BEYOND THE DREAM: MAKING IT IN NEW YORK

We have all heard the term ‘Making It in NYC,” but once we scratch the shallow surface of this statement, beyond re-runs of Sex & the City or the bright lights of the Broadway stage, what does the famed saying really mean.

My goal in this series of posts will be to sit down with various NYC based artists, from full time dance companies to freelance, from Classical Ballet to Broadway, and attempt to paint a more fully realized picture of what “making it” might actually look and feel like for someone deciding to make the big move to the Big Apple.

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of sitting down with emerging NYC based choreographer Loni Landon, who is also a long time friend and colleague. Loni is a native of New York City, but crossed the “pond” to Germany directly after college. Six years ago she decided to move back to NYC and pursue a freelance career as a NYC based choreographer. We sat down for an afternoon coffee and she shared some insights about the last six years, experiences she’s had, things she wished she had known, and some honest advice for anyone thinking about a move to New York!

Nigel(N): Alright, Hi Loni! 

Loni(L): Hi Nigel (giggles).

N: How’s it going? It’s good to see you.

L: I’m Good. And its nice to see you as well.

N: So Loni… You are a NYC native, you went to “The Fame School,” you graduated from Juilliard, you are a YoungArts Winner, you have danced for Aszure Barton & Artists, Ballet Theater Munich in Germany, and the Metropolitan Opera Ballet. 

L: Yes.

N: You’ve won numerous choreographic awards and have been commissioned by Ballet X, Ballet Austin, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and The Juilliard School among others. You are the recipient of a Princess Grace Award for your choreography. You have your own company and you are the co-founder of “The Playground,” which has become a NYC dance institution and got you a coveted spot in Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch”… So… Sounds like you’re “living the dream!”  

L: (laughs) I guess, but I’m not sure I really know what that means. Growing up in NYC was very rewarding and I feel like I learned a lot about hustling and you know, just the energy of the city is kind of innately in me. After school I was lucky enough to go to Europe and see what it meant to have a stable job, what a luxury it was to just wake up everyday, go to work, check the schedule, not think, just go. That was really great for a about 4 years, and then one day I  thought to myself “I need to do MORE, I feel, not fulfilled.” Although I felt really grateful to have had that experience, I wanted to create my OWN path. In a weird way I felt, not artistic, because there were so many things I had to do, but I could never choose what I wanted to do. You know all about that Nigel! So then I moved back to New York and I knew there wold be consequences.  I had to live back at home after living by myself. It really is a bumpy transition.

N: Ok, so tell us a little more about what that artistic transition was like. In Munich you were a dancer, but you moved back to New York and started focusing more on choreography. What was that like for you.

L: Well, when I was in Munich I started to choreograph and I entered a few choreographic competitions, which is very popular there. I realized that I really enjoyed it. When I got home, I started by just working in the studio with friends, but I quickly realized that the way we learned to work in Europe was not cultivated here, open dialogue, much more process driven. In New York, we don’t have the money to explore, like in Europe.

N: Or space.

L: Or time. No money, space, or time! So I just felt like sharing what I had learned over there with people who were working here. But I DO feel like in New York you can create whatever you want to create and I found that really powerful and exciting. For instance, when I started The Playground, I met Greg (co-founder of The Playground) and it happened very orajngiclly and quickly. I just felt that, as a dance artist, there was nowhere to practice the craft. I said, well why don’t we do something for dancers, professionals, who have danced in companies, lets create a different training ground for them to practice… because practicing being in process is different than taking in a ballet class, although that’s also important. You need both. So we started in this gallery turned dance studio in SoHo and we made it “Pay what you can.” I’ll never forget one day someone paid with cigarettes! It was really because I completely understood, that’s what he could pay. It was all very barebones in the beginning and eventually we settled on 5 dollars per session. We started by just reaching out to our friends. We wanted to keep it very casual, not a big deal, just drop in. Then… it spread by word of mouth. I think what’s really fulfilling is that its like giving back to our community. Every dancer we’ve met has been so supportive and grateful and thats only pushed us forward!

N: Loni thats amazing and I think it says a lot about the nature of just DOING. It’s like you said, if you feel like theres a need, like somethings missing… YOU have the capacity to create it. And the rest will come. You don’t have to have a fully realized vision in the beginning.

L: Yea definitely! It was the same creating my company. It also wasn’t fully realized like “THIS is what I set out to do.” Sometimes being in a company can burn you out and I was looking and exploring some more options. In New York, you can do so many different things. I was like, “Should I audition for a Broadway show, should I do this or that, should I work in a coffee shop? Do something completely different” I tried lots of things. I think I just needed some time. When you train so intensely as a dancer you’re so one track. And once you get to that place where you’ve done everything you set out to do, checklist: I did this, I did this, then you get to the point where you become an adult and you’re like… ummmm… its not as fulfilling as I thought. At a certain age I think all dancers get to the point where they are like “Is this what I want to do?” and I always say, and its a little spiritual, just listen to the path. Then It all started unfolding. I started sending my work to different companies and people were responding! I was shocked.

N: So you just emailed them?

L: Yea, like there were some companies doing choreographic competitions and I just sent studio footage. I did small things and I just got my work filmed, with a proper video, and I just, yea, I just sent it to people who were looking. I did a few festivals in New York. Its just like sending your resume. Its about just not being embarrassed and just doing it!

N: Do the work!

