Meet the dancers: Stephanie Whitbey, Choreographer

Growing up in a home with a musician for a father, music was a big part of my life. I was raised with singing, guitar, and drumming. Going to rehearsals and playing on stage was what I did. I would pretend to perform, and it was wonderful. I also loved being in the sound room at church, and loved all that went into a show.

I started dancing in my friends living room; making up dances every day of the summer, putting on shows in the backyard to empty seats.  My friend would take classes and come home and teach me her combos and what she learned. I LOVED it. That part of my life didn’t last long, there were a lot of family changes and on top of that,  I had to grow up quick as a teen mother.  I know now that music, and performing were very much a part of me and it had become EMBEDDED IN MY SOUL.

As i watched a bellydance show at the Missouri Theater in 2006, I knew at that moment that I wanted to be on the stage. I remember how CONFIDENT and BEAUTIFUL the women were, and  I wanted to feel that kind of passion, express a form of art, and TO BE INSPIRED. I was most inspired by Kandice Grossman, and her presentation. Her style if  fusing belly dance with contemporary movements, and I wanted to study with her.  She encouraged me to study under her mentor as well, Suhalia Salimpour, and I traveled to CA to get my level 2 certification.

Going to classes brought a sense of community I had never experienced. I loved the painful warm up that slowly became easier and  the mind and body awareness that it brought me.  I loved the creative process of what it takes to put on a show, and TELL A STORY.   Women that come from different backgrounds and some who work full time who come together to share their PASSION FOR THE ART FORM.

I am now challenging myself to work in the “sound room.” I want to focus on telling a story. I want to be a part of the creative process and work on choreography. I will always dance, but in this show, my focus is to share my passion with newer dancers,  push myself to think outside the box, to “play” with bodies in order to tell a story, and make a powerful statement.

---