Q&A with Apprentice Dylan Calahan
What are you most looking forward to for the 50th Anniversary season?
I am most looking forward to continuing to learn more about what it takes to be a professional dancer and more about myself as a dancer. This career is something that many people work towards, so I realize how fortunate I am to be able to be a part of a company as prestigious as PNB. The rep this season has a lot of variety in it and it will be challenging in new and different ways for me, so I look forward to finding out where those challenges lie.
What is the best advice that you’ve ever received?
One piece of advice that has always stuck with me throughout my training came from a former teacher of mine at SAB, Peter Frame. He had lots of phrases that he repeated to his students during class, but one always stuck out: “Attention, intention, commitment, recommitment, choice.” This goes beyond the classroom in the sense that you can apply it anywhere in your life. It is something I repeated to myself often throughout my training and during the pandemic when I wasn’t sure where I would end up dancing.
What inspires you outside of the studio?
Nature is my biggest inspiration outside of the studio and for the most part in my life too. When I’m feeling confused, anxious, sad, or even mad, I always turn to nature. While there are no answers to some questions we may have, spending time in nature leaves me with a sense of balance that I haven’t found anywhere else.
