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

Hi kathryn, how do you think about risk?
Being a dancer, itself, is always risky. Being any kind of artist can be seen as dangerous. Every day we question ourselves, our worth and find ourselves asking all the time ‘Is this worth it?” We realize though that the energy and process is really more important than the destination. The love and drive that goes into something is why we do it. Starting my own company, creating my own full length performance is a risk I’m ready to take on this year. Moving to Colorado was a risk for myself in the first place. I moved here three years ago to pursue my career as professional dancer. Joining my first company was a dream come true, and since then I’ve had the pleasure and opportunity to work with several professional dance companies and performances. After a year due to Covid19, I realized how much I want to grow as an artist, and how creating my own full length work is the next step. I plan, with Bl!nk Modern Dance Company m, to have a performance in April “Pink Floyd’s the Wall; A Modern Dance Story”, where we depict the ideas of influence in today’s culture through societal standards. Creating such a show is one of the most extreme risks I have ever taken. To pour my heart and soul into these next months of rehearsal and studying, is a risk. Time is a risk. Art is a risk. But never doing this, when I’ve been blessed with the tools, knowledge, and people this year is a larger risk, so I know I have to take this risk for myself and my career.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, I grew up a total “bun- head” ballerina from about two years old to my high school years. During my junior year, I was involved in a golf cart accident where I had both ankles fractured, severe third degree burns, and my right leg was crushed. The doctors didn’t know if I’d walk again. Through months of bed rest, then crutches to walking, I was finally was able to start dancing again around college. I attended Alma College in small town Alma, Michigan, where I studied ballet dance again as well as modern dance. Modern dance is what I like to refer as the gray area. Ballet is so black and white, but with modern there’s so much room for creativity and interpretation that I started to really dive into it. Near the end of my college career, I attended American Dance Festival (ADF) on scholarship for six weeks where I studied with renowned artists such as Nia Love, Paul Matteson and “Aqua Boogie”. That is really what I consider the turning point of my career, from student to professional. That moment is when I knew I was ready to pursue dancing full time. Shortly after college, I moved to Colorado joining my first professional modern dance company. Since then I’ve worked with Kim Robard’s Modern Dance Company, Evolving Doors Modern Dance Company, Life/ Art Dance Ensemble, Ethereum Modern Dance Company, In the Wings Aerial and Dance Company, Nosilla Modern Dance Company, Dance Art Media Entertainment, as well as professionally back up dancing in my personal business K & M Entertainment. Colorado has given me experiences that I never thought possible, and I’m very happy to be doing what I love. I’ve learned to push. I’ve learned to set goals and reach higher. Since I’ve been able to fall in love with dance again and truly pursue it, I have found a reason to go to every audition I can, and start my own company this year. These life changing experiences have given me the tools and strength to pursue this dream again. After dancing professionally with these companies over the past three years, I find myself questioning, “What’s next? How do I keep growing as an artist?” After much thought, I have several answers, but starting my own company is phase two of my process. I want to create art this year. Covid19 really put every artist into a whirlwind, and we are so ready to create this year and put ourselves out there. Nia Love, especially, taught me that we are not just dancers. We are artists; we are mentors, we are creators, we are philanthropists of dance and this is how we show the world what it is. Creating Bl!nk Modern Dance Company is my way of doing that. My goal is to bring more insight to the Denver Community. I want them to leave their chairs with art in their heart. I want them to leave with questions and answers, and a bit more understanding. Bl!nk Modern Dance Company is for me, as much as it is for this community—for every artist and I’m beyond excited to start this new journey with my wonderful dancers.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This is an interesting question, as I’ve only been in Colorado a few years, and the city of Denver more recently only a few months ago, but the art here is outstanding. Just taking walks through the city, especially the Rhino arts district where you can see all the giant airbrush paintings on the walls of the streets is jaw- dropping. The Sante Fe arts district, all the art galleries up and down the streets, as well as art crawls on first Fridays of the month are worth checking out. That’s the main reason I moved here from Chicago; art is happening here, and it’s growing. Along with dancing, I paint, and it’s as if there’s this underground group of artists. Everyone in Denver has an appreciation for art. It’s in all the bars, boutiques, restaurants, coffee shops- it’s wonderful! Some of my favorites include Your Mom’s House in Denver, Electric Cherry Boutique and Bluegrass Coffee and Bourbon Lounge in Arvada. Olde Town Arvada is one of my favorite places, from Cheapskates action and Sports Bar to 12 Volt Tavern are two of my favorite places to hang out. The people there are like family and always ask me how dancing is going and how to support the art community— the people of Olde Town will always have my heart. Something I’ve always loved doing is driving, and Colorado is the best place to get lost. As a girl who lived most of her life in the flat Midwest, moving to Colorado and seeing mountains for the very first time was mesmerizing. I’ve never been so humbled, or inspired. You can drive from the city about half an hour and be in the great mountains. Any time I need inspiration or to clear my head, I just drive west. Colorado really is beautiful and I’m really fortunate to call it home.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to especially thank Tom Palmieter and Gabe Palmatier Marshall of Evergreen School of Ballet. Tom has been my main problem solver, helping with my website, marketing tools, and really guiding me down the pathway of being the artist I want to be; Gabe has not only been my heart and soul these past few years I’ve known her, but has been such a role model in pushing me create my own company and work and telling me what I really needs to hear sometimes. The other studios I teach at as well as other companies, and mentors I’ve had since moving here, have also all been extremely supportive in my artistic story.

Website: https://www.kathrynkalamaras.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blink_danceco/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Blink-Modern-Dance-Co-109890764791834

Image Credits
Shepherd Eaton Dustin Moon Dante Dellamore Bill Murf

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