Meet Carolyn Pampalone Rabbers | Dance Artist & Professor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carolyn Pampalone Rabbers and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carolyn, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Once I had turned 30, I had been investigating what my calling is for my life. I always thought it was dancing or to be a dancer. It was only recently through my spiritual practices, overcoming trauma, and staying persistent in the dance industry that I realized my life’s calling is to ‘inspire growth’. Inspiring growth for myself, my work environments, and the people I engage with.

Working as a professional dancer, we are constantly molding ourselves into the design and aesthetic of our choreographer’s vision. My body subconscious has absorbed over a decade of professional work and movement in other choreographer’s movement languages and preferences. With so much information, I had started to feel muddled and lost in my own identity.
The industry mostly lends towards youthful bodies and as I’ve aged, an organic revelation of my own authentic movement voice has allowed for opportunities and engaged excitement to stay active in dance as an art form.

Boredom and complacency are possible in any industry, and after having taken about a decade hiatus from choreographing, continuing momentum in this next growth frontier has come from sharing my own artistic voice. Finding clarity through the previously muddied self-identity. I am honored, blessed and excited by the possibilities to pour into dance artists and create meaningful experiences for audiences through sharing and investigating innovative movement.

Growing in an artistic industry is not only about the art we create, but also growing in the business for the art as well. Through my dance training, I’ve had to be a good listener. It’s necessary for authentic learning in a physical art form like dance as it allows for authentic interpretation of ideas versus a mimicked interpretation. This groundwork helped in growing confidence and assertiveness to speak and share my own voice. This is humbling new territory, and came about as I transitioned through cyclical pain, rejection, growth, and support in order to be able to step up to advocate for dance and my community.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

We are a uniquely professional contemporary dance company located in Southwest MI. We value bringing community access to professional dance, while sharing collaborative and engaging opportunities to connect, view, and participate in movement. We believe movement is as fundamental as breath. Breathing life, breathing movement. While be in attendance towards one another.

I am extremely thankful for the support from the dance community in Michigan. It has been a blessing to see young artists dedicate all of themselves to the work we are doing and to have the excitement reciprocated by the community. Offering an opportunity to view dance at a professional level offers the deepest spark and inspiration to many young individuals whom sign up for dance lessons. And to bring access to rural communities is truly unique and special.

We have only been able to achieve professional what we have through the support of the divine. As a deeply spiritual person, what we have been able to do is not humanly possible only. Only through the dedicated trust and faith to do everything I can possible do, and then let go and trust have we been able to have the success through divine support has allowed contentious growth, curiosity and passion toward the art form of dance.

It’s true that anything worth doing is never easy. Overcoming personal challenges, in growing through personality fears and self-doubt has been a huge factor into this work. I love being a learner and listener and knowing when it’s time to change the environment or to cultivate another environment that I desire through loving communication certainly can ruffle the feathers of those that benefit from current conditions. Nurturing loving relationships through the recongitition of change and growth in myself and in how impactful relationships and environments are in my life has been necessary to constantly evaluate and reflect upon. I have also been humbled in the tradition of the work and legacy of lineages from many amazing women who have advocated for dance throughout the decades. In the day to day advocacy for our work and art, I’m extremely thankful and grateful of the foundations established by so many wonderful pioneers of women in our art form.

Overcoming challenges has been possible through spiritual dedication and weekly counseling to develop tools to help in the journey and process. ‘Letting go of what no longer serves you’ is a common saying in yoga classes. Yet when put into practice it can be truly devastating, and allowing the mourning process as part of the growth process has been a huge aspect some of my life and growth transitions. Letting go of the image of what you thought you ever wanted through realizing it is only a partial picture and trusting the fullness of what your deepest desires will come has been the biggest lesson in this process.

With dance, we can be transported into a corporeal experience that our molecules understand. Dance is historically and deeply a spiritual practice and vocal articulation of what we experience while dancing or viewing dance has inspired some of the most influential spiritual practices throughout history. Staying connected with intentional care towards one another and ourselves is an integral part of dance. We may not be solving world politics, but if we all practiced dance, we certainly would be less volatile in our understanding of one another.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
In St. Joseph Michigan there are so many amazing things to do. We are certainly a destination in the summer. I highly recommend hiking the sand dunes at Grand Mere State Park or Warren Dunes State Park. Other amazing beach days can be found at Silver Beach, Weko Beach, and Jean Klock Park.

We have a variety of amazing place to dine. A go-to dinning experience is Silver Beach Pizza in St. Joseph. We would also have a fine dining experience at Grand Mere Inn.

SWMI has many breweries and wineries. Personal favorites for wine tours and brewery tours are Hickory Creek Winery, Watermark Brewery and Peat’s Cider Social.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would not be here without the dedicated love and support of all of my family, friends and colleagues throughout the years. Each moment has offered an opportunity to reflect and guided me towards becoming me more than the previous moment.

I would like to shout out to all of these amazing individuals:

Kia S Smith, South Chicago Dance Theatre – for her friendship, dedication to Jesus, and inspiration and leadership in our industry.

Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers – allowing some of the most meaningful and memorable performances.

Megan Slayter Jubenville, Western Michigan University – for her mentorship and care have offered support through pivotal life choices.

David Curwen & Sharon Garber, Western Michigan University – for always allowing me to feel seen and supported. From a freshman at WMU to today.

Anouk Van Dijk, founder of Countertechnique – for the most influential movement growth in body, mind and spirit. The best one liners, and brining fun back into my love for dance.

Dr. Thomas DeFrantz, Northwestern University & University of the Arts- for cultivating a learning environment without shame. Your legacy is legendary.

Donna Faye Burchfield, University of the Arts – for bringing together some of the most inspiring artists of today, and always, always, always advocating for dance. Through your work so many dancers have been able to be funded, supported, and seen.

Mary Agnessians – your guidance and support have allowed for life changes I never thought possible, both physically and spiritually.

Rachel Miller – for always offering your considerations and opportunities to help build a dance community for all.

Marianna Olivera – for your professionalism, dedication, and inspiration by leading by example and advocating for women in choreography.

Alexis Harris – your friendship has transcended time, and you are the most inspiring performer I have ever had the privilege to watch.

Dolores Shearer – for always encouraging growth and allowing room for me to share my love for dance from the earliest days.

Jenny Loy – for your collaboration and dedication in leadership. You are an inspirational female leader and boss.

Catherine Pampalone, and Mary Tkach – for sacrificing and allowing me to dance, grow, and continue our heritage.

Website: www.inhalemovement.com

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-rabbers-45994316/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inhalemovement

Image Credits
Lauren Grace Photography Samuel Miller Photography Darby McLoughlin Carolyn Pampalone Rabbers