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Dancers of New York

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  • November 2018
    • Nov 15, 2018 Madelyn Ho, East Broadway, F Nov 15, 2018
  • March 2018
    • Mar 5, 2018 Jessica Castro, 116 Street Station, 6 Mar 5, 2018
  • March 2017
    • Mar 20, 2017 Cece Xie, Astor Place, 6 Mar 20, 2017
    • Mar 11, 2017 Jackie Aitken, 1 Avenue Station, L Mar 11, 2017
    • Mar 9, 2017 Billy Griffin, Canal Street, A-C-E Mar 9, 2017
    • Mar 7, 2017 Andrew Winans, 18 Street Station, 1 Mar 7, 2017
    • Mar 2, 2017 Darius Wright, Spring Street, A-C-E Mar 2, 2017
  • February 2017
    • Feb 28, 2017 Ashley Talluto, 96 Street Station, Q Feb 28, 2017
    • Feb 25, 2017 Amanda LaMotte, Grand Central Station, S-4-5-6-7 Feb 25, 2017
    • Feb 24, 2017 Clay Thomson, Rector Street, R-W Feb 24, 2017
    • Feb 23, 2017 Nikki Croker, 14 Street Station, A-C-E Feb 23, 2017
    • Feb 22, 2017 Colin Shea Denniston, Rector Street, 1 Feb 22, 2017
    • Feb 20, 2017 Lainee Hunter, Lexington Avenue / 63 Street Station, F-Q Feb 20, 2017
    • Feb 17, 2017 Jordana Lerner, 69 Street / Fisk Avenue Station, 7 Feb 17, 2017
    • Feb 16, 2017 Alden LaPaglia, Church Avenue Station, B-Q Feb 16, 2017
    • Feb 13, 2017 Lindsay Janisse, 125 Street Station, 2-3 Feb 13, 2017
    • Feb 8, 2017 Mary Page Nance, 207 Street Station, 1 Feb 8, 2017
    • Feb 7, 2017 Emily Blake Anderson, 68 Street / Hunter College Station, 6 Feb 7, 2017
    • Feb 6, 2017 Kellene Rottenberger, 51 Street Station, 6 Feb 6, 2017
    • Feb 5, 2017 Karli Dinardo, 57 Street Station, F Feb 5, 2017
    • Feb 1, 2017 Madison Eastman, Main Street / Flushing Station, 7. Feb 1, 2017
  • January 2017
    • Jan 27, 2017 Jessica Ice, Queens Plaza, E-M-R Jan 27, 2017
    • Jan 25, 2017 Ali Koinoglou, Franklin Street, 1. Jan 25, 2017
    • Jan 21, 2017 Vanessa Mitchell (Women's March Special Feature) Jan 21, 2017
    • Jan 19, 2017 Penny Wildman, Bowling Green Station, 4-5 Jan 19, 2017
    • Jan 16, 2017 Carlos Morales, Dyckman Street Station, 1 Jan 16, 2017
  • December 2016
    • Dec 17, 2016 Evan Ruggiero, 34 Street / Herald Square Station Dec 17, 2016
    • Dec 15, 2016 Lucia Daisog, Myrtle Avenue, J-M-Z Dec 15, 2016
  • November 2016
    • Nov 10, 2016 Kory Geller, 61 Street / Woodside Station, 7. Nov 10, 2016
  • October 2016
    • Oct 4, 2016 Liz Beres, Queensboro Plaza Station, N-Q-7 Oct 4, 2016
  • September 2016
    • Sep 22, 2016 Chaz Wolcott, Third Avenue, L Sep 22, 2016
  • August 2016
    • Aug 26, 2016 Hannah Fonder, 33 Street Station, 6 Aug 26, 2016
    • Aug 22, 2016 Nicholas Palmquist, 53 Street / 5 Avenue Station, E-M Aug 22, 2016
    • Aug 5, 2016 Taylor Daniels, 157 Street Station, 1 Aug 5, 2016
  • July 2016
    • Jul 29, 2016 Jess LeProtto, W 4 Street / Washington Square Station, A-B-C-D-E-F-M Jul 29, 2016
    • Jul 26, 2016 Khori Michelle Petinaud, 47-50 Streets Rockefeller Center Station, B-D-F-M Jul 26, 2016
    • Jul 25, 2016 Alexa Kobylarz, Houston Street, 1 Jul 25, 2016
  • June 2016
    • Jun 19, 2016 Elizabeth and Lara Teeter, Christopher Street / Sheridan Square, 1 Jun 19, 2016
