96. Penny Saunders on the Moment She Finally Called Herself a Choreographer

Penny Saunders is an absolute force in the dance world and a choreographer every dancer dreams of working with. But before she was a choreographer, she was a dynamic performer dancing with companies including American Repertory Ballet, Ballet Arizona, MOMIX, Cedar Lake, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. She is now an acclaimed choreographer who has created works for companies including Grand Rapids Ballet, Hubbard Street, Cincinnati Ballet, Whim W'Him, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Parsons Dance, Oklahoma City Ballet, BalletX, Sacramento Ballet, The Royal New Zealand Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Diablo Ballet, Dayton Ballet, Eugene Ballet, ArtEmotion/Ballet West and Seattle Dance Collective, among others. In this episode, Penny shares how her early training shaped her independence, and what it really looked like to transition from a classical dancer into a contemporary artist. We also dive into her evolution as a choreographer, the moment she finally claimed that title, and how motherhood has influenced both her creative process and career. Key "Pointes" from this Episode: * Training at Harid Conservatory and how dance fostered independence at a young age. * Her transition into a professional career with her first job at American Repertory Ballet. * Navigating the transition from classical ballet to contemporary dance. * The story behind one of her favorite performance experiences and falling in love with her husband. * Taking the leap into choreography at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. * Overcoming imposter syndrome and growing into the identity of "choreographer". * Balancing motherhood with a demanding dance career and why it matters for children to see their parents pursuing fulfilling work. * Adapting choreography across different companies while staying true to her voice. * An inside look at her current commissions, including Romeo & Juliet with Diablo Ballet and Sherlock Holmes co-produced by Ballet Idaho, Grand Rapids Ballet, and Nashville Ballet. Connect with Penny: INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/pennyfix/ Connect with Chronicle Studio APP: https://chroniclestudio.passion.io/ INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/chronicle_cdt_studio/ [http://instagram.com/chronicle_cdt_studio/] FACEBOOK: facebook.com/chronicleCDTstudio [http://facebook.com/chronicleCDTstudio] MORE INFO: allongefilms.com/chroniclestudio [http://allongefilms.com/chroniclestudio] Let's connect! MY WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com [http://thebrainyballerina.com/] INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina [http://instagram.com/thebrainyballerina] Schedule your complimentary career consultation: https://www.thebrainyballerina.com/career-mentoring Questions/comments? Email me at caitlin@thebrainyballerina.com