As a free-lance dancer, Erin Ginn has to be flexible, both physically and mentally. She says, "Life as a free-lancer is challenging in any realm....Each day is different for me, and I love having a bit of flexibility and control in making my schedule....One must be able to cope with the unknown and have foresight and manage one's health, time, energy, other work, finances, etc." (Photo by Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images)
A native of Kingsport, Tenn., Erin Ginn is 26 years old and now lives in New York City where she is a free-lance professional dancer -- free-lance because company jobs are scarce these days. Dance companies have cut back on their rosters for financial reasons in the last five years or so. Erin dances for companies that have no permanent buildings or practice space; they hire free-lancers and do a month or so of rehearsals leading up to a performance in whatever space is available.
Erin says, "This past year I was fortunate to have many opportunities to dance as a free-lancer. Making my work even more profound is the ability to travel and perform in new places."
She has worked with the Rebecca Kelly Dance Company and been a guest artist for several companies in upstate New York. She spent time in Buffalo, N.Y., dancing and performing with Neglia Ballet Artists in their 10th Anniversary Gala in May 2009, and then participated in their brand-new production of The Nutcracker in November 2009.
Erin recently performed with SenseDance, a contemporary dance company founded in 1991 in New York City by artistic director/choreographer Henning Rubsam. BackStage, a performing arts resource publication, says "...the mini-company is on a par with a grand one, possessing artists of superb caliber."
Performances took place in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, and at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Theater (the original location of the FAME high school). Afterwards, one audience member described the SenseDance production: "The music was very abstract, very modern, and at times light and mellifluous, at times discordant with an air of mystery, which well suited the dance, a combination of ballet and modern with some Puerto Rican social dance - rumba basics, salsa, and some swing - thrown in...The partnering moved from sweet and flirty (the social duets), to more daring (the balletic), with complex lifts and balances."
Erin says her work with SenseDance has been "an extraordinary experience, and I feel so blessed to have those opportunities and memories."
Editor's Note:To view pictures and video footage, or to read more about the SenseDance performance, CLICK HERE.
In addition, Erin has performed with the Eryc Taylor Dance Company, a New York City-based company devoted to the exploration of innovative and theatrical choreography on pointe. One reviewer described their August 2009 performance of four world premieres as "an unusual mix of on pointe dancers moving with mechanical precision....The choreography captures the isolation and dehumanizing influences of science and technology in today's world....The anachronism, of seemingly mechanical movement performed with grace on pointe, creates a tension which fascinates....The dancers are exquisite, well trained, and display remarkable balance in moves and attitudes which generally require partnering to stabilize the dancers."
As a free-lancer, Erin says, "I believe good rapport and similar work ethic with both directors/choreographers and the dancers has proven to be to my advantage. Life as a free-lancer is challenging in any realm. Being an artist, and a physical one at that, has potential to heighten life's demands. Yet, inner drive and passion make obstacles and triumphs that are much more rewarding. Fortunately, I am able to meet, work, and dance with a variety of people. Each day is different for me, and I love having a bit of flexibility and control in making my schedule. Yet, it is a reality for most free-lancers that after every triumph a lull is potentially looming. This is hard to deal with in many ways. So, one must be able to cope with the unknown and have foresight and manage one's health, time, energy, other work, finances, etc."
She continues, "Obviously, as an independent contractor, I do not have guaranteed stability. Despite all the years of training, dedication, talent, and hard work, dancers are paid pennies, if anything. Ironically, in order to free-lance, I must take my meager earnings and pay to dance and work. I must continue to take classes, stay in good shape, have health insurance, buy pointe shoes ($50-$90), rehearsal attire, makeup, etc. So, like most free-lancers, I have other jobs."
Erin says, "I always have to give 110% and pursue every opportunity I can. This is exhausting, especially during the first few months of the year, since that is typically audition season. I usually am running from one audition to the next, so there is not a lot of time for rest. It's like being a hunter or scavenger -- you are always looking for more since you don't know if/when another job will appear. Yet, my wealth comes in other packages which are more tangible, worthwhile, and everlasting to me."
When Erin first arrived in New York City, she worked for two temp agencies, mainly secretarial work, to help pay the bills. "It reconfirmed that I do not want to work at a desk!" she laughs. Now, in between professional dance gigs, Erin teaches Pilates Mat to private clients and at fitness clubs around Manhattan and Queens. She also walks dogs. "Dance, as well as these two commitments, aren't really work to me, since I really enjoy all three," she notes.
How did she end up where she is today? "Staying true to myself, or trying to. At an early age, I sought a different path from my peers in East Tennessee and pursued something foreign to most around me -- dance. I credit my self-discipline, determination, will, the pursuit to rise above mediocrity from my parents and my ballet teacher, Karen Gibbons-Brown. At the same time, I would not be where I am if I did not have passion, faith in taking risks, and facing the unknown and/or rejection."
As for the future, Erin says, "I want to dance as long as my body and mind will allow. I also want to continue a career in the field of Pilates and hope to gain certification on all Pilates apparatuses. I really enjoy teaching and witnessing my students' successes."
She continues, "I think I will always have close ties to the arts world. I think it is imperative to keep them thriving and available to everyone. I can also imagine myself working in arts administration, education, awareness, and promotion -- anything to keep the arts alive." Erin comes by that honestly. She says, "Most of my family is involved in the arts world -- some as artists themselves, others as supporters and enthusiasts."
In addition to ballet instruction in Kingsport, Erin studied dance at Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts, Natick, Mass., where she was awarded Honors for Outstanding Achievement in Ballet. She graduated with High Distinction from Indiana University in Bloomington, where she earned a B.S. in Ballet Performance with an Outside Field in Communication and Culture.
After graduation, she danced professionally with the Cincinnati Ballet as an apprentice and has worked with several other companies, including Bristol Ballet in Bristol, Va. She is an Audition Demonstrator for Eliot Feld's Ballet Tech School in New York City and has taught ballet at the University of South Carolina in Columbia and Indiana University's Pre-College Ballet Program.
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-- Sara Brimer from Greeneville, Tenn., now with the Swingle Singers in London, England.
