Beyond the Gold: Adrienne Canterna Mines New Territory
t the Universal Ballet Academy (formerly, Kirov Academy of Ballet) 1998 Spring Concert, 15 year-old Adrienne Canterna danced variations from "Don Quixote," "Diana and Acteon," two contemporary pas de deux and a pas de deux from "Le Corsaire." This was a wonderful opportunity for her to prepare for the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi, a month and a half later. After watching her performance, Dr. Bo Hi Pak, head of the UBA Board of Directors, extended an unbelievable invitation to Adrienne. "I want this girl at my school and on full scholarship," he announced. Adrienne's sister, Ashley, who hadn't even performed in the concert, was also offered a full scholarship.
Adrienne went on to win. "It blew my mind," she recalls, "that I even passed the first round, let alone won the Junior gold medal! What made it even sweeter was that my partner, Rasta Thomas, won the Senior gold medal!" Adrienne had only taken ballet classes in local dance studios and private ballet lessons in her home prior to going to Jackson. She never attended a professional ballet school or ballet summer program. For Jackson, the pair was coached by Dawei Zhang, a master teacher from Shanghai Ballet, and Rhodie Jorgenson, formerly with American Ballet Theatre and now on faculty with Maryland Youth Ballet.
Adrienne said, "I grew up competing in regional and national competitions, in Las Vegas, New York, Florida and Canada. I did them all. But Jackson was my first International ballet competition." She has only good memories of weekends spent at Starpower, Showstoppers, StarQuest, I Love Dance and Dance Masters of America, to name a few. "DMA title competitions were always the most exciting for me. I won both Junior and Teen Miss Dance of America titles. Your teacher has to be a member and pass exams in the different dance genres. The competitions are like those of Miss America. There's Petite, Junior, Teen, and Miss Dance of America. I was interviewed by a panel of judges, answered an on-stage question, modeled a leotard, learned an opening number and danced a solo in competition. Dancing in front of judges gives you an opportunity to be onstage under pressure."
"I started dancing by chance. Our neighbor danced for two years, hated it and turned to horseback riding. So my mom got her leotard, tights, shoes, dance bag and a dance teacher's name. At age three, my first teacher was Susan Ina, in Linthicum, Maryland. Ashley started dancing at two. I was first, but she was faster. From the time I was 6 and Ashley was 3, Cher Krysowaty choreographed almost every competition solo for us except our classical ballet. We also studied at the Edna Lee Dance Studio, about a mile from our home before we went to UBA. Ashley and I are very close. I tell her, 'You are my heart.'
"At six, I auditioned for 'Nutcracker' with the Maryland Ballet under Phillip Carman's direction. I wore all white...white leotard, tights, skirt, ballet shoes and leg warmers! Little did I know that a photographer was taking pictures--and I ended up in the newspaper. When I saw the picture, I was hooked. There has only been one year since I was six that I haven't danced in the 'Nutcracker.'"
As children, Adrienne and Rasta went to the same dance studio. When she was nine and he was ten, they were paired together for competition. Adrienne marvels, "From our first duet as Jasmine and Aladdin in "A Whole New World," to today, we've always had chemistry on stage. We spent a lot of time together onstage and off; our house was like his second home."
Years of competition prepared Adrienne for the Gold, as did her work ethic--beginning at about age six. Adrienne remarks, "I never stopped working. I modeled for Curtain Call Costumes, Grishko and now Discount Dance Supply. I am also a member of the Corps de Natalie. I studied everything... jazz, ballet, voice, musical theater, gymnastics, lyrical and tap. Free time? I'm an extreme movie buff. I see everything, even bad movies"
"I don't get stage fright before I dance. I get anxious...antsy to get out there or get it over with. But I was really nervous when I danced the pas de deux from "Le Corsaire" with Carlos Acosta at the prestigious Gala des Etoiles in Montreal, Canada. He's the world's best. He was so sweet and very calming. I met him only two days before the show, but after all my butterflies, it is a performance I will never forget."
