Amelia D’Angelo :: Dancer Profile

Oct 24, 2011 by lisazahiya

Name: Amelia D’Angio

Studies: Recently graduated Owen High School; Enrolled in studio art program at Bard College, New York

Favorite Activities/Interests: Theater, dance, photography and mixed medium art

 

Dance entered Amelia D’Angelo’s life at a key time.

Like all high school students, she was learning about herself and her body, and figuring out its potential and limits. Dance helped her appreciate her figure, a task that is often so difficult for young women.

“I kind of switched from ‘Oh, I want to work out because I hate this about myself,’ to ‘I want to because I love my body, it’s the only one I have and I want to take care of it,’” Amelia said.

This revived outlook on herself impacted other aspects of her life. “I think dance is important to me as a whole person,” she said.

Inspired by her older sister who graduated college with majors in dance and gender studies, Amelia decided to take dance to a new level. “I was interested in seeing what my body could do,” she said.

While Amelia had taken ballet and tap classes when she was a child, she became serious about the art form when she joined the dance program at Owen High School. She learned about modern technique, jazz, hip hop and choreography.

That’s when Lisa Zahiya entered her life.

“The first time I met Lisa, she led a small workshop at my school,” Amelia said. “Everyone had a lot of fun working with her and we learned a lot. She definitely had command of the group, but the atmosphere was still relaxed and fun.”

Some of the student choreographers incorporated the hip-hop movements that Lisa taught into their pieces.

The experience inspired Amelia to choreograph a fusion dance for her final graduation project, using two of Lisa’s specialties, hip hop and belly dance. She asked Lisa to be her mentor.

“She knows a lot about hip hop and belly dance,” Amelia said. “Those dance styles have never been something I’ve delved into.”

The mentorship included at least one private class each month coupled with beginner group classes. After a few months, Amelia saw a big improvement in her dance. She captured what she learned in a video for her final project.

“Since I don’t come from the culture of those two dance styles, it’s easy to feel awkward,” Amelia said. “Lisa has a way of making it fun and telling you specifically what to do with your body. She’s really good at exactly explaining movements.”

Amelia realized how her body will respond if she pushes herself. “I learned what I can really do if somebody is helping me.”

Written by Megan Riley, www.mretcetera.com