In this Quick Hits, Assistant Professor of Dance Holly Hobbs talks Disney, dance, and determination.
What is your favorite childhood memory?
Vacationing at Walt Disney World — it was an early opportunity to experience willing suspension of disbelief.
Even now when I visit as an adult, I feel transported.
Do you have any hidden talents?
I’m not sure if it is a talent, but I do enjoy creating floral arrangements for my friends
and family. Flowers are immediate and remind me to stay focused on the present. At the same time, my great-grandparents were bulb farmers from the Netherlands and working with flowers helps me feel connected to my past.
What is your favorite word and why?
Juxtaposition. When creating, I find that beauty resides in contrast.
If you were to write a book, what would it be about?
It would be about the modern dance technique of Martha Graham. I have been fortunate to practice and teach her technique for more than 20 years — the difficulty and nuances fascinate me.
What books are you reading right now?
Typically, I read two books at once, one dance book of some type and something non-dance related. I am currently reading “Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst” by Robert M. Sapolsky and “The Boy from Kyiv: Alexei Ratmansky’s Life in Ballet” by Marina Harss.
What is one interesting fact about yourself?
Some find it interesting that I coached Olympic bronze medalist ice dancers Maia and Alex Shibutani. They are two-time U.S. champions and three-time world medalists.
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
Helping students find their creative voice and witnessing their development as performers, choreographers, and teachers.
What trait most defines who you are?
Determination. No one can have a career in dance without it.
What motivates you?
Movement is my great motivator. I am unable to stay still for long. When I need to think something through I walk, dance, or practice yoga.
How have your students influenced you as a teacher?
My students push me to be a better teacher, I thrive off their talent and seemingly never-ending energy. I’m constantly thinking of new ways to challenge them and thereby myself.
