NYCDP Questionnaire:
Barton Cowperthwaite, dancer with Lar Lubovitch Dance Company and Pontus Lidberg Dance
Where did you grow up and how did you get interested in dance? BC: I am a proud native of Denver, Colorado! I first started dancing by getting dragged into a hip-hop class that my younger brother didn’t want to take alone. How did your background and your family's background; affect your passion for dance? BC: When I was growing up I tried my hand in most club sports. I started dancing and the athleticism finally clicked. My mother was a dancer in college and an artist in many different fields and my father is an architect with a passion for being fit and healthy. I suppose their nature really helped facilitate my path in dance. What career would you have chosen if you could not have been a dancer? BC: I’ve always had a part of me that wanted to become an architect like my dad. What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first started dancing professionally? BC: I wish I’d known better how to take care of my body. I’m still learning but I’ve found many things that allow me to stay busy that I didn’t practice in the beginning. Of all the roles you have performed, which role helped you grow the most as an artist? BC: The Black Rose with Lar Lubovitch
If a child told you they wanted to be a dancer, what advice would you give them? BC: Keep an open mind, work hard, be patient, communicate, and have fun. Know that it takes time to get good at something and the more you put it the more you’ll get out. How has social media changed a dancer’s status and what is required of them? BC: Social media is a great networking tool and has exposed aspects to dance that haven’t existed in the past. We create profiles of ourselves and they are immediately in front a massive pool of people. We have a responsibility to be good ambassadors of our art form. Do you have one moment in your career that you remember most fondly? Or one moment that you feel really defined your career or the trajectory of it? BC: I won my middle school talent show because I could do the worm… from then on I knew I was going to be a dancer. Who would you like most to have a coffee with (could be dead or alive)? BC: The Dali Lama Who were some of the people who influenced you the most in your career? BC: I’ve had many inspirational people in my life. My family, teachers, choreographers, and friends have steered me in the right direction many times. What do you most value in your friends? BC: I admire their dedication. What is your idea of perfect happiness? BC: Having balance and being fulfilled. If you could be an animal, what animal would you choose and why? BC: I’d be a monkey so I could swing around and eat bananas. Which is pretty close to what I do now… Which person (dead or alive) would you most want to dance with if you could? BC: I would love to work with William Forsythe one day. What is your greatest indulgence? BC: Doodling What are your worst fears (professionally or personally)? BC: I don’t give much power to my fears; it’s more fun to stand up to them. What was your biggest mishap in a performance? BC: One time when I was in a dance competition I forgot the first 30 seconds of a number because I had a bruised rib and was put on a muscle relaxer. My teacher was not happy with me. Is there a special meal you have before performances? BC: I like bananas or protein bars and coffee before a show.
Shoes and clothing courtesy of Capezio Grooming by Juliet Jane
