Meet Jermaine McGhee | Educator, Dancing Artist & Scholar

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

Hi Jermaine, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
My favorite quote for today is, “Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed self was another.”

– Toni Morrison

To me this quote illuminates the need to not only be free–mind, body and spirit but too acknowledges my human right to be free as an artist unbothered by limitations of others.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a vibrant dancing artist, educator and scholar based in the Los Angeles area. Most recently I have served San Francisco and Los Angeles Opera as the Principle Dancer Corps de Ballet in the Pulitzer Prize winning opera, OMAR by Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels. This position has definitely been a highlight of my career and required something of myself I never had to offer on stage, unknowing. What I mean by that statement is the role I performed as the Ancestral Figure required me to lean into not knowing or being told what to do as a dancing artist. My rehearsals with Director Kaneza Schaal wasn’t a typical dance rehearsal in LA where the steps are prepped or cultivated in a room with other dancers, choreographers or creative associates and handed to you to learn and performed. No, my process was quite different, my director talked to me about lineage and my area of scholarship surrounding African Aesthetics within American Culture. Director Schaal asked me what it meant to be a black dancing body and from the South, particularly North Carolina. From that point she required and encouraged me to lean into the unknown of the steps –to become the steps of the past, present and future all at one time. At the beginning of the process I was frustrated because I kept asking her to tell me what to do, tell me what you want, what step am I to offer and she refused, she said trust it is coming and then something magical happen, she played the original composition of Omar in the room and she said play, Jermaine. The next thing you know deeply spiritual creative sourced material manifested and was reframed into choreography by Director Schaal and Associate choreographer Yusuf Nasir. To that I say thank you for the push and the trust all at the same time.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Hmm, if my best friend came to LA for a week, we would have a time. I believe we would start with an activity that caused us to befriend each other in the first place, dance. Monday and Wednesday I would invite my bestie to take ballet with my teacher Nicole Harlan from San Francisco Ballet @ Burbank Dance Academy from 11:00a to 12:30pm, then we do lunch or brunch after our massage at Burke Williams Hollywood. Afterwards we would, chill, relax or nap before heading out to do some good shopping at Glendale Americana followed by an outfit change to enjoy live music and the Juke Joint–Koreatown. Finally, because we would already be in Korea town we have to have some Korean BBQ to complete the night @ Brothers Galbi. Tuesday and Thursday we would start with a little blueberry coffee @ Priscilla’s Gourmet Coffee Tea in Burbank followed by a pilates class at core conditioning in studio city. Go home and shower and prep for dance class with the great Tovaris Wilson at Millennium Dance Complex. Afterwards head to Jumpin Java in studio city for a late lunch/snack then head to 24 hour fitness to get a quick workout in before going to the California African America Museum to be inspired by the featured exhibit. Lastly on Friday we would take a drive up the PCH and talk about all the awesome memories we have crafted in the last 21 years of friendship. Go to the beach and enjoy the beautiful day with a dope playlist and yummy snacks from Whole Foods. That would be the week and it would be nothing short of stupendous.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mother, Lisa McGhee is the highlight of my shoutout. Over the years she has continued to support my career, guide my hands in my field and encourage me to be the best version of myself daily. Without her, I definitely wouldn’t be at this current juncture within the lived experience. Her love is all encompassing and has pulled me through some of my darkest and most vulnerable moments. Thank you Momma, I love you BIG.

Website: www.jermainemcghee.com

Instagram: emeraldj27

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jermainemcghee/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jermaine.mcghee

Image Credits
William Sikora III and Vince Trupsin