Alum Feature: Isabel Umali
As we continue to celebrate BBT's 40th Anniversary, we are delighted to share thoughts and memories from BBT Alum.
Isabel Umali is a New York City-based dance artist. Isabel has worked with dance companies such as LeeSaar the Company, the Francesca Harper Project, Gallim Dance, et al., creating work, originating roles, and touring nationally and internationally. Isabel performed for Punchdrunk’s internationally acclaimed show, Sleep No More (2015 - 2019), and has appeared in various commercials and music videos.
As a creator, Isabel has collaborated with musicians and visual artists. Her work has been shown in venues such as BRIC, The Shed, The Ace Hotel, Triskelion Arts, galleries, and festivals nationally and internationally.
Isabel is now a craniosacral therapist and works to enmesh her rich dance training with the principles and techniques of somatic healing practices. She teaches classes online and in New York City.
When did you dance at BBT? Who was the Artistic Director?
Sarah Marcus was the director for my two years at BBT from 2006 - 2008.
What do you remember most about being here?
BBT offered rigorous ballet training without the built-in systems of shame-based discipline. That was incredibly important for me as an adolescent.
I was never destined to be a ballet dancer, and taking modern from Brian Fischer was one of the milestone experiences that encouraged me towards a professional dance career.
What makes BBT different from other places you have trained?
BBT was a place whose instructors gave me hope and reassurance. I was being trained well, with better technique than I had previously, and was treated with respect and optimism. I didn't experience false hopes nor put-downs. It was a very grounding education.
When did you decide to become a professional?
I first wanted to be a professional ballerina at age 11. That was never going to happen for a multitude of reasons. But at BBT, I saw the high school juniors meeting with Suzan Weber, and I realized that I could go to college, get a BFA, and dance thereafter.
Is there a moment that you still think of today when you are taking class or performing that came from your time here at BBT?
Occasionally I think of Sarah Marcus's moving fingertips during ballet. She named it a bad habit, but as my somatic education has continued, I have learned the benefits of these "twinkle" fingertips!
What is the single piece of advice that you would give to a BBT dancer who would like to become professional?
Don't be too hard on yourself. Push yourself, trust yourself, and keep reflecting on what about dance is nourishing you. Follow that source of nourishment. No dance career has to look a certain way.
What advice would you give to parent/guardians who have a dancer who would like to become professional?
Don't get in the way of their passion.
Trust that they will figure it out; they can always change their minds. Likely (unless you're a dancer or artist), you have no idea what the norms or value systems of the professional dance world are–so seek help from pro dancers or teachers who your child already likes or gravitates towards. When I have gotten a "cold" call from a caretaker in this position, I have always been happy to chat.
How did BBT inform your path?
I would likely not have gone to SUNY Purchase, Conservatory of Dance, without BBT, which kick-started a subsequent 8 years of professional employment.
Where are you dancing now?
In Prospect Park and my living room! During the pandemic, having previously left company jobs, most of us have been training wherever we can.
The pandemic pushed me towards teaching and creating a platform, Embodied Activism, for people to access movement and healing workshops during the pandemic. Over the last year, I have been fortunate to do a few projects and dance in a few films.
At El Cerrito Ballet Center
Photo by Effy Grey taken at The Joyce Theater, Gallim Dance
Photo by Elizabeth Romanski