Photo by Franziska Strauss by Corey Bliss
"Dance, as with all art, can loosen the constraints of reality, allowing definitions to blur and logic to get lost in fantasy and desire. Happily, our bodies provide anchors, enabling us to use our gut and our heart instead of only our heads. When my mind threatens to paralyze my body with theories of 'why,' I welcome the simple distraction of groove, allowing my body to do the thinking for me."
- Troy Ogilvie, NJDTE Alumna 2003. From "Why I Dance," Dance Magazine September 2012.
A spirited prodigy from a young age, NJDTE alumna Troy Ogilvie (2003) honed her exceptional technical and artistic abilities under the guidance of NJDTE Artistic Director Nancy Turano and Alexandra Wells, Movement Invention Project (MIP) Concept & Artistic Director, whom Troy met during her first NJDTE Summer Intensive in 1995.
Troy went on to graduate with a BFA in Dance from the Juilliard School, and has danced with an impressive list of choreographers and companies at the forefront of innovation in contemporary dance, including Sidra Bell (Sidra Bell Dance NY), Andrea Miller (Gallim Dance), Shannon Gillen (VIM VIGOR), Gabriel Forestieri, Austin McCormick and many more. Named one of Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch" in 2011, she performed the lead role of Lady Macbeth in Punchdrunk's acclaimed NYC dance theater production Sleep No More for over a year, and also toured internationally with the LA Philharmonic in Peter Sellars' "The Gospel According to the Other Mary." As an inaugural member of the Margie Gillis Dance Foundation's The Legacy Project/Projet Heritage, Troy performs Gillis' iconic solos and will continue to develop her own voice as a solo artist.
The professional training and networking she cultivated at NJDTE prepared her well for such an eclectic and prolific creative path:
"Dance, as with all art, can loosen the constraints of reality, allowing definitions to blur and logic to get lost in fantasy and desire. Happily, our bodies provide anchors, enabling us to use our gut and our heart instead of only our heads. When my mind threatens to paralyze my body with theories of 'why,' I welcome the simple distraction of groove, allowing my body to do the thinking for me."
- Troy Ogilvie, NJDTE Alumna 2003. From "Why I Dance," Dance Magazine September 2012.
A spirited prodigy from a young age, NJDTE alumna Troy Ogilvie (2003) honed her exceptional technical and artistic abilities under the guidance of NJDTE Artistic Director Nancy Turano and Alexandra Wells, Movement Invention Project (MIP) Concept & Artistic Director, whom Troy met during her first NJDTE Summer Intensive in 1995.
Troy went on to graduate with a BFA in Dance from the Juilliard School, and has danced with an impressive list of choreographers and companies at the forefront of innovation in contemporary dance, including Sidra Bell (Sidra Bell Dance NY), Andrea Miller (Gallim Dance), Shannon Gillen (VIM VIGOR), Gabriel Forestieri, Austin McCormick and many more. Named one of Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch" in 2011, she performed the lead role of Lady Macbeth in Punchdrunk's acclaimed NYC dance theater production Sleep No More for over a year, and also toured internationally with the LA Philharmonic in Peter Sellars' "The Gospel According to the Other Mary." As an inaugural member of the Margie Gillis Dance Foundation's The Legacy Project/Projet Heritage, Troy performs Gillis' iconic solos and will continue to develop her own voice as a solo artist.
The professional training and networking she cultivated at NJDTE prepared her well for such an eclectic and prolific creative path:
"Nancy Turano invites incredible guest teachers, and I continue to work with many of the professionals that I first met while a student at NJDTE. Ms. Turano inspires qualities of loyalty and dedication that serve dancers well in the current, often turbulent, professional environment."
Over the course of her professional career, Troy's relationship with NJDTE has continued to evolve and take on fulfilling new dimensions. After assisting Andrea Miller in setting her work Snow on NJDTE dancers in 2008 and becoming MIP Founding Collaborator and Program Manager from 2009-2013, Troy is now an instructor for NJDTE's Contemporary Master Class Series and will serve as Program Manager for next summer's Pre-MIP expansion program in Connecticut.
Of her experience staging Snow, Troy says, "It was a joy to bring some of the new information that I was learning as a young professional - like Gaga technique - to the place where I grew up." She goes on to explain how together, NJDTE's and MIP's forward-thinking programming cultivates the versatility and creative skills that are so vital and sought-after in today's dance environment:
Of her experience staging Snow, Troy says, "It was a joy to bring some of the new information that I was learning as a young professional - like Gaga technique - to the place where I grew up." She goes on to explain how together, NJDTE's and MIP's forward-thinking programming cultivates the versatility and creative skills that are so vital and sought-after in today's dance environment:
 Troy in Sidra Bell's "Beautiful Beast." Photo by Franziska Strauss. | "I'm thrilled to give back to the community that started me on this artistic path. I'm happy that MIP has an administrative home within NJDTE because it's important for artistic programs to exercise risk. MIP presents dancers with mental and personal challenges that are crucial for artistic development. NJDTE provides the repetition, dramatic intent, and discipline that are necessary for success in dance, and MIP pushes the creative side of the coin in another way." |
Troy continues to push her own boundaries by collaborating with musicians and visual artists. Although she "can't say much about it yet," she is clearly brimming with excitement about these new interactive experiments. Troy's adventurous creative spirit is evident in her advice for NJDTE's aspiring dancers, as they embark upon their own creative journeys and develop their individual artistic voices:
Dive! Plunge headfirst into the mysteries. Run towards what makes you feel uncomfortable. Enjoy what makes you feel strong, enjoy what makes you feel weak, and let them change. Let your curiosity lead you to new discoveries.
What's next for this in-demand, multitasking dance artist? She is currently in Germany to perform Patricia Noworol's Replacement Place, and is developing a new work with Seattle-based company zoe | juniper. NJDTE is thrilled to have Troy return to teach the Contemporary Master Class series on November 18 and December 2 & 9! Email info@njdte.org to register. Read more in Dance Magazine about why Troy dances, and be sure to stay tuned for more details about her upcoming projects and performances!