L: YES! Do the work and send it out there and put the energy in. I mean, it was tough. There were days where I would just walk around the city… Aimlessly… just like “what is my purpose?” And then I would sit on my computer and send a million emails. And then, once I kind of let go, one thing started happening and that lead to another and I just feel really grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had and the people I’ve met. When you’re a freelancer and you’re traveling around meeting all these people, they are teaching me as much as I’m teaching them and I think thats really the most fulfilling part of all this. I feel like you can keep broadening and keep expanding. There is no limit! I think its inspiring to do that. I also felt like, wow… In NYC, I can become a person again and have a multi faceted lifestyle. You’re not JUST an artist. I mean you ARE an artist but you can hang out with your friends and not feel guilty.

N: I was wondering, in the early days… and even now… how did you finance all these projects?

L: In the beginning, when I first got back, I did a lot of weird jobs. I babysat, I worked at the JCC (Jewish Community Center), I taught kids, I kind of picked up anything I could do. Then I started working at the Met which was great and then I started teaching classes at PeriDance, Steps. Now I teach at Gibney. So yea, getting involved with a LOT of teaching. And like I said, I mean I lived at home with my parents for like 6 months, until I couldn’t handle it any more!

N: What was that like?

L: I HATED IT! (laughs)… It was like “lights out” at 11pm. I felt like I was in HS again. And even now to this day people say to me “Oh, You’re doing so well. You’re doing so well.” Yea… but I still live with my sister! You know what I mean. My dream, this funny and so unrealistic, but my dream is to just like, buy an apartment in NYC. You know, it’s just this year, finally, that I feel like I have an anchor of stability. THIS YEAR! And what year are we in now? 2016.

N: Wow! And how many years Have you been back in the city?

L: 2010. 6 years!

N: Wow

L: I’m really proud because the other month someone said to me “Oh, you make a living just from choreography?” and I said… YES! And its still the same, like any freelancer in the city… Sometimes you have money and you have to save it and sometimes you have 3 months where you have NOTHING and you have to be really smart and mindful about how you use your money. And don’t freak out about it! I think one of the amazing things about growing up in NYC is that you learn to be resourceful and adaptable very quickly.

N: So tell us… what’s the best and worst parts about living and/or being a choreographer here in NYC? 

L: UGH!!! Where do I start (laughs)… When I go to these small cities, because its not so saturated, there’s only a few choreographers and so those choreographers really get supported. Here it’s SO oversaturated you have to FIGHT just to get studio space! Creatively that’s stifling. I wish we would have more space and accessibility to be creative. Sometimes I feel like you’re just getting something done. We don’t have that luxury like in Europe. And I think a normal person, non-dancer, would say the same thing.

N: Right. No money, no space, no time. Thats just the nature of life in NYC. 

L: Exactly. That’s life in NY… Its fast, and concentrated. But the best thing is the ENERGY! I have to tell you, there are no other dancers, and people, that I have ever met like those I have met here in NY. You know people get lazy when they have a job and they don’t have to do anything. NO. Here many people have never been in a company. They will do ANYTHING. Everyone that comes to the Playground from Europe says the same thing “Wow… The dancers are really good here!”  So eager, so present, no complaining. That’s the best thing.

N: What do you know now that you wish you had known then/ What advice would you give to someone making the “Big Move” to the “Big Apple?”

L: BE PATIENT, it takes time. Like any relationship, you have to cultivate it! And I am not patient sooo… What else… Not being embarrassed. Now I’m not but its like, just go up and SAY SOMETHING. Put yourself out there, don’t over think it, just do it. Just do it. We all have fear and it’s scary what we are doing and I seriously have anxiety every night before I go to sleep about… everything. What am I even making this piece about? Am I even inspired right now?  I’m thinking about boys (giggles) you know?

N: It’s real. 

L: I think being social helps. Its important to be down to earth, to be a human being. Just stay true to yourself and what you believe in… and that’s really hard. You have to find where people accept you and not try to change or put yourself in a box. For me, it’s either “you point your feet too much”, or “you’re not weird enough”, or “you’re too weird.” So I’m in this middle ground. I think that’s what we are trying to create with The Playground. If you see that there are people who don’t have this space to go or you don’t fit in… just create it! Just DO IT! Just create SOMETHING and if you believe in it SO MUCH its going to happen! I have to always remember that. I find it so weird to say “Oh you’re so successful.” What does that even mean?

N: Well that’s the whole point of my column! What does that mean? 

L: I’m just trying to get by like everyone else! And I don’t think it matters how old you are. I think thats just the nature of this city. 

 N: So whats on the Horizon for Loni Landon?

L: Well, this year for the first time, I’ve had the privilege to work at some Ivy league universities! Teaching and choreographing, which was an incredible experience and I want to keep doing that! I get to be apart of Nigel, your MOVE(NYC), which I’m very excited about. Its another thing that, kind of like The Playground, where you and Chanel saw that there was a NEED for something and you’re DOING IT. Which is so awesome! I love doers. I’m working on my project for the Joyce in October, so I’m working on that all summer at NYU and at Barnard which is amazing. I’m choreographing an indie movie which I’m so excited about! I’ve never done it before, so I’m pumped. And then next fall I’ll be at NYU making a piece and teaching. But then you know what… I don’t know what 2017 holds. No idea, and somehow it just kind of figures itself out. So if I don’t have work then… just go on a vacation! Get out of the city. Renew. Recharge. Something will always come!

Learn more about Loni and her work at www.lonilandonprojects.com.