Anita Hope
~Dance Instructor~
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1. Where are you from? I was born and raised in Miami, Florida with roots in Barbados.
2. What schools have you attended? For education I graduated from Miami Beach Senior High School and attended Florida A & M University. For ballet, I studied at the Conservatory of Fine Arts where I received my classical foundation and technical training. I further continued my training throughout England and the US and performed professionally as a freelance artist.
3. At what time did you develop an interest in the art of Dance? My mother took me to see The Nutcracker at age 4 and I told her that I wanted to do “that!” I have been dancing ever since.
4. Who are your best 3 dancers of all time? Well, I grew up admiring Mikhail Baryshnikov. He was such a powerful dancer and just seemed as though he could fly. When I delve deeper into the history of African American ballerinas, I learned about Virginia Johnson and Raven Wilkinson. They are iconic and few people know their stories.
5. What is your personal philosophy to dance and its expression as it pertains to your life? My personal philosophy is everyBODY can dance. We automatically move when we hear our favorite song. Dance puts a smile on our face. It can be technical, it can be freestyle, it can be cultural. Dance is just a creative expression with body movements. For me, you’re not living, if you don’t dance!
6. Have you always wished to become a Dance Instructor and why? I always loved the training of ballet more than performing, therefore I wanted to give back to other young dancers the opportunity that was afforded to me. I also felt a need to teach because when I was growing up, I never experienced having an African American ballet instructor. I really didn’t have anyone that I identified with. It was important to me to teach in the community where students could see me and feel a sense of pride and know that they could achieve anything they desired.
7. If you had the opportunity to dance with any company in America, which company would it be and why? I love Dance Theater of Harlem! Even though Arthur Mitchell has passed on, the legacy of the company is just phenomenal. I would have to travel back in time because I would desire the Master himself to be there.
8. What does the future hold for you in your magical world of Dance?
Well, I’ve been teaching for over 30 years and I will continue until someone tells me to stop. Dance keeps me young and helps my mind stay sharp when creating choreography.
I’m also inspired everyday by the students… especially the little ones. I enjoy watching them explore movement and learning how the body functions. It is an incredible vessel!
1. Where are you from? I was born and raised in Miami, Florida with roots in Barbados.
2. What schools have you attended? For education I graduated from Miami Beach Senior High School and attended Florida A & M University. For ballet, I studied at the Conservatory of Fine Arts where I received my classical foundation and technical training. I further continued my training throughout England and the US and performed professionally as a freelance artist.
3. At what time did you develop an interest in the art of Dance? My mother took me to see The Nutcracker at age 4 and I told her that I wanted to do “that!” I have been dancing ever since.
4. Who are your best 3 dancers of all time? Well, I grew up admiring Mikhail Baryshnikov. He was such a powerful dancer and just seemed as though he could fly. When I delve deeper into the history of African American ballerinas, I learned about Virginia Johnson and Raven Wilkinson. They are iconic and few people know their stories.
5. What is your personal philosophy to dance and its expression as it pertains to your life? My personal philosophy is everyBODY can dance. We automatically move when we hear our favorite song. Dance puts a smile on our face. It can be technical, it can be freestyle, it can be cultural. Dance is just a creative expression with body movements. For me, you’re not living, if you don’t dance!
6. Have you always wished to become a Dance Instructor and why? I always loved the training of ballet more than performing, therefore I wanted to give back to other young dancers the opportunity that was afforded to me. I also felt a need to teach because when I was growing up, I never experienced having an African American ballet instructor. I really didn’t have anyone that I identified with. It was important to me to teach in the community where students could see me and feel a sense of pride and know that they could achieve anything they desired.
7. If you had the opportunity to dance with any company in America, which company would it be and why? I love Dance Theater of Harlem! Even though Arthur Mitchell has passed on, the legacy of the company is just phenomenal. I would have to travel back in time because I would desire the Master himself to be there.
8. What does the future hold for you in your magical world of Dance?
Well, I’ve been teaching for over 30 years and I will continue until someone tells me to stop. Dance keeps me young and helps my mind stay sharp when creating choreography.
I’m also inspired everyday by the students… especially the little ones. I enjoy watching them explore movement and learning how the body functions. It is an incredible vessel!