Creating a Modern Dance Culture and Community with Kathy Dunn Hamrick

Establishing a modern dance company is no easy feat, but today’s guest managed to create a successful organization and build a wonderful modern dance community in Austin, Texas. Today on Movers & Shapers, we welcome Kathy Dunn Hamrick, the Artistic Director of Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance, to discuss her work and how she helps dance grow in Austin. Kathy found a love for dance at a young age and quickly decided that she needed to dedicate her life to it. In this episode, you’ll hear all about Kathy’s life and career, her decision to teach, and how her desire to be ‘in charge’ led her to start her company. We discuss the difficulty of balancing a family and career, her gorgeous piece choreographed on platforms on a lake, and starting the Austin Dance Festival. We delve into Kathy’s recent cancer diagnosis and how her community has showed up for her, and Kathy opens up about next steps of sharing her knowledge with the next generation of dancers and choreographers. Finally, we walk through Kathy’s career highlights and struggles. To hear all this and more, press play now!

Key Points From This Episode:

·       We delve into the who behind Kathy Dunn Hamrick and learn about how she got into dance.

·       The wonderful mentors Kathy has had and how they shaped her career. 

·       Kathy tells us about her move to New York and why she decided to get her MFA. 

·       Transitioning into the role of dance teacher and founding namesake company; Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance.  

·       How Kathy balances her family and business while keeping her career interesting for herself. 

·       The incredible dance piece that was choreographed by Kathy and performed on a lake.

·       The modern dance culture in Austin and why Kathy started her dance festival. 

·       How COVID affected Kathy’s business and festival. 

·       Kathy’s diagnosis with stage four cancer and what’s next for her and the organization. 

·       Why finances have always been Kathy’s biggest business struggle. 

·       The highlights of Kathy’s career and the wonderful dance community she’s built. 

“From a very young age I knew I wanted a family and I knew I wanted to dance and I’ve achieved both of those [things] so I’m living my best life honestly.” — Kathy Dunn Hamrick 

Kathy Dunn Hamrick is the Artistic Director of Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance Company and the Founder and Executive Producer of Austin Dance Festival.

For more on this episode: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

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