Jessica Lohr | Season in Review
One of our Ballet 5:8 traditions at the end of each performance season is to ask the artists of the company to share some reflections with us. Getting to know the dancers and hearing about their journey is always a treat, and this year is no exception - even in a year turned upside down by a national pandemic! A special thank you to the artists of the company for sharing about their experiences in the 2019/20 Season.
Company Artist, Jessica Lohr
Q. Pick one word to describe the overall season. Why?
A. Stretching! This season came with so many gifts and memories, but also lots of unexpected challenges. From setting new ballets and the many beautiful moments on stage, to dancing from home and presenting The Space in Between and Butterfly on film, I am so thankful for the grace of Jesus lighting the way and the amazing team at Ballet 5!
Q. Can you share a favorite moment from on or offstage?
A. I so enjoyed getting to perform the “Yellow” divertissements in Julianna Slager’s Brothers & Sisters in Milwaukee. That piece is a wonderful challenge and always made me feel nervous excitement before dancing it. That show ended up being my only opportunity to dance that piece, and what a joy it was! There were such wonderful moments of freedom and enjoying dancing with the other dancers. It felt like I was simply dancing as myself for the audience instead of playing a character which was so fun! I remember as the cast completed the lightning fast finale I felt so much gratitude bubbling within me and I could not help but laugh simply for the joy of it!
Q. Of course choosing this is probably going to be hard, but out of the works you performed this season, does one stand out as the most meaningful or most notable for you personally? Why?
A. Performing in Butterfly was an incredibly meaningful experience. Having the opportunity to partake in the telling of a story of that magnitude was both incredibly humbling and a great honor. I learned so much about myself as an artist and the value of storytelling through art.
Q. Is there a particular quote or idea that has been inspirational to you this season?
A. This season the idea of simply listening has been an inspiration to me. I wanted to see how putting more of an emphasis on the act of listening would impact my storytelling as an artist. Dancing in Butterfly was a perfect opportunity to practice this. By focusing mainly on listening to the stories of the men and women portrayed in the ballet and allowing my work to stem from that instead of simply contriving my own interpretation I felt that I was able to go deeper as a storyteller. Throughout quarantine having an emphasis on listening was also such a source of encouragement and strength for me.
Q. What was Quarantine like?
A. My quarantine was filled with dancing at home, teaching over Zoom, and working on my degree online! I also was able to spend a lot of time hiking which was amazing!
Q. What are you up to this summer?
A. I will be spending most of my summer teaching ballet and working on my degree! Summer is always my favorite time for reading, so I also have a goal of reading 20 books by September!