Art “When you’re training to become a professional dancer you’re tested emotionally and physically,” she said. “You’re getting your ass kicked every day. I am training dancers in way that empowers them and in a way that leads to awareness and authenticity and fearlessness.” In addition to classes for adults and children ages 3 and up, Stankovic’s husband Andy Altmann will teach guitar classes, music production classes, sight-reading and more. Altmann is a professional musician who has his own studio in Manhattan. Actors will be able to take scene study classes, monologue prep, Shakespeare 101 and movements for actors. Stankovic will also invite playwrights to workshop their material at the space in front of an audience, choreographers to showcase their new work and any other artists who want to show their material in front of an eager audience. Stankovic sees her studio as “an artistic and creative salon” and hopes to show people that “great art can happen anywhere.” “I think we’re spending too much time on our phones,” she said. “I’m a performing artist so this to me is very alarming. I’m like, ‘Oh my goodness you’re watching a dance performance on your tiny little phone. That’s good but you should really be seeing it live. Great art can happen anywhere, any time. You don’t need a huge stage. That is the power of live art, it speaks to our humanity.” Stankovic predicts the studio will be fully operational with adult, children, music and theater classes up and running by September 2017. She also hopes to attract people who just like to dance for fun or danced when they were younger but gave it up. “The motto of Wild Heart Performing Arts Studio is no label, no limits,” she said. “All great achievements begin on the inside, in the mind. If you’re labeling yourself as this or that that might be your biggest impediment. We were born to shatter stereotypes and myths. If you think you’re too old to dance question it and be a trailblazer in your life.” www.qns.com i LIC COURIER i April 2017 37
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