We had the good fortune of connecting with Marie-Jose Payannet and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marie-Jose, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Imagination and being able to deeply immerse myself into a creative project has been a huge part of my happiness. I have to imagine, create, move, talk, dream. I cannot stand still.

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.
I started Danse Etoile to give opportunities to young artists to perfect their craft, to feel that they have a safe place to be themselves. I am so proud that we have produced so many original performances on a shoe-string budget , and that our audience has continue to grow. Our productions are imaginative, and give the audience a feeling of being a small part of the story. Our performers always give their 100%, and our volunteers make Danse Etoile a warm community. All of it was hours and hours of hard work, sleep deprivation, anxiety but also the joy to create and to give those opportunities. The lessons I have learned are to be yourself. Do not worry about criticism. Some people will always criticize your work no matter what. Just keep creating and working hard.

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?
The beautiful hikes in the mountains. All the little coffee shops around the area.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
All the volunteers who shared and crossed Danse Etoile’s path, and believed in the importance of local Arts. We could not have grown without their help and trust. The SCFD, an organization that helps local Art groups with allocating grants.

Website: www.danseetoile.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danseetoileballet
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanseEtoileBallet
Youtube: DanseetoileBallet

Image Credits
Dominique Payannet Randy Macht

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDenver is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.