We recently connected with Claire Bechard and have shared our conversation below.
Claire, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
I’ve tried to follow my intuition and primarily lean into things that spark further curiosity and joy. I remember being a very experimental kid and I always enjoyed composing furniture spacially, and outfits by color and theme. Thankfully, being an artist requires an element of play and design, so I have always felt that I am at my best being a choreographer and a performer. So, in a roundabout way, this is simply what I wanted to do, and I am very lucky to do it. I am so pleased when I can create a piece that feels like another world, I am excited when I can share that world with others.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a performer from Detroit, MI. I graduated from Wayne State University with a BFA in Dance Performance. I have been composing dances since 2014. I started being a choreographer because I was performing in solo competitions, and I thought that I could make the best dance for myself, as an expression of myself. I have danced for productions by the Detroit Opera, Suttle Dance Detroit, and I am a member of the Ann Arbor Dance Network.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Bravery: Bravery must be exercised. But, even small acts of bravery can lead to wonderful surprises. As they say: “Fortune favors the bold”
Passion: Attack your dreams full steam ahead!
Hope: See the glass half-full, you still have something to drink.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I think one of the common pitfalls of artists is that they self-select and isolate themselves from others. I am guilty of this. But, my best work is always done through collaboration. I enjoy working with artists who are dancers, but I prefer to work with musicians and designers. There’s always blindspots in a concept, and working with people from other backgrounds and mediums can fully round out the idea.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.clairebechard.com
- Instagram: claire.bechard
Image Credits
Carolina Perez-Green Dress shot Lexi Zelenak-Orange skirt shots Taylor Craft-Orange top shots
