Julia Harman Cain

Many Hats, Giving Back

Posted by Julia Harman Cain, Oct 23, 2014 0 comments


Julia Harman Cain

Julia Harman Cain headshot Julia Harman Cain

I remember little about my first time on stage: a ballet recital at age three. We danced to “Winter” from Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons,” and I had no idea what I was doing. Happily, the VHS evidence shows that I did not fall down.

In first grade, I made my theatrical debut. My class produced a short skit about caring for the environment, and I played the crucial role of Super Recycling Kid (who recycled to save the planet). My favorite part was wearing my superhero cape for the rest of the school day.

Ever since, the arts have been a constant in my life. As a kid, I loved the transformation inherent in theater: we created a world together onstage and, for a few hours at a time, it was just as a real as anything else.

In college, I realized that I most enjoyed contributing from the wings rather than from the stage. So I tried out every role possible, from choreographer to sound designer to director. I taught in a summer arts program, and was delighted when an 8-year-old in my Shakespeare class spontaneously used the word “ducats” in a sentence.

In the end, I learned that costume design was not my strong suit. Moreover, I learned that what excites me is simply making art possible -- providing the space, assembling the team, or finding the resources for writers and actors and dancers to create.

Really, that’s what arts philanthropy is all about: resources that enable and cultivate creativity. I feel really lucky that the theater, dance, and music have been so present in my life, and I want to see the supply and availability grow.

Sure, most kids (including me) who act and dance at a young age won’t necessarily be professional actors or ballerinas. But some will, and some will simply be hooked on the arts for life, hooked on storytelling and imagining and letting their minds go. And then they’ll pass that on.

At Joy of Motion Dance Center, our dancers are as young as two and as old as ninety-two. (Maybe older, that’s just an estimate!) Some have been dancing for decades, and others have decided to try a salsa class on a whim. And that’s exactly what we want. We want the arts to be the province of anyone and everyone. We want our doors to be wide open, and our art form to be welcoming and awesome. Certainly not intimidating.

Rounding back to arts philanthropy, it’s how we catalyze creativity, but it’s also how we enable inclusivity -- how we can come together and create chances to experience dance, partake in theater, and drum up music at any point in life.

I’ve worn a bundle of hats in the arts world, and I’ll likely try many more. But in some capacity, I’m sure that I’ll always be invested right here. The arts gave me confidence and determination. They gave me a community. They stretched my body and my mind and (moderately) improved my posture. And I want to pass that on.

 

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