Welcome to "Meet the Core Dance Staff" - Sharon C. Carelock edition! Over the next few months, I am going to introduce our wonderful supporters to our staff and dancers here at Core Dance. Each individual is unique, and I'm excited to hear everyone's stories. Keep an eye out for many more introductions!
Sharon C. Carelock
Hometown: Marietta, GA
Education/Training: AA in Liberal Arts, Oxford College of Emory University; BA in Dance/Theater, Emory University (Emory College); MFA in Dance, Florida State University; dance festivals where I’m on the crew with Greg Catellier (Come on dude! We’ve only done Bates and ADF. When’s the next one?)
Position: Production Coordinator
Delights: my husband, Bryan; baking; putting together a good outfit; reading; listening to music; making shows
How did you come to Core Dance?
I met Sue in 2009. She needed a sound board operator for the production THREE at 7Stages. From there I started taking morning classes at Core Dance and became an Artistic Affiliate with the Company, stepping into roles in some of the works. In 2011, I said to Sue, “Hey I think I want to do what you do at some point in my life. How do you do it all?” She responded by making me her intern. I left the position in 2012 to go to grad school, then came right back to Atlanta when I graduated. Sue helped me choreographically by commissioning my work Un[Caged] for Off the Edge: Edge in Unexpected Spaces. That’s when I met Jennifer Tarrazi-Scully, my predecessor and a formidable woman who was more than willing to talk all things production with me. Before she left, Scully encouraged me to apply for this position, and I got the job.
What is your favorite part about working here?
We meet artists from many different parts of the world and walks of life. Because I am in production, I generally have to work intimately with them to help bring their visions to fruition. Some of the tasks are daunting, but it’s worth it, well satisfying really, when everything comes together, and I had something to do with that.
What is one of your favorite memories of your time here so far?
So many to choose from…
I guess I can talk about my recent trip to Israel. I saw a lot of dance, at least 50 works, so I got a good definition of what is considered Israeli contemporary dance. What was more interesting was being in the cities of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, walking around, taking in the culture and atmosphere, and eating the food. Those “outside the theater” experiences gave me a bit of an understanding of who the people are and enriched the memories of what I saw onstage.
Israel was great (thanks again to Core Dance for the opportunity). However, I’m really fond of the moments when the staff and company get together for meetings or gatherings. I think we have a cool diverse group of individuals, and I really appreciate what each person brings to the organization.
To read more about Sharon, see her bio on our website: http://www.coredance.org/sharon-carelock.html