    • Jun 14, 2016 J'royce Jata, 116 Street Station, 2-3 Jun 14, 2016
  • May 2016
    • May 25, 2016 Richard Riaz Yoder, 42 Street Station / 5 Avenue-Bryant Park, B-D-F-M-7 May 25, 2016
    • May 20, 2016 Chloe Campbell, 110 Street Station, 2-3 May 20, 2016
    • May 3, 2016 Richard J. Hinds, 34 Street Station, 1, 2, 3 May 3, 2016
    • May 2, 2016 Gwynedd Vetter-Drusch, 207 Street Station / Inwood, A May 2, 2016
  • April 2016
    • Apr 28, 2016 Phil Colgan, South Ferry Station, 1 Apr 28, 2016
    • Apr 27, 2016 Kimberlee D. Murray, 28 Street Station, 6 Apr 27, 2016
    • Apr 26, 2016 Katie Hagen, 23 Street Station, 6 Apr 26, 2016
    • Apr 24, 2016 Lizz Picini, 28 Street Station, N-R Apr 24, 2016
    • Apr 16, 2016 Abby Jaros, 23 Street Station, N-R Apr 16, 2016
    • Apr 13, 2016 Alison Sullivan, Fulton Street Station, A-C-J-Z-2-3-4-5 Apr 13, 2016
  • March 2016
    • Mar 25, 2016 Lori Ann Ferreri, Clinton-Washington Avenues Station, G Mar 25, 2016
    • Mar 23, 2016 DJ Petrosino, 39 Avenue Station, N-Q Mar 23, 2016
    • Mar 18, 2016 Brittany Cavaco, 34 Street Station / Hudson Yard, 7 Mar 18, 2016
    • Mar 17, 2016 Derek Mitchell, 23 Street Station, 1 Mar 17, 2016
    • Mar 10, 2016 Rileigh McDonald, 7 Avenue Station, B-D-E Mar 10, 2016
    • Mar 4, 2016 Brandon Leffler, 42 Street Station / Port Authority, A-C-E Mar 4, 2016
  • February 2016
    • Feb 29, 2016 Brinda Guha, Utica Avenue, A Feb 29, 2016
    • Feb 28, 2016 Scott Shendenheim, 36 Street Station, M-R Feb 28, 2016
    • Feb 18, 2016 Renee Gagner, 14 Street Station, 1-2-3 Feb 18, 2016
  • January 2016
    • Jan 22, 2016 Francesca Granell, 116 Street Station, 1 Jan 22, 2016
    • Jan 21, 2016 Paloma Garcia-Lee, 28 Street Station, 1 Jan 21, 2016
    • Jan 19, 2016 Sharrod Williams, Canal Street, 1 Jan 19, 2016
    • Jan 17, 2016 Cory Lingner, 79 Street Station, 1 Jan 17, 2016
    • Jan 15, 2016 Lorin Latarro, Bedford Avenue, L Jan 15, 2016
    • Jan 14, 2016 Brandon Hudson, 191 Street Station, 1. Jan 14, 2016
    • Jan 13, 2016 Adam Soniak, Dyckman Street Station, A Jan 13, 2016
    • Jan 10, 2016 Caitlin Evans, 135 Street Station, B-C Jan 10, 2016
  • December 2015
    • Dec 18, 2015 Ryan VanDenBoom, Prospect Park Station, B-Q-S Dec 18, 2015
    • Dec 16, 2015 Whitney Cooper, Court Square Station, E-G-M-7 Dec 16, 2015
  • November 2015
    • Nov 29, 2015 Chris Rice, 50 Street Station, C-E Nov 29, 2015
    • Nov 12, 2015 Jennifer Jancuska, Atlantic Avenue Station / Barclays Center, B-D-N-Q-R-2-3-4-5 Nov 12, 2015
    • Nov 11, 2015 Mallory Davis, 50 Street Station, 1 Nov 11, 2015
    • Nov 6, 2015 Jon Rua, 36 Avenue Station, N-Q Nov 6, 2015
    • Nov 5, 2015 Kahlia Davis, 86 Street Station, B-C Nov 5, 2015
    • Nov 3, 2015 Sarah Juliet Shaw, Steinway Street Station, M-R Nov 3, 2015
  • October 2015
    • Oct 28, 2015 Marc Kimelman, 2 Avenue Station, F Oct 28, 2015
    • Oct 27, 2015 Nora Moutrane, 34 Street Station / Penn Station, A-C-E Oct 27, 2015
    • Oct 12, 2015 Monica Azpeitia, 23 Street Station, C-E Oct 12, 2015
    • Oct 10, 2015 Brittany Weir, 96 Street Station, 6 Oct 10, 2015
    • Oct 5, 2015 Al Blackstone, 52 Street Station, 7 Oct 5, 2015
