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Mixmaster presents “100 Creatives,” in which we feature cultural entrepreneurs of Dallas in random order.
A long time professional dancer with Metropolitan Classical Ballet, Katie Puder has spend much of her life in Dallas on her toes. And like a good dancer, when it was time to take a step in a new direction, she didn’t hesitate. In 2012, she paired up with David Cooper, principal French horn with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, to create Avant Chamber Ballet, a small, professional dance company committed to high quality dance and live musical accompaniment. She’s earned accolades from the local dance critics, and programmed show after elegant show, and this year promises to be her biggest yet as she programs a robust third season for the company, including performances with the Soluna Festival in May. And she’s made it look easy.
You were a professional dancer before starting your company, what did you want to accomplish with ACB that wasn’t already out there?
A few things that mostly I wasn’t finding in DFW and in Texas- first was the live music. For me a large part of why I move is the reaction to music and rhythm. So much of the adrenaline rush of dancing is the reaction and response to live music in the moment. Dance is a very ephemeral art form. It’s gone by the time you can register what you have seen. As a dancer there is no more zen-in-the-moment world than on stage, but if you are using recorded music then you know when that next note is happening and it deadens the senses and that registers to the audience.
Next, I wanted to see variety and new works. Nutcracker followed by a repeat of a story ballet we saw two seasons ago is not my cup of tea. The nice thing about being a small company is that you can take chances and be open to doing things in a different way. Ballet Theater size companies easily get in rut and they need to sell out 2000+ seat theaters. By being small we can take our core audience on a ride and do things that they don’t expect because they don’t have an expectation of us other than seeing good dance.
Your performances have been praised for placing elegant dancing and music at the forefront and not dressing things up with elaborate sets or costumes to overshadow the dance. Can you describe what took you in that direction?
I think it’s the way I grew up and also my personal taste. I love the work of Balanchine and his seemingly simple but genius use of bodies, music and space. Ballet is a beautiful thing and it’s not because of the yards of tulle and rhinestones but because of the lines of the dancer and their expression of the steps and music. I find many times the sets and costumes are distractions for the audience and take away from the dance instead of adding to it.
Tell us a bit about what you will be doing with Soluna.
It’s a dream program for me really. When I finally saw it on paper I had to sit back for a minute or two and let it sink in. I really had illusions that ACB would be presenting this kind of repertoire 3 years after our first little black box show with no budget. We are presenting works by 3 of my favorite choreographers – George Balanchine, Christopher Wheeldon, Paul Mejia – and then a new work by myself. Each ballet reflects the theme of “Destination: America”. The choreographer or composer (or both) came to America for artistic freedom or inspiration. It is a huge step forward for a company of our age and size to get the rights to do these ballets. I still pinch myself when I think about it!
Is there something in particular you’d like to accomplish in the next year?
We are seeking funding for a touring floor that would allow us to do outreach performances with our dancers and musicians in schools and out-of-the-box venues. It would be wonderful for audiences who wouldn’t or can’t normally buy a ticket to a theater event plus it would be more performances for our dancers which is really important for growth as artists.
If you took the temperature of the dance scene in Dallas generally is it growing? shrinking? Filled with energy or in need of a boost?
I think it is definitely growing. It seems like a new generation of dance makers and leaders are coming out and I’m also seeing more Dallas-made talent stay in Dallas. My era of dancers didn’t have to go to New York to fulfill their dance goals and there is something very rewarding about presenting your art and work in your own community.
Perfect day in the life of Katie Puder:
Since I’m at it 7 days a week and average about 75 hours of work… I’d say it would have to
start with sleeping in a little! Breakfast with my fiance, then a Pilates workout, teach and take company class, rehearsal and finish a ballet I’ve been working on and then home by evening and put my feet up. I’m hoping this is my real schedule soon.
ACB performances on the horizon we should put on our calendars.
Our next performances at the Eisemann Center are going to be exceptional. March 7th and 8th we are presenting the launch of Women’s Choreography Project. It will a program of new works by established and emerging female choreographers. Even though ballet is a female majority art form there are few female choreographers or opportunities for women to break into the field. It’s been an exciting rehearsal process so far and it’s wonderful to see the company dancers working in so many new styles and movement vocabularies with the guest choreographers. I think it will be a very memorable performance.
