Meet Rileigh Goldsmith | Dance Artist & Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rileigh Goldsmith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rileigh, why did you pursue a creative career?
I’ve always known I wanted to be a professional dancer, but it wasn’t until college that I began to see it as a real possibility. Growing up, I attended rigorous schools where academics always took precedence over the arts. Every day, I poured myself into my schoolwork, always trying to finish just enough so I could go to dance class at night. When I was accepted into the dance BFA program at the University of Michigan, I decided to double major, again establishing dance as a second priority. For my first two years of college, I took pre-med courses, determined to have a reliable career in STEM as a fall back. However, as I listened to my classmates discuss their medical school aspirations, I realized that I would never feel as passionate as they did; my dream was to create dance.

After what felt like a lifetime of juggling a double major, I began to understand the importance of protecting my energy. I wondered what might happen if I focused entirely on a career in the arts. Until then, I had pushed myself towards a “safer” path out of fear that I wouldn’t succeed in the competitive world of professional dance. Despite my fears, as I began applying the same dedication and strategic approach to my artistic career as I did to scientific studies, I started gaining momentum. A career in the arts can be daunting and unpredictable, but there’s something exhilarating about carving out your own path and creating opportunities for yourself.

Over the past two years, I’ve had some incredible experiences that have significantly developed my artistic career and approach. This year, I self-produced my senior BFA thesis “Pivot,” a virtual reality dance gallery that featured three of my choreographic works for 360° viewing. “Pivot” recently premiered at its first film festival! This project allowed me to express my creativity through choreography and performance, as well as take sole responsibility for filming, editing, set design, grant writing, and all other aspects of creative production. Through volunteering with dance therapy patients, serving as executive director of my hip-hop student organization, and teaching dance classes to children, I’ve found that movement is an invaluable healing practice. A career in the arts is truly what you make of it! While I believe that there is a significant need for systemic change within the dance industry and its leadership, I am eager to contribute to that change and create new opportunities for dancers who share my passion for the art form.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Right now, I’m in an experimental point of my career where I’m simply focused on opening myself up to new learning opportunities. Ultimately, though, I’m interested in creating experiential dance projects that move the viewer, be it physically, emotionally, or intellectually. As a dual major in neuroscience & psychology, I’m really fascinated by the brain and our kinetic intelligence. So, while watching a dance performance is an experience on its own, I like to go deeper and consider how the small details of an event might modulate the experience. How will the audience move through the space? What sense of community will we created through this performance? Who am I attracting to this event based on my marketing? I’m definitely obsessed with intentionality.

Recently, I’ve been interested in choreographing and producing experiential dance performances, particularly through the lens of film and media. I came up with the idea for my BFA thesis “Pivot” in January of 2022, and found that the most challenging part was putting my creativity on a strict timeline. In order to apply for the grants I needed to complete the project, I had to write detailed proposals far in advance, so going through the mental gymnastics of budgeting, vision boarding and describing a completely hypothetical production was difficult. I’ve learned that taking big projects one day at a time is key, or else you will overwhelm yourself with all of the “what-ifs.” When I felt stuck, it was most helpful to escape the world of my project and re-inspire myself with new art, nature, or friends.

My art has remained authentic to my interests. In “Pivot,” I wanted to position commercial dance in a “high art” museum setting, challenging my viewer’s perception of these movement genres and their value. In an increasingly technological world, I wondered how my audience’s experience might change if they were able to view dance in a virtual reality headset as opposed to a live performance setting. Throughout the ten days that my gallery was open, I got a lot of insightful feedback from near 400 viewers. Many attendees expressed that they felt dropped into the middle of the performance, able to dance along or take in their surroundings without any feelings of self-consciousness. I’d never before considered the “performance”one puts on in watching a performance, so new ideas like these were really exciting. The whole basis of “Pivot” was encouraging introspection, empowering one to question their choices and seek out new, joyful paths. At the end of the gallery, I left a guest book for viewers to share about their experience. I was touched to find that people wrote vulnerable messages about love, friendship and loss, many of whom expressed that the gallery had inspired them to make a change in their own lives. This kind of community building through dance is what I’m most interested in and what I’m most proud of.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I grew up in Los Angeles, so there are a million different “perfect day” itineraries one could create. Personally, if I were showing a friend around for a day during the summer, I would spend it outdoors!

1. Before it gets too hot, go on a quick hike to take in the sights of the city and chat.
2. Quickly change into beach attire and pick up lunch from one of the following spots, depending on your craving.
1. Cafe Vida – Tex-Mex Salad or Chicken Wagon Wheel Pasta
2. Mendocino Farms – Prosciutto Chicken Sandwich
3. Layla Bagel – Pre-Jam or Laika Bagel
3. Drive down to the beach, either Will Roger’s or Zuma depending on how much you’re craving some PCH driving therapy. A meticulously curated playlist is essential to this part of the experience.
4. Spend the day on the beach eating lunch, swimming, reading a good book, and relaxing in the sunshine! Bonus points if you pick up a fresh fruit cup from one of the local vendors on your way home.

If you’re not much of a beach person, I’d explore Abbot Kinney for some fun shopping and stop by Gjelina Take Away for a delicious pizza break. The “First Fridays” event on Abbot Kinney is also fun! They’re pretty basic recommendations, but I also love the Botanical Gardens at The Getty Center and Griffith Observatory for a sunset picnic and stargazing! I also recently visited the “Luna Luna” art exhibit in DTLA, which was a must-see.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Many people and places have inspired me, but without a doubt, my parents have always been my greatest support system. Whenever I tell them about my latest lofty goal (and I have many), they never respond with doubt or questioning; instead, they ask, “What’s the plan?” In moments that I feel overwhelmed or overextended, they have always believed in my ability to get the work done and succeed. I also really appreciate that my parents never sugarcoat anything, which allows me to truly trust their opinions regarding my work and push myself to create projects that I am proud of. They’ve embraced my passion for the arts without any external pressures or expectations, so I’ve been able to create for myself, which is very freeing. I couldn’t have done any of it without their support!

Website: https://rileighgoldsmith.squarespace.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ririgolds/

Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/rileigh-goldsmith-a53266206

Image Credits
Ellie Vice – photo from The Michigan Daily