Photo Credit: Sarah Dove

Carmen Alston is the founder and artistic director of CDance Company for the Arts here in Columbus, located within and serving communities in and around the city’s east side. She has become a fixture of the dance education community and an advocate for bringing dance training of high caliber to her students. Part of her vision includes lifting up the voices of her teachers and choreographers, many of them former students. It is clear that part of the dynamic that Carmen has sought to elevate as a part of the mission of CDance is the cultivation of dance community as family. It is easy to see how her students and creative team are drawn to her—she exudes a beautiful exuberance for dance teaching and making. Observe how Carmen characterizes her artistic impact, in her own words:

Q: How would you describe you art?

A: My art is the inner cry for freedom in expression. My art is allowing my inner self to smooth my tears as a flowing Creekside of desperate whirling water, circle after circle after circle straight into a rushing stream of water. All I want to do is move, let me move on or off beat. My ART? Is a spirit—I feel this complete indescribable emotion/feeling warming over me that allows me to have the grace and rhythm needed to share with others.

Q: What has your experience been making art in the Columbus dance community?

A: My experience has been overwhelming and so much needed. I’m just a small entity in Columbus that has become a safe haven for students and young adults. I’ve worked with hundreds of students that want to be heard in movement. In my community technique is not heard of. When asking a student about ballet, she stated, “It’s beautiful and I want to look like that when I dance on my toes but, it’s something that the white kids get to do, because we can’t afford it.” So, with that statement and many others it’s my job to keep dance in the community. This is my passion and sharing it is a blessing and outstanding: the icing on the cake, topped with a big fat cherry!

Even after spending a small amount of time with her, it is clear that Carmen considers her commitment to generating points of access for dancers and young artists in her immediate circle to be of the highest import. CDance is always full of people—from infants to adults—sharing in and bearing witness to the atmosphere of creativity, yes, but also of inclusion that radiates outward from Carmen, the heart and soul of dance education and performance in her corner of Columbus. We sought to highlight this and learn more from Carmen about how she and the CDance family are navigating the difficulty of the current, global pandemic.

Q: Something we know that you take pride in is the cultivation of a family dynamic among your students. Can you talk about the impacts you have witnessed to your dance community and business as a result of Covid-19?

A: Covid-19 has seriously taken a lot out of the dance world. Where is the safe haven? It’s not there anymore. There are students that are not fortunate enough to have computers for Zoom, Facetime, Skype or any type of visual learning including their phones. At the beginning of covid19 people also lost their WiFi. Students were complaining that it just didn’t feel the same. This we understood. We tried a number of times to do virtual classes, but it just was not the same for any of us. As for business, it has been very trying. CDance is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so we run off of sponsorship and donations. That includes monthly donations. Covid-19 stopped all of that. Without the consistency of open doors, this took away students also. With permission to open, we are trying to make a comeback. Parents expressed that they fear the risks of covid-19 for their students and families. I respect the power of covid-19 very much. It doesn’t discriminate. But since the re-opening it feels so good. Covid-19 guidelines are enforced here so that we can stay open, prayerfully. More students are returning and dancing like crazy. They don’t even want to go home, and I don’t either.

Q: What are your hopes, dreams, and/or desires for dance in Columbus, your dance or otherwise?

A: I am hoping that the dance world becomes more connected. I feel that we are separated by the unknown, not knowing how to share what we have as a dance family. I dream and desire that once we are back to or close to normal parents will allow their students to be free in the art of dance. I want to work on the health of our youth. Because of covid-19 families have gained weight and have gotten lazy/tired from doing nothing. They need air and need to move for the betterment of the physical and mentally health.

Q: What other Columbus based artists are inspire you?

A: I’ve been in the dance world for quite a while, four decades to be exact! The ones that inspired me are what I call the ‘Old Heads:’ Dr. Melanie White-Dixon, Rebecca Lott-Reddick, Karen King-Caven, Vickie Blaine, and Michael Kelly Bruce. They spoke Dance into my life! When I was told it was of the devil and to never ever do it, they gave me the breath of movement!!

We could all benefit from looking to artists and instructors like Carmen when thinking about how to grow a community outward for the purpose of connection. Her goals reflect her growing legacy, but also the legacy of those individuals that she has drawn her inspirations and calls-to-action from.

If you are interested in learning more about or supporting Carmen’s ongoing work, visit her website wecdance.com, follow CDance on Facebook CDance CompanyfortheArts, or donate via CashApp ($wecdance).