100 Creatives:
100. Theater Mastermind Matt Posey
99. Comedy Queen Amanda Austin
98. Deep Ellum Enterpriser Brandon Castillo
97. Humanitarian Artist Willie Baronet
96. Funny Man Paul Varghese
95. Painting Provocateur Art Peña
94. Magic Man Trigg Watson
93. Enigmatic Musician George Quartz
92. Artistic Luminary Joshua King
91. Inventive Director Rene Moreno
90. Color Mavens Marianne Newsom and Sunny Sliger
89. Literary Lion Thea Temple
88. Movie Maestro Eric Steele
87. Storytelling Dynamo Nicole Stewart
86. Collaborative Artist Ryder Richards
85. Party Planning Print maker Raymond Butler
84. Avant-gardist Publisher Javier Valadez
83. Movie Nerd James Wallace
82. Artistic Tastemakers Elissa & Erin Stafford
81. Pioneering Arts Advocates Mark Lowry & Michael Warner
80. Imaginative Director Jeremy Bartel
79. Behind-the-Scenes Teacher Rachel Hull
78. Kaleidoscopic Artist Taylor “Effin” Cleveland
77. Filmmaker & Environmentalist Michael Cain
76. Music Activist Salim Nourallah
75. Underground Entrepreneur Daniel Yanez
74. Original Talent Celia Eberle
73. Comic Artist Aaron Aryanpur
72. Classical Thespian Raphael Parry
71. Dance Captain Valerie Shelton Tabor
70. Underground Culture Mainstay Karen X. Minzer
69. Effervescent Gallerist Brandy Michele Adams
68. Birthday Party Enthusiast Paige Chenault
67. Community Architect Monica Diodati
66. Intrepid Publisher Will Evans
65. Writerly Wit Noa Gavin
64. Maverick Artist Roberto Munguia
63. Fresh Perspective Kelsey Leigh Ervi
62. Virtuosic Violinist Nathan Olson
61. Open Classical’s Dynamic Duo Mark Landson & Patricia Yakesch
60. Rising Talent Michelle Rawlings
59. Adventurous Filmmaker Toby Halbrooks
58. Man of Mystery Edward Ruiz
57. Inquisitive Sculptor Val Curry
56. Offbeat Intellect Thomas Riccio
55. Doers and Makers Shannon Driscoll & Kayli House Cusick
54. Performance Pioneer Katherine Owens
53. Experimental Filmmaker and Video Artist Mike Morris
52. Flowering Fashioner Lucy Dang
51. Insightful Artist Stephen Lapthisophon
50. Dallas Arts District
49. Farmer’s Market Localvore Sarah Perry
48. Technological Painter John Pomara
47. Progressive Playmakers Christopher Carlos & Tina Parker
46. Purposive Chef Chad Houser
45. Absorbing Artist Jeff Gibbons
44. Artistic Integrator Erica Felicella
43. Multi-talented Director Tre Garrett
42. Anachronistic Musician Matt Tolentino
41. Emerging Veteran Actor Van Quattro
40. Festival Orchestrator Anna Sophia van Zweden
39. Literary Framer Karen Weiner
38. Man Behind the Music Gavin Mulloy
37. The Godfather of Dallas Art Frank Campagna
36. Rising Star Adam A. Anderson
35. Artist Organizer Heyd Fontenot
34. Music Innovator Stefan Gonzalez
33. Triple Threat Giovanni Valderas
32. Cultural Connector Lauren Cross
31. Critical Artist Thor Johnson
30. Delicate Touch Margaret Meehan
29. Fashion Forward Charles Smith II
28. Dedicated Artist Carolyn Sortor
27. Political Cyber Banksy Wylie H Dallas
26. Dance Preserver Lisa Mesa Rogers
25. Rob ‘Ain’t No Creative Like A Bow-Tie-Wearing Creative’ Shearer
24. Scholar of the Stage Susan Sargeant
23. Photographer of Record Justin Terveen
22. Music Man Jeffrey Liles
21. Keeper of the Safe Room Lauren Gray
20. Playwright Jonathan Norton, Man of Many Words
19. Filmmaker and Funniest Comic in Texas Linda Stogner
18. Gallerist Jordan Roth, the Art Scene Cheerleader
17. Artful Advocate Vicki Meek