    • Oct 1, 2015 James Washington, 168 Street Station, A-C-1 Oct 1, 2015
  • September 2015
    • Sep 17, 2015 Ben Lanham, 5 Avenue / 59 Street, N-Q-R Sep 17, 2015
    • Sep 15, 2015 Andrew Nemr, 23 Street Station, F-M Sep 15, 2015
    • Sep 12, 2015 Kayley Stevens, 103 Street Station, 1 Sep 12, 2015
    • Sep 2, 2015 Elliott Mattox, 163 Street Station, C Sep 2, 2015
  • August 2015
    • Aug 28, 2015 Quinten Busey, 175 Street Station, A Aug 28, 2015
    • Aug 21, 2015 Sierra and Marlene Glasheen + Hazel Kandall, 59th Street / Lexington Avenue, N-Q-R-4-5-6 Aug 21, 2015
    • Aug 18, 2015 Payton Carvalho, 103 Street Station, B-C Aug 18, 2015
    • Aug 7, 2015 Julieta Severo, Prince Street, N-R Aug 7, 2015
  • July 2015
    • Jul 14, 2015 Oren Korenblum, 155 Street Station, C Jul 14, 2015
    • Jul 12, 2015 Maria Sinclaire, 96 Street Station, B-C Jul 12, 2015
    • Jul 5, 2015 Alex Alampi, 57 Street / 7 Avenue Station, N-Q-R Jul 5, 2015
    • Jul 4, 2015 Natalie Zisa, 59 Street / Columbus Circle Station Jul 4, 2015
    • Jul 3, 2015 Taylor Green, Parkside Avenue, Q Jul 3, 2015
    • Jul 2, 2015 Anna Davis, 66 Street / Lincoln Center Station, 1 Jul 2, 2015
  • June 2015
    • Jun 25, 2015 Megan Levinson, 81 Street Station, B-C Jun 25, 2015
    • Jun 24, 2015 Amy Miller, 86 Street Station, 1 Jun 24, 2015
    • Jun 23, 2015 Michelle West, 145 Street, 1 Jun 23, 2015
    • Jun 18, 2015 Savannah Butler, Lexington Avenue / 53 Street - E, M Jun 18, 2015
    • Jun 17, 2015 Anna Terese Stone, 181 Street, 1 Jun 17, 2015
    • Jun 11, 2015 Paul HeeSang Miller, 116 Street Station, B-C Jun 11, 2015
    • Jun 9, 2015 Sofie Eriksson, Chambers Street, A-C Jun 9, 2015
    • Jun 5, 2015 Kim Faure, 72 Street Station, 1-2-3 Jun 5, 2015
    • Jun 1, 2015 Mike Kirsch, 145 Street Station, A-B-C-D Jun 1, 2015
  • May 2015
    • May 28, 2015 Abigayle Horrell, 86 Street Station, 4-5-6 May 28, 2015
    • May 25, 2015 Justin Boccitto, 190 Street Station, A May 25, 2015
    • May 21, 2015 Kelsey Andres, 49 Street Station, N-Q-R May 21, 2015
    • May 18, 2015 Sarah Fagan, 137 Street Station / City College, 1 May 18, 2015
    • May 14, 2015 Katey Kephart, 215 Street Station, 1 May 14, 2015
    • May 11, 2015 Angela Palladini, 125 Street Station, 1 May 11, 2015
    • May 7, 2015 Jason Wise, 110 Street Station / Cathedral Parkway, B-C May 7, 2015
    • May 4, 2015 Ryan Kasprzak, 30 Avenue, N-Q May 4, 2015
  • April 2015
    • Apr 30, 2015 Sophie Lee Morris, Astoria Ditmars Blvd, N-Q Apr 30, 2015
    • Apr 27, 2015 Bekah Howard, 14 Street Station / Union Square, L-N-Q-R-4-5-6 Apr 27, 2015
    • Apr 23, 2015 Josephine Kelly, 110 Street / Cathedral Parkway, 1 Apr 23, 2015
    • Apr 20, 2015 Maureen Kelley, Vernon Blvd / Jackson Ave, 7 Apr 20, 2015
    • Apr 18, 2015 Courtney Rottenberger, 7 Avenue Station, B-Q Apr 18, 2015
    • Apr 17, 2015 Anne Marie Snyder, 46 Street Station, M-R Apr 17, 2015
    • Apr 14, 2015 Eloise Kropp, 96 Street Station, 1-2-3 Apr 14, 2015
    • Apr 13, 2015 Shauna Sorensen, 46 Street Station, 7 Apr 13, 2015
  • February 2015
    • Feb 21, 2015 Phoebe Tamble, 125 Street, A-B-C-D Feb 21, 2015

