Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Prange.
Hi Erin, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
The bare bones: I grew up in St. Louis, MO, got my B.A. at Colorado State University for Dance and Spanish, and my M.F.A. at Webster University for Arts Management and Leadership. I consider myself to be a dancer, businesswoman, mom, wife, dog-lover, leader, friend, sister, and eternal optimist.
I have grown up with dance in my life since age 3, and I have always been the “leader of the pack”. I have some kind of magnet that pulls me to the front of any room, and every role I’ve played in school, work, or home tends to lean in the direction of leadership, despite my efforts to downsize commitments.
I started with The Big Muddy Dance Company back in 2009 when it was simply a small group of dancers hungry to take class and rehearse however possible. Six of us created a makeshift studio in the old Crestwood mall arts spaces and started compiling repertoire to perform wherever we could. The company’s founder, Paula David, approached myself and a couple of other dancers about a business plan for a repertory dance company that would fill a gap in the city of St. Louis in terms of genre, and we were incredibly excited about the prospect. From that time on, my focus was determinedly on the success of the organization and on the objective of getting the business off the ground. At that time, I was in the middle of my master’s program for Arts Management and Leadership, and I used every lesson and class each week to further the progress of our company. With Paula at the helm artistically, I through half of myself into the studio as a dancer and the other half into the world of marketing and fundraising that was still so new to me. Each day was a puzzle, a giant step forward.
Now twelve years later, The Big Muddy Dance Company is completing its tenth official anniversary season, and I proudly watch my colleagues on the stage at each production. I retired from my time as a performer three years ago after seven seasons, and I still feel as though I’m as much a part of their adventure from my Executive Director’s desk. With each new season comes a new set of challenges and triumphs, but the culture of hard work and comradely is still strong within the group and our potential seems limitless. During my time at The Big Muddy Dance Company, I have gone from taking classes and workshops to presenting them. I have moved twice and created a family of 3 (with one more on the way). I have developed countless relationships with donors, volunteers, and audience members that are some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met. And along the way, I keep coming back to our company’s mission and North Star: our purpose of invigorating life through dance. I’ve discovered that I can contribute to that mission with my whole heart, even if I’m doing it from the back of the theater.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My role as an Executive Director has been a bit rocky- I have experienced literal fires and floods in our studios, abrupt absence of leadership from colleagues, and mediation of conflicts between artists to no end. No road in the nonprofit world is smooth. Fundraising and sustainability as a grassroots arts organization is extremely challenging, and there have been several times along our journey that we considered closing our doors. (In fact, we did “close our doors” about a year in before re-opening with our official first season).
With the challenges of financial stability and the effort to maintain dancers’ livelihoods comes the risk that falling short will bring detriment to those artists, many of them being friends and comrades through the longevity and intensity of such a journey. I have been forced to let several dancers go that we couldn’t afford to keep on our roster, and each time it has broken my heart in such a way that I consider leaving the industry for a mindless job that wouldn’t hurt so much. However, I always come back to the place of admiration for artists that persevere through all that and make beautiful art despite never receiving adequate compensation for it. They are the reason that I stay, every time.
As you know, we’re big fans of The Big Muddy Dance Company. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Our mission: to invigorate life through dance. Our vision: A diverse community that believes in the love, joy, and transformative power of dance.
The Big Muddy Dance Company is known for contemporary dance with a ballet foundation and the ability to bring that dance into unexpected formats and situations. For example, we offer a huge array of educational programs for all ages and levels, and we bring dance performances and hands-on workshops into retirement homes for senior citizens that cannot make it out to the theater. As we expand our touring roster on a national level, these avenues will only continue to reach audiences in accessible ways.
One of the things that has arisen in our ten-year journey is the theme of collaboration, which I am most proud of. I am an extremely collaborative thinker, and I need others at the table to bounce ideas with me and to spread the energy of a master plan. So our company’s history of partnering with other arts organizations of varying disciplines makes sense to me, and it adds a whole new level of experience and creativity into our work.
What matters most to you?
My family, my friends, and my community. Everything centers around those three things for me, including my work. When I aim to do good business, it is not for money or for notoriety. It is for the people in our organization that I care about and want to see succeed.
Contact Info:
- Email: ewarner@thebigmuddydanceco.org
- Website: https://thebigmuddydanceco.org
- Instagram: @bigmuddydanceco
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BigMuddyDanceCo
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/bigmuddydanceco
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/BigMuddyDanceCo
- Other: http://re-frameperspective.com
Image Credits
Gerry Love, Jason Winkeler, Katie Strzelec
