The Modern Dancer in NYC
Originally from Tewksbury, Massachusetts, Christina Robson graduated as a dance/performance major and visual arts minor in 2009. Now, she's a professional dancer in New York City currently working with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company. She talked to us recently about how her experience at RWU and how she's applying the skills she learned in the Dance and Visual Arts programs:
How long have you been dancing?
I have been dancing since I was 5 years old. Before attending RWU my experience dancing was in a competitive dance studio. We did short routines in tap, jazz, lyrical, acro, and ballet and competed with them in competitions throughout the country.
How did you expand that at RWU?
Coming to RWU expanded my horizons to what dancing can be as an art form, rather than a competitive form of entertainment.
What makes the Dance/Performance program special at RWU?
The RWU dance program cultivates artists. The faculty show you how many options there are in the performing arts and guides you toward ways to use your technical skills as tools to create artistic experiences with your human form.
"The dance/performance program will change your life. Dancing at Roger Williams feels like a conservatory experience."
Can you tell me how the faculty helped you get where you are now?
They have had a huge hand in helping me mold my career. It's through their mentorship that I have been able to find a place in the New York performance world. The faculty are incredibly creative with how they color the undergraduate experience, and they choose guest artists to visit the program who are vibrant in the NYC dance scene so that students can establish connections early and potentially pursue those relationships post-graduation.
You minored in Visual Arts. Could say a bit about that?
I worked with Michael Rich from the visual arts department and I studied painting, drawing and printmaking. Similarly to the dance program, the visual arts department flourishes because of the incredible faculty. Michael Rich in particular really inspired me to draw links between dance and visual arts and how the two could work collaboratively.
What would you tell a prospective student who is considering majoring in Dance/Performance?
The dance/performance program will change your life. Dancing at Roger Williams feels like a conservatory experience. Your time invested at RWU will live mostly inside the Performing Arts Barn, which is a small but magical place. The department will work with you to make your dreams achievable with the tools they have. Your body and mind will swell with rich information from the current faculty in the performing arts department, they truly care about each dance major and their interests and will tailor the program to serve your needs.