Can Can Love
Vian Studios’ series of blogs featuring individuals and their creativity has led us to partner with Madison Oliver, a professional dancer currently based out of Seattle.
Thank you for taking the time for this Interview Madison! When did you start dancing and what is your favorite style?
My parents signed me up for dance classes at the age of three and I guess it stuck!! I have such a deep appreciation for every different movement style, as they each raise their own challenges and sense of beauty when dancing them. That being said, I find myself most at ease and transcended into another world, if you will, when I am moving in a way that allows me to articulate, move with purpose and be supported technically from a base of classical ballet, mixed with the freedom to discover and explore space, body and feeling in someway, like a modern style.
Photo by Tino Tran
You work for the Can Can Culinary Cabaret in Seattle, what is performing there like and how has work changed there this year since March?
I do and it is exhilarating in pretty much every sense of the word! One of the things I love most about the Can Can is the variance in experience not only night to night, but show to show. We may be doing the same show weeks on end, handfuls of times each week, but because of the intimate and interactive aspects of our venue and performances the tone and overall outcome of each show is heavily dependent on the crowd and how they react to what is going on around them. Each time we perform it is so different, and that help keeps things lively and fresh on and off stage. We have the best time reminiscing on and talking about numbers, funny interactions, you name it. I have never had more fun working someplace, then I do at the Can. We are performing every night, doing what we love, with our friends. That, coupled with tasty food and making people smile and laugh all night.. I mean come on there is nothing to complain about. Unfortunately, like so so many other places during this time we have had to shut down (temporarily.. we will be back full force.. watch out!). We had our last show March 15th and since then our doors have been shut. It is a real shame to not be able to provide that little outlet of joy, humor, love, release and occasional raunch to so many in the heart of the market, but I can only imagine how it will make eventually opening back up that much more special. Since physically closing, they did produce and start up a "Show To Go" package that is a fun time and allows you to bring the experience safely into your home. As of now that is as close to the action much action as you will be able to get from us over at the Can, but rest assured things are always in the works and like I said, we will be back!
Photo by Nate Watters
Photo by Nate Watters
What other theatre's have you danced/performed in?
I danced with the Nevada Ballet Theatre (NBT) in Las Vegas for two years and with Spectrum Dance Theater (SDT) in Seattle for 3. With NBT we had some amazing opportunities to collaborate with Cirque De Soleil, which was always a dream to perform on their stages and meet new artists from all over. On the topic of meeting new artists from varying backgrounds, traveling to Buenos Aires with SDT was a trip of a lifetime, getting to dance through a cultural exchange with a group of Argentine dancers and learn about their culture.
What is your favorite part/aspect of performing?
That liberating feeling of working so hard at something and finally getting to just let loose and share it with a crowd is pretty indescribable and one of my favorite parts of performing. It brings me extreme ecstasy and drops me into a world where I feel wholly myself, like I can explore beyond the boundaries and not only feel these ways myself, but create and bring people into a space where they are welcome to feel and experience all they need/want…and that is pretty darn cool if you ask me.
Photo by Virginia Trudeau
Photo by Vincent Lopez
Do you have any advice for aspiring dancers?
Soak up as much as you can at any given moment. Listen hard, keep your eyes open and ask questions. Find the take away in every experience, be it good or bad, as there is always something to learn. Push yourself and never forget to allow yourself grace.
What does the holiday season look like for you this year?
As far as the holiday season goes, I have no idea what it is going to look like for me this year; I have very much been taking things day by day. Working in the industry I chose to devote myself to has always made for an incredibly busy holiday season. Going from that to having more time than one might know what to do with has been an interesting thing to think on. Our schedules may be a whole lot more free to fill with the things we wouldn’t normally have time for, but with that, because of the current times we are also heavily restricted on what we are able to do and how we fill that time. Ideally I would love to be with my parents if it is safe to do so, but a relaxing, time in snuggled by a fire, with maybe a pod mate or two, some great food, baked goods, music and movies sounds like quite a delight. Who knows, ya know!!!
Do you have a favorite holiday dish that you like to cook/or eat?
Honestly, I do not have a favorite holiday dish. My family and I would also make a delicious meal, but we never had a tradition of making something specific. My mom is a fantastic cook, so we always ate well and it was fun to change it up each year. There are a few baked goods she always has around, so I tend to associate those with the holidays!
