Dancer's Survival Handbook

  Xaviera Vandermay is the Artistic Director of 3rd Shift Dance in Seattle. Her company started when she lived in Chicago and got involved with Links Hall. When she had her child, her focus shifted to being a mom and the only time she could practice her dancing was between 3:00 and 5:00 a.m. To this day, 3rd Shift Dance rehearses in the middle of the night. As a young dancer, Xaviera trained at Pacific Northwest Ballet School and Washington Academy of Performing Arts- two very different programs! The dichotomy between the two schools helped mold her unique style as a teacher. What prompted Xaviera to go from dancer/ teacher to choreographer? She was teaching at Studio1 in Woodinville, WA, and the director allowed Xaviera to establish a student company, which she called L.O.A. (Levels of Aggression.) As a brand new company, she managed to sell out the first run of shows! She really enjoyed choreographing but ended up moving to Chicago, away from her studio. After having her son, she wanted to go back to c