Art Educates

As a little girl, in a household in which her mom played the flute and the television was turned to channels featuring dance greats like Alvin Ailey, Jerome Robbins, and Bob Fosse, it’s no surprise that Amy Hall Garner grew up to become a sought-after choreographer. Garner’s journey has taken her from her hometown of Huntsville, Alabama, to New York City, where she graduated from Julliard and now teaches a class there called NYU-New Studio on Broadway. 

This summer, Garner, who spent a decade touring nationally with shows like The Little Mermaid, Chita Rivera: A Dancer’s Life, and Thou Shall Not, will bring her world-class training to Baton Rouge as part of a performance and residency with the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge. The professional performance, called Inspirations, is a tapestry of tap, ballet, and jazz co-produced with well-known choreographers Marshall Davis, Jr. and Darrell Grand Moultrie. Inspirations will not only provide an avenue for the trio to honor dance greats like Sammy Davis Jr. and Chita Rivera but will also serve as a chance to mentor novice dancers who don’t have much exposure to the professional dance world. 

Identified via an open audition process that will target talented individuals who wouldn’t otherwise have the resources to study dance, these young trainees will attend dance classes that will expose them to a variety of choreographers and dance styles, particularly those that they wouldn’t see often in popular culture. They will also get a back-stage peek at the rehearsal-to-performance process when the choreographers and their professional dancers premiere Inspirations in late 2016 or early 2017.

“What I like about working with students is that I get to give back and express some of the good stuff that my teachers gave to me,” said Garner, “It’s my responsibility to return the favor.” Though Garner’s main hope is to encourage young dancers, she is just as inspired by them. “You teach them, but when you look back on it, they teach you so much about yourself.”  

A hefty dose of inspiration is needed for any aspiring dancer. As a professional who’s choreographed for Beyoncé, kicked up her feet as a Radio City Rockette, and performed on Broadway’s world-famous stages, Garner understands the competitive nature of the dance world, especially when a dancer is first trying to break in. “This business is very difficult, with a lot of “no”s, but you have to keep pushing through. You can’t give up.”