Lauren M. Holmen (’13), Arts Marketing Manager at Georgia Southern University, is also a professional dancer and choreographer who has been performing since she could walk. Today, their multiple roles overlap and are deeply woven into Savannah’s thriving art scene.
She is currently a professional dancer in the inaugural “Dancing with the Bananas” contest hosted by the Savannah Bananas baseball team, entering the second round of the contest on July 6th.
Q: Tell us something about yourself: where are you from and how long have you been involved in art?
A: I’m from Savannah. My father, grandfather, and great-grandfather are from Savannah.
I started dancing when I was three and did ballet. When I was a bit older I did jazz and tap dancing and then I switched to Irish dancing. It was so much fun, but I loved ballet. That was always my focus, my heart, everything I did. I started working more with Savannah Ballet and just dancing with them. When I got into high school, I went to Savannah Arts Academy and decided to do theater instead of dance. I was so busy with theater that I gave up my dance training. But I started out in college and danced all the way through college.
Q: Tell us about college and how you got back into dancing.
A: I was friends with a guy at Georgia Southern and he invited me to visit a few times. I was always having a really good time and started watching PR programs and the Georgia Southern program was the one that caught my eye. So I went and it was the best decision I’ve made.
I earned a Bachelors in General Studies majoring in Public Relations, Communication Arts and Marketing. I liked the Studium Generale. I liked that I had to do the marketing aspect as well as PR and communication arts because it’s all similar. There are still different nuances, but I think it helped shape things.
I was on the Southern Explosion Dance Team. It’s like NBA-style cheerleading for basketball games. They compete in national competitions for the university every year. For the competition we took a jazz approach or sometimes a more modern approach. It’s really fun. I did that for three years. In my senior year I was a captain.
Q: Tell us about your role as Arts Marketing Manager for Georgia Southern.
A: I have a really unique role at the university. I support the Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art, the Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music and the theater program in creating and executing marketing and social media campaigns, exhibitions, concerts and productions. I also work with the Georgia Southern and Savannah communities to host events at the Fine Arts Auditorium.
Q: Why is it important to you to work in cultural administration?
A: The arts are such an important part of everyday life. Bringing this to the public is very enriching. I use the skills I learned in college and apply them to my passion to create a space for artists to express themselves and bring amazing experiences to the community. I think that’s really special.
Q: What do you like best about your job?
A: I love seeing our students grow as they gain confidence in their performances and displays. There is also nothing like the feeling of a full hall seconds before the performance begins.
Q: What do you enjoy most about participating in the Savannah community arts scene?
A: I love the sense of community that the art scene has in Savannah. Everyone in this city wants to produce great art and support each other in bringing quality art to Savannah.
Q: How did you restart your choreography and dance career?
A: After college, a friend called me and said, “I’m doing a show and I want you to come along and choreograph.” And I said, “I don’t do that anymore.” He said, “Come on, choreograph.” It’s going to be fun.” And so did I, and I’ve been choreographing for this company, Bay Street Theater, for almost 10 years. Because I was choreographing, they sneakily got me back on stage. I started performing again because I choreographed with them. And then I flipped back towards art in my career and realized I could work on the art management side, which I didn’t even know was possible. So that was a cool transition. This is what led me to my current role.
Q: What kind of gigs are you doing now?
A: I am currently doing theater performances. Last time I did “Hair”. I’ve done Rocky Horror Live several times. That is fun. I also choreographed for a feature film, Lone Star Bull.
I also choreograph the musicals on the Armstrong campus. I choreographed the musicals The Addams Family and The Great American Trailer Park Musical last year.
Q: How do you approach the choreography of a show?
A: I’m researching. I watch a lot of YouTube videos to see what other theater companies are doing. Also what other competition style videos are as well as random offshoots of someone making songs and seeing what they are doing and taking inspiration from it. But somehow I have my own style, which I would like to insinuate. That’s just a combination of my experience.
I consider myself a choreographer for non-dancers because they don’t necessarily follow the traditional standards in terms of the way they look at things, and I’m trying to find words that help someone do that. For example, on “Great American Trailer Park” they had trouble with pas de bourrées and I said, “Sing a song.” You can say “one, two, three pas de bourrée” or say whatever you like. They just started yelling random words. Whatever works in your head, that’s the beat. That’s how I teach it.
Q: You are a board member of the Savannah Ballet Theater and are currently a professional dancer in the inaugural “Dancing with the Bananas” competition hosted by the Savannah Bananas. How did these two worlds collide and what was that experience like?
A: I was contacted by the Savannah Ballet Theatre, who have contracted with the Savannah Bananas to help with “Dancing with the Bananas”. Immediately I thought, “Yes, yes, yes!” I was so excited and I immediately panicked.
The other women performing are contract ballerinas with the Savannah Ballet. So going back to this realm is really scary, but fun.
We’re hosting an in-game dance competition where dancers partner with a baseball player and each couple performs between the innings. So they play baseball, they come to dance with us, and then they go back on the field. Then the fans have the opportunity to vote in the stands. The next day they post the videos on their YouTube channel and the public votes. We had a week to put together a minute and a half of choreography and teach it. I chose a different version of ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz.’ It’s a little jazzy musical theater number that’s really cute. I got my partner Bryson Bloomer a jacket and tails to wear over his uniform.
He thinks it’s really fun and it was really cool to see him get it. There’s some part of the choreography that he struggled with and watching him very determined to figure it out was really, really cool. By the end of the rehearsal he had it.
It’s all up to us to really tell a story. Especially with such passionate fans. The music has to be right. It has to be fun. There must be some nonsense in there. It can’t be a serious pas de deux.
That’s the biggest audience I’ve ever performed in front of. It’s a great experience and something I never thought I would do.
My friends and family have been so supportive of this whole thing, which is so very nice. I just think the folks at Savannah are so supportive.
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