We have another Collaborator Spotlight to kick off the 2017 New Year!
Amy McMurchie first travelled with JUNTOS Collective in 2011 to Mexico while attaining her BFA at Alonzo King LINES in conjunction with Dominican University of California— 6 years later, she is back in Mexico, this time as the Director of JUNTOSAbroad!
We asked Amy a few questions before she embarked on her first journey abroad as a JUNTOS Collaborator:
JUNTOS: Favorite place you have travelled?
Amy: With JUNTOS, Guatemala. In general, Peru is my favorite place that I have travelled.
J: What drew you to JUNTOS?
A: I saw JUNTOS as an opportunity to deepen my understanding of how dance can affect others. The day in and day out of participating in a conservatory dance program had become one dimensional: you are focused on improving your dancing. My strengths extend beyond being able to do a perfect tendu and JUNTOS served as a bridge for me to further understand those strengths.
J: Funny or Inspiring JUNTOS memory?
A: Lots of great ones! Playing freeze dance with a group of orphans in San Miguel, debriefs with other trip participants that ended lasting three hours, dancing to Rihanna with Guatemalan dancers and more.
J: What have you been up to since graduation? How did JUNTOS affect your career path?
A: Dancing in a variety of dance projects based in San Francisco and Chicago and teaching creative movement to youth. JUNTOS connected me back to the unadulterated joy of dance I felt when I was a little kid performing for my relatives in my living room. When participating in anything related to dance, I ask myself ‘does this bring myself or others some level of joy?’ If the answer is no, I don’t participate or I find ways to make it joyous.
J: Aspirations for the future? What is one of your dreams?
A: I would like to continue sharing dance through performance and education for as long as I am able. In addition, I am interested in finding ways to make dance more sustainable in our communities through the way we fundraise, how and where performances occur, how we use dance in youth education and how we extend to wide audiences.