Meet Jacquelyn Pritz: Dance Artist, Choreographer, Arts Administrator
We had the good fortune of connecting with Jacquelyn Pritz and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Jacquelyn, what do you think makes you most happy? Why?
I enjoy the simple, little pleasures that appeal to the senses. Warm weather. Spending quality time with friends. A fresh cup of coffee. Sweating from pushing myself physically. Laughing with my family around the dinner table. Animal cuddles. Getting the lyrics right. A coordinated outfit. The first delicious bite of a homemade meal.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As a dance artist, I have multiple jobs and simultaneously work multiple gigs. In addition to dancing and choreographing, I’m also a dance teacher and a full-time arts administrator. I will say, my Google calendar and planner are important for me to keep track of it all! In some ways, I believe my professional life is also my personal life but in the best way possible. My colleagues are also very dear friends, and I am grateful to be working in a field that I am so passionate about. In addition to my dance practice, I also train in Krav Maga and other martial arts forms, and recently, I started weight training multiple times a week. I think other movement styles inform my dancing and choreographing so I consider it part of the job. I’ll admit that I don’t like to say no to opportunities that come my way and at times, I can get overwhelmed. But I’m lucky to be working on so many different projects and getting to work with a lot of talented individuals in Atlanta.
What is your choreography about? or… What inspires your choreography?
A lot of my choreography explores history, the idea of “a perfect woman,” propaganda, satire, and mixing multiple movement styles. I also train in martial arts so I enjoy combining that vocabulary within my dances. I really enjoy using research to inform my works as well as collaborating with my dancers. “Atta Girl!” is a dance I’ve made about women joining the workforce during WWII, rationing and sacrificing for the greater good of the nation, and pushing what is considered beautiful. “Soda Pop Swing: a fizz-ical exploration of America’s favorite beverage” is a dance about Coca-Cola: the drink itself, the marketing of those who drink Coke, and the feeling of consuming a popular name brand. Both of those dance works included some elements of swing dancing and the 40s time period. I really enjoy movement that pushes physicality and musicality. I feel fulfilled as an artist when audience members laugh at my choreography. I find humor to be difficult to physicalize in contemporary dance but it’s something I’ve been interested in since undergrad. It feels like audience members hesitate to visibly or audibly react to what they see on stage — fair, I understand nobody wants to be rude, there is theatre etiquette, and everyone has a different taste in humor– but I love to hear the chuckles erupting.
A lot of my choreography explores history, the idea of “a perfect woman,” propaganda, satire, and mixing multiple movement styles. I also train in martial arts so I enjoy combining that vocabulary within my dances. I really enjoy using research to inform my works as well as collaborating with my dancers. “Atta Girl!” is a dance I’ve made about women joining the workforce during WWII, rationing and sacrificing for the greater good of the nation, and pushing what is considered beautiful. “Soda Pop Swing: a fizz-ical exploration of America’s favorite beverage” is a dance about Coca-Cola: the drink itself, the marketing of those who drink Coke, and the feeling of consuming a popular name brand. Both of those dance works included some elements of swing dancing and the 40s time period. I really enjoy movement that pushes physicality and musicality. I feel fulfilled as an artist when audience members laugh at my choreography. I find humor to be difficult to physicalize in contemporary dance but it’s something I’ve been interested in since undergrad. It feels like audience members hesitate to visibly or audibly react to what they see on stage — fair, I understand nobody wants to be rude, there is theatre etiquette, and everyone has a different taste in humor– but I love to hear the chuckles erupting.
What is something you’ve learned since you’ve moved to Atlanta?
I moved to Atlanta after graduating from the University of Florida. The first year was difficult as I didn’t have many connections. But as I continued to take more classes and attend dance events, I started to build wonderful friendships with other talented artists. I learned that the Atlanta dance community really flourishes on relationships and so being competitive and jealous of others landing gigs was just unproductive and bad for my mental health. Rather, I realized the abundance of opportunities out there so I can be genuinely happy for others who get opportunities that I may not receive– knowing my time will come. I have a more optimistic viewpoint now.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
During COVID, this is difficult but I do enjoy exploring different trails around the city, especially near the Chattahoochee River. I also love Buford Highway because of the variety of food options. I’m just waiting on a Filipino restaurant to open up over there! Of course, I would want everyone to check out all of the dance performances happening around the city.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My family, professors and friends at the University of Florida dance department, my dance community here in Atlanta
Website: jaxdance.org
Instagram: @jaxdance
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelynpritz/
Image Credits
Photos That Move James Davis Jessica Maria Rivas, jmrivasphotos Lizzie Baker, The Atlanta Dance Photographer Grace Landefeld
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