Last week, while watching the inspiring speeches by Michelle and Barack Obama at the DNC, I couldn’t help but think about people in my life who inspired me and likely altered the direction of my life.
From a modern dance teacher, Sheldon Ossosky who, early in my professional dance career, with a casual remark in class, made me believe in myself. To master choreographers Hans van Manen, Jiri Kylian and Glen Tetley who helped me formulate the core of my artistic values and helped set the base line for what I consider great choreography.
Only in retrospect do you truly understand how others you admire, can affect your life, how dancers like Nureyev, Baryshnikov, Jorge Donn and Paolo Bartolucci helped create my self-image. How an Artistic Director like Arnold Spohr taught me what hard work was truly like.
I should be very grateful to an older friend who, when I was in my late teens, took me to my first contemporary art exhibit in The Hague of the work of M.C. Escher. It started a life-long interest in his work and in the contemporary visual arts in general.
We require inspiration throughout our lives, to kick start new directions, to help change or renew our values and beliefs.
Being forced to change careers in midlife is for dancers a challenging time. I was fortunate to meet at the beginning of my second career as an administrator and producer, people who led by example and who provided encouragement and opportunities. Producer Colin Jackson in Winnipeg showed me what it takes to organize events. Joseph Mimran, the ultimate Canadian business tycoon, continues to show me what it is really like to be running a business in today’s ever changing economic environment.
I can only hope that, in some small way, I have positively affected the life of others over the years. Hopefully by giving encouragement, providing opportunities and showing by example I have made a difference. What more could one really ask for?
Joost - Always Moving Forward! 