Today we’d like to introduce you to Donelle Maloney.
Hi Donelle, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
As a creative, I think the most fitting label is storyteller. I was always interested in storytelling through movement, but didn’t feel like it was an option for me because I didn’t start in kindergarten like all the dancers I admired. So, I originally fell in love with writing for the catharsis of it all as an angsty teen. I wrote mostly poetry and short stories, which ultimately led to my decision to study film in college and learn the art of screenwriting. The University I decided on was in Nashville and I don’t think there will ever be anything as hard for me as it was to leave Minnesota that first time. But it was absolutely the right choice for me because it is where I had the opportunity to be a part of film projects I’m so proud of and where I started to gain the courage to truly be myself. It was in college when I began to dance for the first time. I’m forever grateful to my friend who took a couple of hours to teach me my first dance routine, which started it all. I began to start teaching myself. I should have known I wouldn’t be able to stay away, thinking back to the countless YouTube videos I used to watch of the Dance Moms performances haha. After I got my degree, I moved to Los Angeles to work in film and TV. I found a dance community there and an acceptance I never expected. My community pushed and inspired me and I finally began to allow myself to believe that maybe it wasn’t too late to pursue this dream I had ignored for so long. Since then, I’ve had opportunities to do various on-stage performances, be a part of incredible dance teams, audition for companies like SM Entertainment, HYBE America, and THE BLACKLABEL, dance in music videos like Annika Bennett’s “Power, Sex, Dreams”, and learn from choreographers I admired as a kid, before I ever believed I could dance. I know the younger me would be in complete disbelief. Every small milestone means the world to me.
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?
As you can probably expect, there are so many challenges to beginning to pursue dance in your twenties. Comparison is probably the hardest. People underestimate the mental sharpness you need in dance class to not only commit choreography to memory but also allow yourself to let go and trust your body to take over. Seeing it come so easily to others can be so discouraging, but I always remind myself that we are all on our own journey with our own timeline. What I’m most proud of is putting myself out there despite not always having confidence in myself. I know that just showing up can make all the difference, it has for me many times.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’ve always resonated with the saying “jack of all trades, master of none.” In dance, I have a long way to go to become the dancer I want to be, and as I continue to learn, I’m grateful that my training as a writer continues to be knowledge I draw from; whether I am writing for a company’s social media or just drafting emails. Growing up, I always wished I could have a specific talent, something that would guide me to my calling in life. Of course, it’s hardly ever that easy. But I’m learning that simply being a storyteller is enough. So whether I am working on a dance or a writing project, I aim to use whatever tools I have to tell the story and share an experience. I think part of who I am as an artist is the endless search and self-discovery.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
The characteristic most important to my success is my drive to always push my comfort zone. I’m grateful to have learned this at a relatively young age. I grew up pretty shy, so my comfort zone was tiny, but I always wanted more and looked up to those more outgoing than me. One of those people was my younger sister who brought me on all kinds of adventures when all I wanted to do was hide away in my room. Learning to push my comfort zone led me to incredibly rewarding experiences from just talking to someone I barely knew to moving across the country and even across the world when I chose to study abroad in Seville, Spain. This trait is what allowed me to step into the world of dance without a dance background and what allows me to continuously show up to classes and auditions. Stepping into a challenging class or audition is always going to be anxiety-inducing for me, but I always remind myself the experience of failing is an incredible opportunity for growth. I hope I can share my story more in the upcoming year to inspire others to chase what speaks to them no matter their age, experience, gender, or any other factor.
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