Katie Hagen, 23 Street Station, 6

April 26, 2016

How did you start dancing?

I started dancing when I was about 4. I went to Kinderdance, a preschool based around movement. My parents had no intention to set me up to be a dancer, but it just stuck. I was at a dance school, and I just continued from there. I’ve loved it ever since I was little.

Where are you from?

Goshen, NY in Orange County. It’s about an hour northwest of the city—really close to the city. I grew up coming into the city all the time. New York always has been in my childhood and in my life.

What happened from there?

The dance school that I went to was primarily a ballet school. I grew up being a little ballerina. Once I became 12 or 13, I started going to more intensives and summer programs like NYSSSA through New York State. I did that a few summers up in Saratoga.  My teachers were company members of New York City Ballet. We danced all day and watched them perform at night, an experience I’ll never forget. I was still really serious about dance in high school, but I knew that since I wasn’t already on track to be in a professional ballet company, it probably wasn’t going to happen.

I started seeing Broadway shows and thinking that theatre was what I wanted to do. I started applying for colleges because I didn’t want to go to a conservatory. I wanted to go to a school that had both training and academics. It was tricky. I think every dancer goes through that decision, whether or not to go to school, especially when you live so close to the city and the goal of becoming a professional performer is so attainable. I ended up going to Montclair State in New Jersey. It was primarily a modern program, which I was not used to doing. It ended up being probably the best thing I ever did because it challenged me to move my body in a way I wasn’t used to as a little ballerina.

Being so close to the city, I would come in and dabble in auditions and start to get used to that environment. I started taking voice lessons and danced for a modern company in college. I knew that I didn’t want to spend months and months in the rehearsal studio for a weekend season two to three times a year. Although it would’ve been a rewarding experience, I wanted to perform more. I knew that musical theatre was my goal at that point. When I graduated, I worked at a regional theatre in Pennsylvania, and that was my first professional musical theatre job. From there, it just kind of happened. I worked for a couple of years as non-equity, then became equity, and got an agent.

When did you move to the city?

I moved to the city right after my first job. It was exciting. As a young dancer, New York City is where you want to be with all the hustle and bustle, dance classes, and auditions. I always grew up coming into the city, so I was comfortable here. Everyone’s first apartment in the city is like a shoebox and something you can’t afford, but it was great. You do what you need to do. I remember waiting tables and meeting friends that way. You make it work.

What are you up to now?

I’ve taken a brief hiatus. My husband and I decided to start a family last year. We just had our baby boy last September. He’s 6 months old. This past month, I’ve started jumping back into auditions and letting people know that I am available—doing pre-production, being in the rehearsal room, and feeling my body move again. Even though I never stopped moving, it’s been a transition to feel reassured that you can still move in that way. Your body remembers more than you think it does.

Having a baby is a lot on your body. I actually have several dancer friends who have asked me about having a baby, because until it happens, you really don’t know. It’s just this unknown thing, and everyone’s experience is so different. I was lucky to have a pretty easy pregnancy, but even then it’s an unbelievable stress on your body involving extra weight, hormones, emotions. All of this new change is amazing, but at the same time scary.

As dancers, we are so in tune with our bodies. For me, going through pregnancy and feeling my body afterwards allowed me to have a new appreciation for what the body can do as a whole. I learned how strong I was as a person, and I am amazed at the fact that I am still the dancer that I was. What’s changed is that I am even more aware of my body and that I appreciate and love my body more. And then I look at my son, and I am like, ”Forget about it.” He’s the best thing that has ever happened to me. I am so glad that we chose to start a family when we did.

How was making the decision to start a family?

We put a lot of pressure on ourselves as dancers and artists especially in New York. In all of us, there’s this drive to succeed, but a lot of times we put too much pressure on ourselves. On social media, we’re constantly looking at feeds of people’s accomplishments and people’s most beautiful phases of their life. It’s easy to look at that and feel like you’re not good enough. But we all have different timing in terms of the accomplishments we have as dancers. That timing is specific to each person. It’s important to honor that and to know that you’re doing okay.

