Life & Work with Cassandra Duffy of White House, Tennessee

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cassandra Duffy

Hi Cassandra, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Cassandra Duffy is a graduate from Western Kentucky University (WKU). Where she pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance with a Performing Arts Administration Minor. She has been dancing for fourteen years, starting at Dance South Performing Arts at the age ten. Coming from a studio with a competition and performance background; Cassandra has training in ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary jazz, modern, and hip-hop. With continued training in ballet, tap, jazz, and modern at WKU; additionally with; improvisation, choreography, dance pedagogy, dance anatomy and kinesiology, and dance history. Throughout her collegiate career, Cassandra has been a member of WKU’s resident Dance Company, where she performed in each end semester productions. Besides being an active company member, Cassandra presented choreographic works in adjuicated showcase, “Dance Project”, along with informal student showcase “Last Chance to Dance”. In previous summers, Cassandra has been a Resident Assistant at the Orlando Ballet Summer Intensive, where she has had the opportunity to train with Phillip Broomhead, former Royal Ballet principle, and award winning choreographer Parker Esse.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Overall, I can confidently say my road in pursuing a career in the performing arts has been forgiving. Throughout my younger years, I was fortunate to have a wonderful creative and supportive environment that allowed me to grow artistically and intellectually; while further improving my social skills. I saw a boost in confidence, an improvement in communication skills, and how to articulate a thought or idea to not only my peers, but my mentors as well.
The most unforgiving part in pursuing a career in the performing arts is accepting rejection. Since covid-19, most auditions that were in-person have become an online submission, either for acceptance or to be invited to the in-person audition. Many of my online submission responses come in various forms of, “We are sorry to inform you…” and ending along the lines of “…we have decided to go with someone with more professional experience.” Or when in an in-person audition you might just not be what the choreographer/company is looking for. I once attended an audition in New York City where everyone under a certain height was cut (rejected). Though I understood the choreographer’s vision the rejection was a hard acceptance. However, I have come to view an audition like a masterclass; where I challenge myself to come away having learn one new thing I may improve for myself and/or to share with my students.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am currently employed as an Instructor at Dance South Performing Arts Conservatory located in White House, TN. Here at Dance South, we strive to provide a well rounded curriculum to help prepare our students for their future careers. I instructor recreational and conservatory levels III – VI in various dance genres (ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, modern and hip-hop) provided here at the studio. Along with instructing, I am serving as the rehearsal director for our youth cast of Nutcracker! A Magical Christmas set to perform at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee on December 13th. I too serve as the co-Artistic Director for our youth ballet company; Middle Tennessee Youth Ballet, which recently performed at Walt Disney World with an original production of Haunted Mansion.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
During my teachings I refer back to, “Dance Anatomy and Kinesiology” by Karen Sue Clippenger. Young students are often prone to injuries due to the constant fluctuation of their sense of coordination and center of balance changing. Because of this constant change weaknesses in the major supporting joints occur daily, referring back to Clippenger’s work I can be proactive in injury prevention by providing my students targeted exercises. Along with providing supplement exercises, I find it important to explain anatomically (skeletal/muscular) how these exercises help us improve; (e.g. plié – to bend, a ballet terminology that refers to a foundation movement. A supplement exercise to improve our plié are clam shells. Clam shells target our deep external rotators; a group of six muscles located around the hip (piriformis, quadratus fermoris, obturator internus, obturator externus, superior gemellus, inferior gemellus). These muscles play an important role in hip stabilization and rotation, by strengthening the group of muscles a student may decrease injury risk; (e.g. hip joint subluxation, hip rotator tears). I cannot count the amount of times my students and I have had wonderful discussions on how a certain movement anatomically works. Breaking it down by visually showing on our studio skeleton, and discussing what muscles we have to properly engage whilst moving through the movement.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dance-south.com