Adrienne has performed throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia. One of the highlights of her career was her guest performances with Universal Ballet in Seoul, Korea. She danced the roles of Gamzatti in "La Bayadere," the Sugar Plum Fairy in "Nutcracker" and Kitri in "Don Quixote." Around that time, she also received the "Grishko Award of Excellence in Ballet."
Summer 2003 witnessed Adrienne's pointe solo in "Stars and Stripes" for the "Placido Domingo Tribute to the Washington Opera" directed by Debbie Allen and aired on PBS. Adrienne and Ashley were featured dancers on PBS's "A Capitol Fourth" (on the 4th of July), live from Washington, D.C., with Tony award-winning Kristin Chenoweth and "Cinderella Man's" Craig Bierko.
Adrienne has performed in numerous galas such as "Medalists and Mississippians" for the Christopher Reeve Foundation, 2002 USAIBC Opening Gala, Vail International Dance Festival and BRAVA's Tsunami Benefit. Adrienne has taught and judged for Dance Masters of America, American Artistic Awards, The Fusion, and she was a master teacher and gala soloist with Regional Dance America 2004.
On June 15, 2002, Adrienne, merely twenty years old, formed a professional company - American Dance Artists! The company performs various genres, from classical ballet to hip hop, "whatever is hot in the dance world," as she put it. I saw the company's guest performance at the 19th Annual Jazz & Tap Dance Festival in Chantilly, Virginia.
Adrienne was a sexy barefoot vamp, along with her sister Ashley (a Universal Ballet Academy graduate, Silver medal winner at Varna and Grand Prix winner at Youth America Grand Prix), Michelle Combs (now with the Rockettes) and Robbie Nicholson (formerly in "The Music Man" on Broadway) in "James Bond Medley." It wowed me and the enthusiastic audience.
Adrienne, now a 22 year-old dancer, choreographer and artistic director, realized a dream - to have some of the most recognized young dancers in the U.S. together in a performing and teaching company. The first year, her young touring company debuted and performed at home in the Maryland, D.C. area, Virginia, North Carolina and the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean.
Dance companies usually face all kinds of difficulties. Why did Adrienne embark upon a risky adventure? She asserts, "I wanted to do something to help 9-11 victims. I'm not a fire fighter, I'm not a philanthropist. I was at a loss. I couldn't even give blood, because I had recently had my navel pierced. I thought, my gift is dance. So I produced a gala, 'God Bless America,' to raise funds. The gala netted $5,000 for the American Red Cross. I had never put on a show before in my life. The next day was my birthday. I woke up and thought, 'I don't want any presents. I want to do that--I want to do that!'
The gala benefit gave birth to American Dance Artists. Adrienne reflects, "I loved the idea of artistic freedom. My company is a way for me to have as much artistic freedom as you can get when you're just 20. The company is small, and I'm taking it slowly. The public doesn't understand much about dance. We're trying to change that and I think it's happening. A man came up after a performance and said to me, 'I never thought I'd enjoy dance.' Opening minds is what it's all about."
To expand its audience and involve the community, American Dance Artists has a dynamic exchange program with nearly 20 area academic schools and dance studios. For every 35 tickets sold by a particular school, a company member will offer a free master class at its site.
Core members of American Dance Artists are three Canternas - Adrienne, Ashley and Alicia Whitehead, their sister-in-law and UBA graduate; Allyson Kelly, a UBA student; Robbie; Travis Wall, former NYCDA Teen Outstanding Male Dancer of the Year;" Jodi Adkins, Point Park alumnae; Zola Williams, University of the Arts student; and Michelle. Several of the dancers have been friends since childhood. Adrienne notes, "We share the dream of dance. We perform everything from the classics to what's outside the box." Members of American Dance Artists have international medals and awards in ballet, roles on Broadway and "Star Search," international dance titles, awards for their choreography and praise for their teaching. Adrienne invites new guest artists for every performance in addition to visionary contemporary choreographers, such as Roger C. Jeffery (Julliard graduate and artistic director of his own company, Subtle Changes, based in New York City) to work with the company.
