We had the good fortune of connecting with Dani Burd and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dani, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking

If we don’t engage with risk, nothing will ever change. I’ve taken a lot of risks and made a lot of changes thus far, and I regret none of it. Sometimes it feels like I’ve lived three lifetimes inside of this one already. Early on in my life, I was met with circumstances which would negatively impact my immediate future. A lack of resources and direct support made life difficult to navigate. Courage is the vehicle that allowed me to take the risks necessary to build the life I have today.

These risks looked like massive changes in lifestyle, detaching from toxic people and behaviors, unlearning familial patterns, attending therapy, and choosing the dance career that I desired for myself regardless of if it seemed “too late”.

Returning to dance at the age of twenty-one felt like an impossible task. Most dancers train from the time they are two years old and keep that momentum going into their adulthood. I felt behind, directionless, and deeply insecure. Pressing forward, taking action, and practicing self agency have been the roots of my knowledge to grow the confidence in myself now. For me, taking risks means to face my fears and facing my fears means choosing love. The greatest way I can show love for myself is through taking risks.

Please tell us more about your art. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
This is a very large question, so I’ll try and keep it brief. I’m not particularly interested in being set apart from others at this point in my career. At this stage of my life I feel called towards investing my time in community and collective dance making. My intentions have always been to approach dance from a place of authentic humanness rather than codification. I’m interested in collaboration/working together to find new ways to invest in movement that is interesting, fun, and useful. I implement this into my life/art through practices like improvisational exploration, workshopping new material with friends/colleagues, or simply dancing for the joy of it. Right now dance is so exciting because we are finally returning to in-person spaces and gaining back a greater sense of connection. The work I create, or spend my time in, always prioritizes personal connection and I am proud of that. I no longer try to participate in dance spaces that don’t make me feel good or safe to explore.

My road to professional dance was not easy. I do not think anyone’s journey is. I’ve faced many forms of rejection, grief, loss, and heavy experiences which at times felt like they would end my career or keep it from starting at all. Overcoming these challenges has only been possible because of self reflection and changes in action. Recognizing what happened, loving myself exactly where I am, confiding in others, and making brave choices kept me afloat. I’ve learned that self maintenance and kindness are key to me functioning in the world in a way I can be proud of. I journal, meditate, read, spend time outside, pause before responding, and do my best to get enough rest to make everything else in my life possible.

A message/thought I would like to share is that art provides us with endless avenues to be useful to others or communicate a message. Not to say that all art has to be emotionally heavy or perceivably serious, but I do think that every piece of work we make is an opportunity to contribute to something greater than ourselves. Right now it feels like we all need a bit of liberation. Recently I’ve been surrounded by more and more art being generated from places of joy, honesty and celebration. This has been refreshing to witness and invigorating to be a part of.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

As a local to the county I have a million favorite places in LA but here are a few of my top recommendations: Having breakfast/lunch at Foxes in Altadena. Getting coffee at Unincorporated Coffee, also in Altadena. Going hiking or scouting a look out spot in the Angeles National Forest. Hanging at my favorite beach spot in Malibu or treasure hunting in Topanga Canyon. Doing the classic Melrose crawl on a Sunday for the Trading Post + brunch. The list goes on!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout to my Geometry Dance Company family and our director Mackenzie Martin for enriching my life in a way I never could have asked for. I’d also like to give a shoutout to Rebecca Lemme for her generosity, love, and guidance all of these years. Endless gratitude to my friends and family for their love, patience, and support.

Website: www.dburd.com

Instagram: @daniiburd

Other: Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/daniburd

Image Credits
Mackenzie Martin, Rebecca Lemme, Tina Soal, Reed Hohenstein

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.