Meet Rhianna Cranston | Dancer & Teaching Artist

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

Hi Rhianna, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
My pursuit of a meaningful career in dance has been shaped by a drive and natural gravitation towards human expression and connection. Dance truly is the language of the soul (Martha Graham), and I feel like I have done the most “speaking” through movement. I grew up in the arts and participated in variety of disciplines such as playing instruments, theatre, and singing. Dance was always the activity that stuck, and I found that even in attempts to briefly put it to the side, I always returned to dance as if it were home. It is home, because home is where your heart is. Looking into my future in dance, the opportunities for personal and social impact and collaboration are endless when it comes to creating and studying movement. Making contributions to the field at large as a college lecturer would fuel my love for teaching and choreography with the desire for continuous learning, which is why I will be attending graduate school and pursing an M.F.A. in Dance this upcoming Fall! I look forward to the possibilities for professional development, ensuring that through consistent engagement, I remain at the forefront of an ever-evolving dance landscape.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
From hosting makeshift “dance classes” for my neighbors out of my family’s tiny garage at an all-knowing age of seven, to writing plays with friends that unfolded in our living rooms, my journey through the arts is defined by an instinctual gravitation to explore the depths of creativity and human connection. Nurtured by a family who supported my interests in a variety of disciplines including dance, my involvement in the arts was unwavering throughout my formative years. However, this innate attraction to artistic expression presented inevitable adversities. Amidst the predominantly white landscapes of the central plains, identity struggles followed me through my experiences. A lack of diverse voices in my creative spaces served as a backdrop to many of my endeavors. Despite the challenges that came with this reality, my dedication persisted. Dance was not just an activity I idly practiced, it served as an outlet for emotional release and self-validation.

I chased my childhood dream of becoming a professional dancer into adulthood, receiving a full scholarship to pursue a BFA in Dance from the University of Kansas. Rejecting confinement to the classical boxes I was accustomed to, I deeply immersed myself in the worlds of hip-hop and contemporary dance. The nuances of these genres allowed me to be my authentic self, finding a long-awaited resonance in connecting and collaborating with artists who shared physical and cultural similarities. From university undertakings to independent training in cities such as Chicago and L.A, I sought after rooms that held space for the bodies and minds of people of color. This pursuit led me to a ballroom at the International Association of Blacks in Dance conference in 2017, eager to take class from cultural ambassador and modern-dance icon Cleo Parker Robinson. Cleo’s presence was empowering, as I admired her commitment to social justice, movement ideologies, and her diverse organization of beautiful, Black bodies. The experience was transformative, and post-graduation I immediately traveled to Denver to audition for her historically rich dance company. Upon a successful audition, my inner child rejoiced. Yet, I did not anticipate unfolding a new calling in the beautiful state of Colorado.

Many professional dancers, including a past version of myself, commonly express the sentiment, “I’ll prioritize teaching when I can no longer perform.” However, this significant chapter in my story unravels the falsehood of that statement. During my time with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance (CPRD), my professional path took an unexpected turn from performance to a dedicated focus on teaching and creating. This shift was set in motion through a cumulation of factors, including the CPRD contract requirement of teaching in the academy and in K-12 schools. My increased engagements within dance education brought not only monetary compensation, but priceless rewards and revelations stemming from those precious moments of impact inside the classroom, and I recognized the influence educators single-handedly can have on the lives of their students. Sharing my passion for movement through teaching has instilled a deeper sense of purpose, and this sentiment continues to be a driving force in my current professional ventures, which span across a variety of platforms.

My experiences teaching in schools through arts-in-education organizations have spurred a dedication to advocacy for inclusive K-12 dance integration. Beyond these institutions, I train and mentor recreational, competitive, and pre-professional dancers at local dance studios. While teaching holds a firm grip on my life, I strive to further the development of my creative identity through my choreography, embarking on projects which speak the language of my soul through a hybrid of hip-hop and contemporary movements. Additionally, gigging as a part-time company member with Davis Contemporary Dance in Denver allows me to balance my love for teaching and creating with the joy of performing.

While these present endeavors have fueled my career thus far, a new era beckons. Prepared to pour energy and knowledge into new realms of creation and research, as I am steered in the direction of pursuing a Masters in Dance. With my primary research interests lying in pedagogy and choreography within the genres of contemporary and hip-hop dance, or a hybrid of the two, I am looking forward to immersing myself into a new chapter in my story. The pursuit of an MFA in Dance is more than just a formal academic pursuit; it is a sacred opportunity to embark on a fascinating journey of creative composition, connection, and self-fulfillment.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Yummy restaurants: Blackbird Cafe in Evergreen, The South in Englewood, Aki Japanese in Englewood, Los Dos Potrillos (any location), get a yummy pastry at Banh & Butter Bakery Cafe in Aurora Top hang out spots and things to do: Hike in Roxborough, dancing at Mercury Cafe, catch the mountain sunset view at the RiverPoint Target

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My husband Cade. He is my greatest support system and encourager in my strive to being my best self, and supports me in all of my ambitions and aspirations. I couldn’t have a better life partner to embark on life’s journeys with.

Website: dancerhianna.com

Instagram: @dancerhianna