Jermaine Spivey

It is really funny to try and describe Jermaine in words, because amongst our group of friends, we never have to. His level of fierceness is somehow common knowledge. I grew up watching Jermaine perform in the Juilliard Dance Concerts. Even then, he had a reputation as a great dancer. Even now, I look up to him.

Jermaine is a phenomenal dancer. He is smooth, dynamic, and graceful. Every part of his body is involved in even the simplest step. During a performance, I would find myself wondering how, what appeared to be enough force for a single attitude turn, somehow, turned into three. His transitions are made of silk. The quality of his movement is exceptional. A contemporary virtuoso.

Jermaine Maurice Spivey was born in Baltimore, Maryland where he began his dance training and later attended the Baltimore School for the Arts. A fellow Juilliard grad, Jermaine has danced with Ballet Gulbenkian in Portugal.,The Cullberg Ballet in Sweden, and Crystal Pite’s Kidd Pivot based out of Canada… and sometimes Germany. He has won numerous awards, including the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts 1st Level Scholarship and the prestigious Princess Grace Award.

Jermaine is special. He looks great in any dance piece, from Crystal Pite to Fred Benjamin. I dare you not to feel something when he is on stage. He touches you. Off stage, he is humble and a very gentle soul. When Jermaine is here, we are all laughing for sure. A huge influence in my dancing (whether he knows it or not), a good friend and a great artist. Thank you Jermaine for being you. You inspire me!

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? Did you always want to do what you’re doing now?

I loved cash registers…anything with buttons that I could press. Definitely wanted to be a doctor. A figure skater. A superhero with powers like Superman.

Jermaine’s Favorite Things

Things to eat?

Sausage and mushroom pizza.

Books?

Right now, Cranio sacral Bio-dynamics by Franklyn Sills

 Movies?

E.T.-my grandpa used to cry every time he watched it.

 Ballets?

 Serenade-Balanchine

I like dancers who…

…pay attention to details. Who are present. Who are humble. Who take risks.

I am afraid of….

I guess Fear. Oooh snap, deep. Lol. But seriously, all the things that could be listed are just things or circumstances. The common denominator is Fear. Fear frightens me because it’s unavoidable. I believe it’s necessary to some degree, like water. We need it to survive, but in moderation. Drinking too much too soon or too much in general could cause damage.

A dance piece should…..

…Inspire. Cause the viewer and the do-er to think about Life. Stir the Soul.

Something you like to do other than dancing?

Sing and make music. I love to stay awake between the hours of 2-7am. Those hours can often be my most inspired and productive hours of the day. I like shopping for other people, which means I like shopping in general, but specifically shopping for other people is a real pleasure and if I may say so myself, I’m really good at it.

 One of the happiest moments in your life?

The moment I was attacked by Love. It hit me like the Holy Ghost on communion Sunday. Before I really understood what was happening to me I started crying and my body felt C-Raa-Zy. Seriously, no joke. It was truly bizarre and undoubtedly one of the top 3 happiest moments of my life.

One of your most unusual or coolest experiences?

I had a dream, more like a vision that came true. It was about my brother and when he was gonna return from his Army Reserve Training. He had been gone for a few months and he was gonna surprise my mother and I and just show up at home unexpected. He gave us a date for his arrival but I had a dream that he was arriving two days earlier than he’d said, at a specific time. He showed up, during a heavy rainstorm mind you, on that very day, two days earlier than he’d told us to expect him, at that very specific time. I told my mother about my dream right after I had it so when he arrived we both looked at each other, looked at the clock and gasped.

One of the most embarrassing moments in your professional career?

I was performing something that I just absolutely did not believe in and could find no redeeming qualities in. Of course now I know how way over dramatic I was being about it but at that time it was the worst thing I had ever performed in my life. I felt so embarrassed about it that one night during the premiere week, as soon as I had done my last 5678, I walked straight to my dressing room, got dressed while the piece was still finishing, left the building when I should have been onstage bowing and went home. DRAMATIC. Lol

Who has been the most influential person/people in your life? or Career? and why?

This list is Epic but I’ll name one (an important one) for the sake of time. Stephanie Powell. She was part of an extraordinary group of teachers I had at Baltimore School for the Arts. There’s where I did my first anything that actually had a name. Miss Steph taught me how to dance from my soul. She taught me technique too…oh yes she did…along with many other things, but she was the first teacher to make me understand that I have to tap into my soul to make all that technique I was learning worth something.

One of the hardest things about your job?

Committing to it, but not letting myself be consumed by it.

Three words to describe yourself….

Jermaine Maurice Spivey

Are there any goals you would still like to accomplish?

Probably. Most likely yes.

Dear aspiring artists,

Inspiration will not always come from your work, director or colleagues. Staying inspired means continually finding ways to connect to your passion. Sometimes our passions have nothing to do directly with dance and that’s perfectly fine and healthy.

–Jermaine Spivey

Anything else you would like to mention?

Ummmm, dasss it 🙂

Photo Journal

Photo by Michael Slobodian

Jermaine, Aya Sumika, Courtney Blackwell, and Luis Rodriguez. Juilliard friends.

Photo by Stephanie Crousillat

Photo by Allison Shultz

On the old Juilliard Plaza in 2011 in NYC

Have you seen Jermaine in performance? Share your stories in the comment section!

Main photo : © Dean Buscher

This Interview is optimized for iPhone and mobile devices.