Spotlight On: Cici Houston Sudholt for Women’s History Month
Ms. Cici Houston Sudholt has built her career in dance in St. Louis over the past twenty-five years. Originally from Detroit, she trained with Theresa Lee Crawford, Central PA Youth Ballet, and VA School of the Arts before joining Saint Louis Ballet as a company dancer at the age of seventeen. While performing she began her teaching career, and subsequently built skills as choreographer, administrator, and now serves as Saint Louis Ballet's Rehearsal Director. At SLB she works with the professional company, the school, built educational and outreach initiatives, and most recently has developed their new Professional Training Program for post-graduate aspiring dancers.
What does Women's History Month mean to you?
Women's History month is a reflection in perseverance. I had barely begun my career in St. Louis when I found myself in a hospital, my whole life turned upside-down. The minute the doctor confirmed I could hope to dance again, my mother raced to the nearest bookstore and returned with autobiographies of famous ballerinas. Reading about their own difficulties gave me a larger perspective. This instilled a lifelong habit of mine: when the world gets too terrible, I study history. Humanity's most inspiring moments often come from dark times, and I don't think we could find a woman's story that doesn't remind us of this truth.
Who are some female artists (dance or non-dance) who inspire you and why?
The dance world just lost Lorraine Graves, former principal of Dance Theatre of Harlem. She only taught me briefly in my teenaged years, but she spoke to us one day at length about her life, including her recent autoimmune diagnosis. It was the first time I heard a major dancer openly acknowledge a physical obstacle beyond their control. This example - a fierce woman sharing these vulnerabilities - made a major impact on me throughout my career.
More so, my own mother, who is a musician, shaped my life's work. Observing her work ethic, her dedication to contributing to something bigger than herself, serving her art form without requiring the spotlight - this laid the foundation for my own life's work.
Favorite female-owned business(es) in St. Louis?
Saint Louis Ballet School! Co-owned by Tanya Strautmann and Gen Horiuchi, this organization, and its affiliated company, employ countless impressive woman, including in leadership positions. My life is better being surrounded by these people on a daily basis.
Honorable mentions go out to Sugaree Bakery and Animal House Veterinary Hospital.
Anything else you want to share?
Art for the sake of art has its own value. It sounds like an obvious statement, but I see this idea fading. People criticize works if they don't fulfill a different agenda: providing historically accurate stories, furthering educational initiatives, promoting social issues, etc. Can the arts do these things? Absolutely, and it's wonderful when it happens to do so. Is it still important when it does not? Absolutely, and it's up to all of us to uphold this crucial need of expression, beauty, and humanity for its own sake.
Connect with Cici:
Facebook: CiCi Houston Sudholt
Instagram: cici7h
https://www.stlouisballet.org/artisticstaff