Kyle Weiler grew up in Rosemount, Minnesota, which is about 25 miles outside the Twin Cities. He’s always loved to dance. Imagine this, he’s five years old, he goes up to his mom and tells her he’s headed to New York City to dance, and takes off walking down the street.
He is humble. He’ll tell you about his surprise at being accepted into Juilliard after high school, his arrival in New York, and how he was blown away by the talented dancers that surrounded and still surround him.
He talks of the personal nature of dance; fighting past fear because he has to dance. No matter what direction life takes him, he will dance. If his knees or body breaks, he will work in dance. He wants to choreograph.
He loves to teach.
He says everyone has an inner artist. He wrote me this:
I also wanted to add that when you asked me 'can everyone be an artist?' I answered yes, and I certainly believe that is true. However, not everyone needs to be an artist. It is by the need to express and create that defines an artist. Everyone can be an artist if they have the need to share. I also loved that you asked if I don't make a living in the art world will I continue doing it. It would be so much easier doing many others things... but I have the need do it. For me, that need overrides the risks.
Kyle says art is communication: thoughtful, expressive, unhurried communication. In a world where technology pushes us in the opposite direction, art is more important than ever.
He won’t perform until he is confident it's his best work.
Into the Sun is exciting and terrifying all at the same time for him. He says how he comes from a place where the moves and position are standard. Movements and vision are about a group collective, not about individual expression. Kristen’s performance idea gives him structure, a group vision, yet independent expression.
Here are his words about the Into the Sun:
I can’t quite remember the moment when I fell in love with dance; I think it was innate. Throughout my childhood I was always putting on productions in my basement, backyard, school or daycare. Ever since I can remember, I was brainstorming new possibilities for dance and theatre that my friends and I could bring to life.
I was drawn to The American Fusion project because its mission is in perfect alignment with my belief that anything is possible through art. In the spirit of possibilities, recently a group of Juilliard classmates and I have organized an outreach project in which we will be traveling to Hawaii in March of 2014. Our company, DaretoCreate, is working to expose communities to dance through interactive performances and workshops, and to encourage students to discover their inner artist. Leaving Minnesota to study at Juilliard, I aspire to one day return home to share what I have learned with others by creating a company and/or school. I am honored to be a member of both DaretoCreate and The American Fusion project as they allow me the opportunity to exercise my passion of spreading the message anything is possible.
The tour starts in Garden City on Tuesday, September 2, at the Garden City High School, continues in Lawrence on Thursday, September 4, and ending on Saturday, September 6, in Kansas City.
More about the project, the tour, and the performers can be found online at Arts Fusion Initiative.
