Creativity Runs Deep in This Dancer’s Family

Lindsay Renea Benton grew up in a creative household with both parents, her grandmother, and eldest aunt as artists. Hearing stories as a young girl from strong creative women in her family propelled her imagination and expanded her realm of possibilities. 

In this week’s episode I dive into Lindsay Renea’s journey as a professional dancer, choreographer, and professor at Alabama State University. 

Lindsay Renea has stories to share and lives to bless! She started her career landing a principal dancer spot for the famous Garth Fagan Dance company in New York. Watching the choreography process of legends inspired her to later start her own dance company in her hometown Ohio, the Lindsay Renea Dance Theater. 

Things she witnessed and experienced always find their way into her practice, weaving together to build a beautiful texture that she shares with her students. Lindsay Renea is on a mission to expose young people who look like her to the arts through dance. 

Listen to how Lindsay Renea expertly balances running her nonprofit, the Lyndsay Renea Foundation, and being a full time professor, while also the Founder and Artistic Director of the Lindsay Renae Dance Theater. 

Here’s a snippet of what you’ll hear in this episode:

• Lindsay Renea’s full circle moment that started from her traveling the world in a black dance company and attending Howard University. 
• Lindsay Renea shares why having a strong community is key for creatives’ survival, and how her community helped shape the woman she is today.
• The two favorite moments in Lindsay Renea’s career so far (hint: one of them is connected to Barack Obama’s inauguration).
• Get the scoop on the Lindsay Renea Foundation that creates opportunities for pre-professional young adults to perform on stage.

Links in this episode:

Lindsay Renea

Red Clay Dance

Garth Fagan Dance

Joyce Theater Foundation

Kindred Creatives Collective