure out. 

B: Very true. But I see a lot of the opposite, too, and often think, why are you not showing up, taking advantage of every possible opportunity, holding yourself to a high standard, etc? But you bring out the idea that learning to find and practice equilibrium is part and parcel of becoming. All play and no work, there is no progress. All work and no play, progress stops. 

A: Yes! That’s another aspect of what we need to teach students and young professionals: How to network, and how crucial it is to get out there…go see shows, performances, the art exhibit, Shakespeare in the park… go, and meet the performers, send an email, follow on socials the people that are doing what you admire. You are building relationships, and a foundation of trust. Students, be aware of your reputation with teachers. Are you building the life, taking the next steps of what you want to create? If not, start! Is it easy? No. But the things we truly care about are the things we work the hardest at. The hard things build resiliency, and are what matter to us. Not the easy things. In my own training, everything was hard! I’d leave class or rehearsal sometimes in tears, but I’d always come back and I got better. I also took breaks when my mental health suffered. Once I stopped for 5 months, but I came back stronger. 

B: I’d like to underscore that if you have in your heart or say out loud that you want to live the life of an artist, then you have to live the life of an artist! You are not waiting for it to happen, you immerse. And I think I’m hearing you also say you don’t have to have everything all sorted out. Just keep going to this and that thing. Some things will be duds - won’t lead to anything - no harm, no foul. It seems obvious, but it’s also somewhat rare to see that in a student. And so let me ask you something …as an educator all these years (not that you’re old, but you did start teaching quite early), I just want to get on the record that you and other fine teachers really love when their students are hungry…

A: Here at University of Michigan I deal with high-achieving kids. It’s a hard school to get into academically, and then they need to audition for our program. The young people who show up with questions, with curiosity, are the students I adore because they are not presenting as entitled, and aren't expecting to be spoon-fed. They are taking ownership for their growth and education. And I will say, respectfully, there are fewer of those kids who have it together and are here for their education. Everyone’s path is different. I am very pro-college for a number of reasons, and as teachers we see the gamut of emotional intelligence and maturity.  There are more kids who just need a little more time for things to come together, to develop maturity, learn from their mistakes, and college for them can sometimes be a bit of a holding tank. That being said, it is our responsibility as educators to find a point of entry for those kids as well, because they don’t know what they don’t know, until they realize they don’t know it.

B:  And they can transform in 4 years …

A: Incredible transformations! I just had a funny conversation today with some of my seniors… a memory from their Freshman year when classes were online due to the pandemic. Class was at 8:30 am which meant for the West Coast students it was 5:30 am. They had the option to watch the video later, but opted to attend live. Sometimes I’d see that students were getting on the call while still in bed. Today my seniors who were in that class reminded me that I said, “You can’t come to class before you get out of bed! Good for you for showing up, but don’t show up in bed!” Isn’t it funny what they remember?

B: Oh wow, what a great metaphor! Step one: get out of bed. 

End Part 1

We continue our conversation this Monday, April 29. Hear what Amy has to say about coaching Olympic level Ice-Dancers, what qualities she sees in the most successful students, how she blends Wellness with teaching, her own creative work with charitable organizations, and more!