Meet NY-based Dancer Claire Kretzschmar
Claire Kretzschmar is a ballet dancer based in New York City, NY. Visit her Instagram page or email her at ckretz92@gmail.com.
CATHOLIC ARTIST CONNECTION: Where are you from originally, and what brought you to NYC?
CLAIRE KRETZSCHMAR: I grew up in Winston-Salem, NC and moved up to NYC when I was 17 to attend the School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center. I've been here ever since, dancing for the past 12 years with the New York City Ballet.
How do understand your vocation as a Catholic artist?
Yes, I'm a Catholic artist, but I refer to myself as simply an artist. Two reasons come to mind for this explanation...
1. The word "Catholic" may put up a barrier in a person's mind because he/she is not Catholic, or perhaps he/she has had a poor experience with the Church or has received misinformation, etc. Being called "an artist" however may have a more permeable and penetrable quality than being called a "Catholic artist" because being "an artist" avoids another label for division in today's world. 2. Calling myself an artist is simple and true.
Where have you found support in the Church for your vocation as an artist?
My roommate and I started an arts collective called Arthouse2B that puts on arts events around the city (mainly at a church up in Harlem, NYC) and we've found great support from other artists within the Church by hosting these events. When art, friendship, creativity and hospitality align, there is a wealth of support that we feel as artists.
How can the Church be more welcoming to artists?
The Church could create more events to both showcase the creativity within their parish communities and to foster artist/patron relationships that artists (and perhaps patrons too!) so earnestly desire.
Where in NYC do you regularly find spiritual fulfillment?
St. Vincent Ferrer [a Dominican parish on the Upper East Side] and Arthouse2B.
Where in NYC do you regularly find artistic fulfillment?
I find great inspiration in deep conversations with friends and strangers, the music that I listen to (mostly on Spotify but sometimes in concerts), various films (especially the Film Society at Lincoln Center), dance performances (at Lincoln Center, and elsewhere), dance residencies (New York Choreographic Institute and places outside of NYC), Arthouse2B, the Theology of Home email subscription, the Met Museum, and Central Park.
Photo by Alice Plati
How have you found or built community as a Catholic artist in NYC?
Organizing Arthouse2B and sharing arts events together has allowed for a growth in my network of Catholic friends; but on a purer level, having in depth conversations with artists about the demands and joys of the artistic vocation have served as the building blocks of this community.
If you have a spiritual director, how did you find that person?
I found my spiritual director through my parish pastor. I just asked him who was available and who might be a good fit for me.
What is your daily artistic practice?
When I'm dancing, I offer a portion of my rehearsal time - my thoughts and my prayers at that given moment - for a particular person or intention. Since being an artist requires so much introspection, this practice helps me to perceive my work as a gift; my ability to dance is a gift from God and in addition, it is a gift that I can return to God through intentional, prayerful movement.
How do you afford housing as an artist in NYC?
I love the Upper West Side, but it is not necessarily the most affordable. I found my home through an artist friend of mine. Word of mouth info about homes seems to work pretty well in the Catholic arts scene.
Photo by Pari Dukovic
How do you financially support yourself as an artist in NYC?
I'm currently employed full-time by New York City Ballet, but I'll soon be a freelancer when I make the transition out of this job and into the next chapter! I do think that simple Google searches help a lot when seeking new job opportunities and also telling friends and family that you're in the "job market" for certain things... you never know what relevant info these people may have to tell you!
How do you market your art?
I've been fortunate to have a dance job with a mainstream company that has a good marketing team, but as an individual artist, I've found that having a presence on Instagram opens up doors for fun friendships and/or more work opportunities.
What other practical resources would you recommend to a Catholic artist living in your city?
In NYC: Maman (cafe - great for chats, but no laptops allowed), Black Press Coffee, St. Vincent Ferrer Church, Central Park, Ripley Grier Studios for affordable studio rentals, Lincoln Center for shows, St. Joseph's Immigrant Home for affordable housing for women, MJ O'Toole (photographer), Jon Marquez (photographer), Met Museum, Film Society at Lincoln Center, Indie Food and Wine by the film society.
What are your top pieces of advice for Catholic artists post-graduation?
Think about what you most enjoy doing and try to do it wholeheartedly (somewhere/anywhere!).
Be courageous.
Don't dwell on what other people might think, but do think about how you can best reach people with your message.
Cultivate rest.
You don't necessarily need to seek out or say yes to every opportunity, but pray about what God is calling you to do at a particular time and do that.
Photo by Paul Kolnik