Complexions Contemporary Ballet Dancer: Shanna Irwin

Shanna and I have been friends since our freshman year of college… which was six years ago! Time sure does fly! Since then, I knew she would have no trouble joining a company. She had the arched feet. She was able to extend her legs past 180°. She was able to do any and every style of dance. She was fearless and she had no limits. Standing next to her at barre in ballet class back then was kind of intimidating, to be honest. I would watch her legs fly up at ease, while I struggled to keep mine at 90°. At times I wondered, “is there anything she can’t do?” To this day, I haven’t found anything. So when I heard that she was joining Complexions right after college, it wasn’t a huge surprise to me. She has a strong passion for dance and I know that, despite her ability to do pretty much anything, she had worked long and hard to get to where she is now.

Shanna is a fierce dancer, so I wanted to incorporate a soft element into the photographs. In these three, I played with fabric, backgrounds, and hand positions respectively. Each give a different feeling to the photographs. What do you think?

I did a little interview with Shanna so check it out below to learn a little more about her. She’ll be performing with Complexions at these upcoming performances, so go check her out!

The Israeli Opera: July 20th & 21st
Summerstage (NYC): July 27th & August 6th http://www.timeout.com

For more updates, check out: http://www.complexionsdance.org/

Born in New Jersey, Shanna began dancing at a very young age. She trained and performed with Generations of Dance, as well as The New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble, under the direction Nancy Turano. In 2014, she graduated from Marymount Manhattan College with a BFA in dance and, in the same year, joined Complexions Contemporary Ballet.

When did you start studying dance/started dancing?

I started dancing when I was 2 years old, but then started truly focusing on ballet at age 14.

How did you get into dance? What was your first reaction?

My mom told me that she knew she had to put me into dance because of the way I walked around, and always insisted on wearing tutus. I remember being nervous, but loving that feeling, I wanted everyday to be dance day.

Did you know that you always wanted to be a professional dancer?

I decided in first grade. I had no idea what my track would be but I knew I wanted dance to lead me somewhere.

What’s it like dancing for Complexions?

Complexions is an environment where you have to be prepared for anything, mentally and physically. You have to be ready to offer every part of yourself in the studio , throughout the process, and on stage.

Anything you learned after dancing professionally?

Everyday is an investigation.

Who’s your favorite choreographer? Do you have a favorite piece? (It could be a dance you’ve danced in)

I obviously love the work we do at Complexions and with that comes all of the people who have influenced contemporary, such as Forsythe, and Kylian. Besides ballet, I love dancing jazz, but my favorite genre to watch is tap.

Your most memorable moment in your dance life/career?

My first tour with Complexions to Russia: I was still in college, and was asked to fill in for an injured dancer.

Can you tell me your experience? What was going on in your mind when you were called to fill in for a Complexions performance in Russia?

The director of Marymount called me after school one day, which was strange because she never calls students. One of the first things she said was “honey, I hope you have a passport.” With this I grew confused until she started saying “I’ve been in contact with Desmond Richardson…” I was honored and excited, but very nervous because I understood that I had to learn two ballets in 4 days of rehearsal.

What was the rehearsal process like and how hard was it for you to adjust to a professional dance company setting?

I had to teach myself off of a video and then when I got into the studio we did a stop and go run. Usually everything is full out, so it gets into our bodies faster. Adjusting to a professional setting was inspiring because the company was full of seasoned dancers who were all willing to give, I learned a lot from them.