Get to know one of The Movement Project’s newest company members, Irene Honora! Irene, who was born in Colorado and moved to Cleveland as a kid, started interning with TMP last year, and was offered a position as a company member upon her graduation from Ohio University. This week, I had the opportunity to ask her a few questions.
Q: “When did you start dancing?”
Irene: “I took classes here and there throughout my life, but I did not start dancing seriously until I was about 16-17.”
Q: “When did you realize that you wanted to pursue dance as a career?”
Irene: “I initially went into Ohio University as an English Creative Writing major. However, after taking a few non-major dance classes for fun, I realized that dancing was what I needed to do. So at the end of my freshman year in college, I auditioned for the School of Dance and made it in. I never looked back, or ever thought of doing anything else.”
Q: “What styles have you trained in?”
Irene: “I have studied ballet and jazz. I also did a lot of hip-hop when in high school. Hip-hop was, interestingly enough, what got me back into dance when I got older. But modern is my favorite.”
Q: “What do you love most about modern dance?”
Irene: “It is limitless. Unlike other dance forms--though they are just as valid and beautiful--you choose the parameters. And since you choose them, you can change them. You can do and create whatever you want without sticking to a rigid structure. Technique broadens your horizons and allows you to get more creative and push the boundaries rather than bar you.”
Q: “What do you love about Cleveland?”
Irene: “Everything. Cleveland is such a beautiful city with a rich arts community. The people of Cleveland love the arts; we just need to reinforce that. We need to show everyone that Cleveland is worth fighting for.”
Q: “What would you consider the ‘highlight’ of your career thus far?”
Irene: “That is hard to choose, because I have been fortunate enough to have so many. I would have to say it would be between having the opportunity to have a professional performance debut with The Movement Project while still in college during the premiere of "Two Kinds of Light", and being selected to present research in Basel, Switzerland on snapping hip syndrome. My research was selected to be presented at the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science's (IADMS) annual conference in October this past year. It was a lot of fun.”
Q: “Outside of dance, what do you like to do in your spare time?”
Irene: “I like reading, writing (poetry, mostly), and playing video games. I also like snuggling my dog, Vincent.”
Q: “Do you have any big plans for the future yet? Do you plan on pursuing dance medicine?
Irene: “I am not sure yet. I know I want to get back into choreography, so that is definitely something I would like to get back into in the near future. As far as dance medicine goes, I would love to do another conference, probably not this year, though.
