Discussing Dance Travel with Brown Ballerina Ambassador Kennedy George
Meet Kennedy George, a 15-year-old ballerina from Richmond, Virginia. Kennedy is one of our many Brown Ballerina Ambassadors, who have been taking over our Instagram, and more recently, our blog, to share their insight on the topic of the month. This month, the topic is dance travel, and we’ve covered everything from traveling for intensives and competitions to living in dorms while traveling for dance. In her interview below, Kennedy shared some of her advice from her experience traveling for dance.
Kennedy has been dancing with Central Virginia Dance Academy since she was about 3 or 4 years old. She’s studied ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical/contemporary, tap, modern, hip-hop, and a bit of musical theater. Kennedy also dances for her studio’s company, which hosts various performances and productions, and has started participating in dance competitions in recent years. Currently, in high school, has dance class every day and performs showcases three times a year. “Basically, dance is my life,” she said.
Related: Young Changemakers: Ava Holloway and Kennedy George
Photo: Kennedy George; shot by Tonia Blanchet
Kennedy’s Experience with Dance Travel
Most of my summer travel has been due to summer dance intensives. I’ve been attending intensives since I was 10, my first experience being Debbie Allen Dance Academy in 2016. It was a 5-week program that ran Monday through Saturday for 8 or 9 hours a day. I stayed in Los Angeles, CA for a little over a month. In 2017, I attended Joffrey’s ballet intensive in Denver, CO for 2 weeks, then another 5-week intensive in Harlem, NY with the Dance Theatre of Harlem.
In 2019 and 2020, I attended intensives with Richmond Ballet in Richmond, VA, and Commercial Dance Intensive (CDI). I just recently returned from Big Sky, MT where I attended another 8-day intensive with CDI. I’ve also traveled for New York City Dance Alliance’s conventions in both Baltimore, MD and Greenville, NC, as well as their national competitions in New York. I’ve attended classes with some of the best teachers, choreographers, and dancers in the industry and have gained so much exposure to the professional dance world. We always take road trips and try to sightsee a little on the way. We’ve literally driven through all but 8 states!
The Benefits & Challenges of Traveling
I’m only 15-years-old and still training as much as possible. Studying and competing out of state really helps me to develop and grow as a performer. I love that I get to learn from and dance with some of the most talented teachers, choreographers, and dancers from all over the world.
My biggest challenge with being away from home is that I do miss my friends and usually get homesick after around 2 weeks. I’ve also had a hard time adjusting to the change in altitude when traveling; I even had to go to the medical center when I was in Montana for altitude sickness.
Hot Spots for Dancers
I’ve actually loved all of the places that I’ve traveled to for dance, but I would have to suggest Los Angeles. The opportunities in L.A. are endless, it’s absolutely beautiful there, and there’s always something to do and somewhere to go. We’ve been back to L.A. every year since my first intensive (my older sister also lives there) and we still haven’t seen it all. You can just rent studio space if you need to rehearse or record an audition video or drop in on any type of class. There are always opportunities to audition, and so much more.
Tips for Dancers Who Want to Travel
Planning is key. Do your research! You have to be aware of the costs of everything. You have to know how you’re going to get around (subway, rental car, bus, walking, Lyft, etc.). My mom really budgets for every trip. We only stay in places that have a full kitchen and we buy groceries and only eat out a few times.
Take advantage of the time that you’re in whatever state or country that you’re in. Go see the sights!
Related: Ballet Culture Around the World: A Conversation with Courtney Spears
Follow Kennedy’s Dance journey on Instagram!
Our Brown Ballerina Ambassador program is designed to create opportunities for young dancers in training to be seen as leaders and to eventually become mentors to other Brown Ballerinas in Training. To find out more about our ambassador program and how you can support it, visit our Ambassador/Mentorship Program page.
Note: This interview has been edited for concision and clarity.