Dorrance Squared: A Reflection on their “Art of Excellence”
What Happened with Dorrance Squared?
Everyone had a wonderful time last week at The Art of Excellence: A Public Conversation with Michelle Dorrance and Anson Dorrance. The event was a part of Arts Everywhere’s professional development series dedicated to conversations with renowned artists and leading campus figures about their professional journeys and how they weave creativity into all aspects of their careers.
The Story of Two Champions
Both Michelle and Anson, a dynamic father-daughter duo, recounted amazing stories of the mentorship they received that allowed them access to what they may have previously thought was out of reach. The humility they both displayed when speaking about how they came to such a high level of success in both their fields was astounding. They gave credit to those who came before them as well as the upcoming generation, which was refreshing.
Here were two people who are absolute superstars at what they do, telling an audience of people how so much of their success comes from listening and learning from others.
At first glance, one might think that soccer and dance are located in two completely different realms, but that is not the case. One of my biggest takeaways from the conversation is that excellence, whether it be in dance or in sports, is derived from the same key ingredients: hard work, creativity, innovation, and repetition.
Whether it be contriving new ways to effectively train in soccer, or fusing together elements of technology and artistry to better express yourself through dance, the creative spirit of the arts is present in all things. Their philosophies left a mark on me – I left feeling as if I had the tools to mold my career into something specific and magnificent to me, rather than follow the status quo.
What’s Next?
Join us February 13 for the next installment in The Art of Excellence series as we speak with Emil Kang, special assistant to the Chancellor for the arts, and Vivienne Benesch, producing artistic director of PlayMakers! Learn more about the event here. It is sure to be another great deep dive into forging a path to success in the creative industries.
Written by:
Bri Charles ’20