For me, when we started to decide to have a family, I came to a place in my dance life where I felt content with what I had done. I had consistently been dancing professionally. I had done my big Broadway national tour and danced at Carnegie hall and at the Kennedy Center. If I wanted to look back on paper and see my accomplishments, I could look at them and be satisfied, even though there are still things that I’d love to achieve. I’d still love to do a Broadway show. I don’t think you ever lose that drive, but I was content with what I had done so far, although I wasn’t sure about how my body would feel after having a baby.

Being content with where I was, I knew that we were ready and that I had these life goals I wanted more than my career goals. That’s how I knew I was ready. I am so glad that I didn’t wait any longer. There are so many things in the dance world that we don’t have control over. Sometimes we need to look at life goals and dreams and know that they need to come first, and that’s okay. It doesn’t mean that you’re giving up or no longer pursuing those other dreams and goals. It’s important to stay true to yourself and not let your career goals prohibit your other life dreams.

What are your aspirations?

My aspirations are to continue dancing and be an amazing mom to my son. I didn’t know how I was going to feel after having a baby, but I was pleasantly surprised. I think it’s important to know that when you’re a true dancer, you’re always a dancer. It doesn’t always matter what you’re doing—it matters that you are dancing. I want to continue auditioning. My selections on what I audition for are much more picky than when I was younger. I obviously want to stay here and not travel.

I enjoy being in the room with choreographers and creating things in pre-production and workshops and things like that. I’m not done with performing, but going through the process of how things are made and the collaboration between dancers and choreographers is something that I absolutely love. I love creating with people and assisting choreographers even if I am not dancing in the piece. I love seeing their vision and helping their vision come alive. That’s where I am at.

I feel like the more successful things that I have done have been very last minute things. That’s important to know as a young dancer. I wish I could go back and tell myself that when I was auditioning every day trying to book anything, sometimes you could be doing nothing one day and the next day you’re doing the best job of your life. You just don’t know. I need to tell myself that now. I am more selective in that I want to do more work that I am going to be artistically fulfilled in. There’s a lot of great work out there, but I know what’s going to make me feel good as a dancer too.

What is it like to take care of your son and handle your professional life as a dancer?

One of the most blessed things I have is an amazing husband. Having a partner that you can work together with and honor each other’s goals other than what’s going on in your family life is really important. I am very fortunate to have that. Staying at home with my son on most days is amazing and challenging at the same time. It’s more work than I could ever imagine, but I wouldn’t change anything for the world. It’s the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my entire life. But at the same time, I need to make sure to make my own time to go to work and to go to dance class and dance for myself. It’s hard to find that time especially when he’s so little. But gradually I have found more and more time. Having a family that can help is really great, and I am really fortunate to have that. It goes back to staying true to yourself and not losing yourself. You don’t want to lose yourself in career goals. You also don’t want to lose your passions because your life is completely changed. It’s finding a balance.  Having a supportive family allows you to realize that you need to make time for yourself.

What would be your number one advice?

Sometimes we fall into that gear of “What’s next?” It’s important to look at your life, take a breath, and say, “What’s going on right now?” Enjoy the moment. I think having a son has slowed me down and allowed me to appreciate the moments with my family and my parents. Having that support system is so important. When you have children, you want more for them than they could ever want for themselves. Even just with a 6 month old, I want things for him that he doesn’t even know about yet, and I know my parents felt the same way and still feel the same way about me.  It’s important to know and thank the people who supported you to get to where you are today. Have appreciation for yourself of where you are today and the people that helped you get there.

Toughest time you’ve gone through as a performer?

After working consistently for about a couple years as non-equity, I was young, fresh, and working for less money. I joined the union, and it’s this amazing thing, but then all of a sudden, I was in a different realm of talent and new casting directors. In this transition period, sometimes people continue to work, but I didn’t work for about a year. I remember thinking if I had made a mistake. That was a hard time for me. As a young performer, I was willing to basically do anything. I would do silly jobs. I think about some of the jobs I had done or the shows I wanted to do, and I would never want to do them now. But when you set dreams and goals, your path is going to be zigzagged all over the place. That’s what makes it fun. I wouldn’t have met all the people that I met before and made those connections. And it ended up making me who I am as a dancer. I think everyone should join the Actor’s Equity union. We should have that support and those protections that the union provides for us. It’s an important step, and sometimes it’s a hard step. It seems like forever ago, but it was hard time for me.

Is there any last thing you want to share with the world?

Be nice and support each other. Collaborate with the people who make you happy and make your body happy. Enjoy and honor those moments when you get to do what you love. We’re the lucky ones that get to dance in life. We get to play dress up. We get to pretend and put on costumes and move freely and feel all of these things with our bodies and make other people feel through our movement. Enjoy those moments. 

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