Adrienne exclaims, "I grew up artistically when Roger created 'Hallelujah' for me. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to have worked with a technically beautiful dancer and brilliant choreographer who's so passionate about what he does and yet so calm. The movement felt foreign to me. But with practice, work and thought, thought about the movement, thought about myself, thought about the music and thought about the choreography, it felt better by show time. I remember when I first performed it. I was crying onstage the last 30 seconds. Afterwards, people came up and said, 'We were crying with you. Thank you so much.'"
Concerning dancers she's like to partner with, Adrienne comments, "When I think about partners, I don't think of just male/female partners. I feel that the connection between the dancers is more important than just gender. My choice for a male partner would be Rasta. I just feel that we make magic."
Adrienne dreams about dance: "Sometimes it's how to end a solo I'm choreographing. Sometimes it's a nightmare: I'm onstage and I don't know what I'm doing...or everyone gets injured in 'Nutcracker' and I have to do every single role. It's frightening to be a soldier and mouse at the same time!
"When I was a child, I wanted to be a principal with a famous ballet company. After Jackson, I was guesting all over the world and I got to see how things work. It was a rude awakening to see how some dancers fail to take care of themselves. I would rather be healthy than become a victim of body image issues or an eating disorder. I guess I had been sheltered.
"Lasting relationships that are worthwhile are had to come by. If I wasn't successful, I'm sure some people wouldn't befriend me. I think I've become a good judge of character. I've developed working with many different choreographers. I've grown up, and I'll continue to keep growing. It's hard. Your dreams change. It's not my main goal to be a star. I appreciate dance. I don't feel I have to do it. I could do other things. But I choose dance. You work as hard as you can, and the rest is in God's hands. My family life keeps me balanced. You get praise after the show, then you come home and that's it. No constant reminders."
Adrienne has been making up dances since she was a child. She agrees with Madame Vinogradova, Deputy Artistic Director of UBA, who said, "Choreographers have an inborn talent that involves vision and imagination, a God-given gift." Adrienne's inspiration for making dances? She answers, "I'm easily inspired...by my faith, music and just plain movement.
Adrienne's coach now is "anyone whom I trust and respect. A coach should give you what they have learned and experienced. I wouldn't have won in Jackson if it weren't for Dawei - he knew how to push my buttons. Some of my other influences were Renee Rassa, Deborah Engerman and Olivier Munoz. Everyone has a different eye and something unique to offer."
Who were Adrienne's role models? "It's weird, I know I should have them," she remarks, "but my role models were never dancers. I think you have to be careful about not letting dance take over your whole life. I have my faith. I have my family. I have my friends. I feel truly blessed with a supportive family and friends with whom I have danced with since childhood. My older brothers Andy and Tony have supported Ashley and me from the beginning.
"I idolize my parents. Neither of them danced. My mom's an artist, costume designer, seamstress, photographer and writer. My daddy takes care of everything that I can't, including some of my bills sometimes! But my grandma was a tap dancer and majorette. Her parents wouldn't let her go to New York to perform, so she joined the Navy and entertained servicemen for the USO. My family built an addition on our house so we could have a dance studio. It enabled my sister and me to take private lessons and rehearse at home. We used the space to choreograph, teach and rehearse for upcoming performances. The studio is sometimes busy from 10 am until past midnight. The company members have full schedules and personal commitments, so late night hours may be the only time we can all rehearse. My entire family helps with the company business."
Adrienne keeps on mining new territory. Owen Goldman, publisher of Dancer, said he wanted to put together a CD of dancers who can sing. The end result is Adrienne sings five original songs written by Frank Loconto and Konstantin Ossaoulenko on a CD called "Dancer Music All Stars."
One of Adrienne's recent ventures is making a DVD for Angelina Ballerina. It will be part of a box set complete with tutu and tiara, soon to be sold in Target stores nationwide. Adrienne says, "I'll be teaching a children's ballet class introducing ballet positions and vocabulary to my sister's student, Lindsay."
Adrienne continues to make guest appearances performing, teaching and choreographing. She is honest yet modest about her remarkable achievements. She foresees new bridges to cross and more to accomplish. In September, 2005, Adrienne began work with "Complexions," a contemporary ballet company based in New York City. She is thrilled to be associated with co-directors Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson. Adrienne sums up: "It's my job to give back. I've been so blessed."