BWW Interviews: Sadie Bo Harris, This Dancer's Life

In the past year-and-a-half of interviewing actors and dancers for our "A Life in the Theater" and "This Dancer's Life" series, I've been struck by something very interesting: While actors love to talk about themselves and what makes them do what they do, dancers tend to be more circumspect and to the point. This week's featured dancer, for example, the beautiful, ethereal, other-worldly Sadie Bo Harris - one of the prima ballerinas of Nashville Ballet - answers our questions with a disarming brevity, cutting to the chase and giving us a sharply focused view of her life as a dancer.

"I feel so lucky to get to do what I do," she says. "Thanks to everyone that has any involvement and love for the art of dance."

Although her succinct, direct answers obviously represent Sadie Bo Harris' reserved charm, I can be overly enthusiastic and effusive as I heap praise on her. She is a star! A really huge star, in my estimation - and in the estimation of thousands of Nashville Ballet fans and supporters who thrill to her beautiful onstage performances - and I am more than delighted to go on and on, heaping praise on her every time I see her eloquently expressed artistry.

During last fall's Nashville Ballet presentation of Sawn Lake, I was quite literally awestruck by her artistry as she brought the dueling personalities of Odile/Odette to life for her devoted following. By turns powerful and vulnerable, her exquisite talents were displayed to perfection in Swan Lake, inspiring audiences with her stunningly transformative performance.

In last season's American Originals winter repertory, I wrote of her performance in Who Cares - choreographed by George Balanchine to a score by George Gershwin - "Sadie Bo Harris' peripatetic "Fascinating Rhythm" features her impeccable technique to perfection."

And in my most recent review of Paul Vasterling's Nashville's Nutcracker, I wrote: "From [one] stunning moment to [another], the altogether transformative "Kingdom of the Sugar Plum Fairy," Nashville's Nutcracker takes its rapt audience to greater artistic heights than previously thought possible. Sadie Bo Harris, as the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Jon Upleger, as her Cavalier, display great versatility and control, no doubt inspiring many young minds to dream of life in the ballet."

Get to know her a little better with a glimpse into "This Dancer's Life"...read and enjoy!

What was your first introduction to dance as an art form? My father was a modern dancer. I would watch him dance around our house. We still have turning competitions in the kitchen.

What was your first real job as a dancer? Nashville Ballet! I came and never left.

When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in dance? I was serious by the age of 8.

Who is your dancing idol? Julie Kent. She is perfection.

Why do you pursue your art in Nashville? What are the best parts of working here? I really feel like I don't have much of a say. It pursues me. I do it because I feel compelled to. I love the craft. I like being in Nashville because we get to do everything. We are so lucky to have such a varied repertory. It forces everyone to be versatile and is continually challenging me in new ways.

What is your dream role as a dancer? If you could dance any role...what would it be and why? I just danced it. Odette/Odile in Swan Lake. It was absolutely one of those roles I had dreamed about doing every since I was a very young girl. It's the ultimate female ballet role in my book. The experience did not disappoint.

What is the brightest spot on your resume...what role/work is your most favorite? Odette/Odile is probably the brightest spot, but "Chosen One" in Salvatore Aiello's Rite of Spring is my favorite. She is such a powerful woman. I also love getting to scream and throw paint on stage.

What's the biggest misconception people have about dancers? There are so many! Thanks a lot, BLACK SWAN. It's probably that we are self-centered or attention hungry. I think most of us our very humble and introverted in real life. What we put on a stage is not who we are.

Who would play you in the film version of your life story? Ha! I've never thought about that. Let's see...I really love Maggie Gyllenhaal. I think she is shockingly real.

What's your favorite work created for dancers to perform? I think David Parson's Caught is one of the coolest pieces I've ever seen live. It was very inspiring to me as a young dancer. Petite Mort by Jiri Kylian is another.

If you could have dinner with any three figures (living or dead, real or fictional) who are a part of the world of dance, who would you choose and why? Daniel Ezralow because I've had a huge crush on him ever since he was in Lois Greenfield's calendars in the '90s, Mata Hari and Martha Graham.

Imagine a young person seeing you onstage or seeing a production in which you played a major role coming up to you and asking you for advice in pursuing their own dream...what would you say? Get out now!! Ha. No. I've had young dancers ask me that. I tell them to dance as long as they love it.

Middle Photo: Sadie Bo Harris and Jon Upleger in Carmina Burana; Bottom Photo: Harris and Upleger in Satto. Photos by Marianne Leach

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