Spotlight On: Robert Poe

Tell us a little about yourself!
I'm a dance and movement enthusiast who is passionate about dance education and creativity. I don't claim to save lives with what I do but I am a flourishing example of what movement expression can do to uplift the spirit and improve the quality of ones life on a deeply personal and visible level.

What does Black History Month mean to you?
For me, especially in my adult years, it's black history "month" every month. The idea that we would only focus on black contributions or celebrate black excellence one month a year is absurd. I think Black History IS American History and American History is compound. It deserves our constant time, space, attention and consideration to unpack all that has occurred to create this complex nation.

Who are some black artists (dance or non-dance) you find inspirational and why?
Because I'm a storyteller, I'm also a huge movie and cinema person and love watching actors pour themselves into creating their characters. Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman are two men I grew up watching and admiring for their poise, integrity, intelligence, talent, work ethic and brilliance. Also, completely unrelated to them, is my good friend Courtney Jefferies, who is a tremendous and fiercely intelligent dance artist that I've worked with for several years now. She has an impressive (unforced) strength and brilliance to her movement that sticks to you.

Favorite Black-owned business in St. Louis?
They've since closed down but the Herban Eatery, formerly in the Delmar Loop, was my favorite spot for DELICIOUS vegan options. The flavor and variety had me from the beginning. I haven't found that level of taste anywhere since.

Anything else you want to share?
The longer I wear my Artistic Director shoes, the more convicted I am that concert dance, specifically ballet and ballet-adjacent disciplines, has a lot of work to do in becoming a language that can tell more people's stories. Because of my work with Ballet 314, it has been a welcomed challenge to take stories and create legible ballets that stir the spirit, educate the mind and speak to a far wider audience than in the previous several hundred years. The work is cut out for me but it's wonderful to see that I'm not alone in this mission.

Ways to connect with Robert:
Ballet 314: https://www.ballet314.org/
IG: @Pobert_roe
FB: @Robert Poe

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