Meet Julianne Mundale

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Julianne Mundale a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Julianne, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

My parents. Growing up, I never really understood what my parents sacrificed for me and my 2 brothers. Our parents were not wealthy. We lived in a modest house, always had used cars, no garage. My parents were always there to bring us to school and activities of our interests. They always supported us and nurtured our interests. My father would work a 50+ hour work week as Chief engineer, come home, mow the lawn, fix things around the house, pick us up from activities or come watch us in our activities. He would get up on weekends to help us every weekend with our weekend paper routes loading papers into the back of the truck and set them on the corners so we didn’t have to carry too many at a time. He could fix everything and anything. He always wanted to tackle a project rather than call a service to do it. Many times, even though he was paid a salary, he would stay later or return back to work if there was a problem, even though he wasn’t on call, He was always one to help out and be the last one to stay. He was a methodical project planner and builder, He didn’t want to just fix it for the “time being”, he wanted it to last. He cared about his reputation and always wanted to please people. He retired at 73.
My mom is the same way, always going above and beyond to take care of us, support us, provide for us. She would stay up late to make sure everything was ready for everybody the next day, whether it be preparing lunches, laundry, house work, etc. She or my father would bring us and pick us up from every game, concert, lesson and practice and they were very rarely late.
We were taught how to do things around the house and to do them well. To work together and get the “job” done. We were taught how to take care of our possessions as they demonstrated the care of theirs. They taught us how to be patient and to be proud of ourselves.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I started dancing at age 4. My mom put me in dance so I would learn discipline. At the first dance recital, they could barely get me off the stage. I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be a dancer. At age 12, I saw my first Broadway tour production of 42nd Street. It was then I knew, musical theatre was my calling.”

I have performed in over 40 productions regionally and nationally and have been a dance and theatre educator and choreographer for over 30 years. I have been seen in productions with The Children’s Theatre Company, the former Ruby’s Cabaret, Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Ordway Center, Disney Productions LLC , Buffalo Gal Productions, The Flying Foot Forum and numerous live industrials locally and nationally. I have been member of the professional Actors Equity union for 25 years. I have ben an instructor at numerous dance studios and high schools as the choreographer for musical productions as well as choreographer for The Spotlight program at Hennepin Arts, (formerly known as, Hennepin Theatre Trust).

I love to create, inspire and “give back”, all I have learned from the numerous amazing mentors in my life.
To all of those artists still with us and those who have passed on, your legacy lives within me… Thank you!

I provide weekly dance classes at my new studio, Sol Creative Performing Arts Studio, in the Northeast Arts District, which opened in January 2024. I offer classes for Jazz Technique/choreography , Musical Theatre Jazz , Rhythm and Musical Theatre style Tap. My classes are for 16 and up I have students from teenage through 72 currently! Classes are a mix from pre-professional, professional. For anyone with the desire to improve their dance training, maintain their training, learn other styles or just for the pure JOY of dance! There’s something for everyone! My classes include a thorough warm up, technique, articulation, isolations, progressions and a combo. I offer “themed classes”, such as Fosse Friday Jazz. This is a style specific class focusing on the choreographic style of genius Bob Fosse. I have an Audition Workshop Class, designed to offer tips to be able to pick up choreography rapidly at audition dance calls. I’m not a fan of “fake it till you make it”. Never have and never will. If you want to do it, do it right.
I also offer private instruction, couples dance and wedding choreography. Clients/ students can pay by the class or purchase a discount class card. No registration fees and…
FREE PARKING!

What I know, and can be considered a bonus, is that I have experience on both “sides of the stage”. As a performer and also a choreographer/creative director, shifter, costume sea stress and designer, prop and set builder. What I can bring to the next generation is exactly what I was given by the mentors I trained with growing up. Quality training and nurturing coaching and a extreme love for the arts!
I am producing cabaret style shows as well. Just this past August, I produced my first production, Wonderland, a modern day telling of Lewis Carrolls’ Alice Through the Looking Glass. Set to both live and recorded music. A cast of 15 singers and dancers and 4 piece band.
This was truly a labor of love and years in the making inspired from an avantgarde production I saw in NYC. Curiouser and Curiouser I have always been, and I have always loved the story of Alice in Wonderland growing up. I still can’t believe I produced it!
My dream is to have a permanent cabaret style theatre. Much like the former Ruby’s Cabaret (owned by Mary Kelly Leer) and the Loring Playhouse, both where Ballet of the Dolls performed, under the direction and genius of Myron Johnson, whom I studied with at The Children’s Theatre Company as a Performing Apprentice right out of high school and beyond. What an honor and full circle moment to have both of them there in the audience on Industry night!

I still perform and desire to perform, there just hasn’t been anything that I’ve wanted to “bite my teeth” into as of late, so, I’m creating my own. Every artist involved on and off the stage, is paid for rehearsals and performances. That’s show….business!
Visit solcreativepas.org for more information, class offerings, sign up protocol and events!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Learn and study from lots of instructors, directors, vocal coaches, musicians, costumers, prop masters, set, lighting and sound designers. The more you know the better.

Try everything. See what strikes your interest! Step out of your comfort zone! Take a chance! You never want to look back and say, “If only I would’ve tried.” Keep studying and learning. I had a very well established artist tell me he wished he had studied with me years ago, because he realized he was executing some of his tap technique wrong, which was causing him much strain and frustration while performing. In his words, “Game changer!”

Don’t be afraid make a mistake. No one learns anything by being perfect. Life is full of peaks and valleys. It’s always good to keep climbing.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

Let me be me. They guided me and they were supportive, nurturing and involved in all of my activities. They offered advice and help when I was struggling and were always, (and still are) supportive of my dreams becoming realities.
My grandfather said to my mother, which she passed on to me, “When you look at a particular thing in your life, does it enhance your life? If not, remove it.” Very good advice. Don’t make excuses, find solutions. Life is too short to not go for it!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://solcreativepas.org
• Instagram: solcreativepas
• Facebook: SolCreative Performing Arts Studio LLC
• Linkedin: Julianne Mundale

Image Credits

Photos by me