Though our business staff work in the office at their desks for the day, one of our own, Erin Lynch, was spending the other half of her day dancing. This past weekend, Lynch was dancing in the Solstice Parade down Santa Barbara Street soaking in the summer sun with La Boheme.
What inspired you to join the La Boheme dancers in Solstice this year?
My former co-worker from the Santa Barbara Foundation, Judith Smith-Meyer, encouraged me to join at an AWC networking event. She knows I’m a creative person and I love to be active, and thought La Boheme would be a great fit for me.
What kind of behind-the-scenes prep came with dancing at Solstice? What was the hardest part about preparing for the parade?
La Boheme training is twice a week for two months before solstice at the Gail Towbes Center for Dance, with additional practice on your own to be expected. After a month or so of training, our top-secret costumes are revealed to dancers by the board, and we are then provided with the materials to build them (we also have costume-building parties to bond with one another!). The board members provide choreography videos, music, and costume-building step-by-steps during these two months. The hardest part about preparing is building stamina and endurance. I may be athletic, but dancing in a corset in hot weather with 80 other women is another beast, and is not to be underestimated. At the end, it was super rewarding to accomplish, and I feel like I’m in the best shape I’ve been in years!
Do you plan to dance with La Boheme for the parade next year or be involved in any way?
Absolutely. The sense of community with these dancers is undeniable. Teresa and the Board have been extremely supportive and welcoming of all people of all dance backgrounds — you don’t even need one! I was told by my friend after the parade that they would consider also joining next year by seeing how happy I was during our performance.
What other kinds of dancing have you done? Has this inspired you to dance more in the future?
As a child, I did ballet, jazz, and hip-hop. In the last year, I’ve taken salsa for fun, and I’m planning to take more jazz and salsa classes in the near future!
What are some other ways you’ve immersed yourself in Santa Barbara culture? What are some of your favorite things to do in town?
I’m currently playing kickball through Double Play Socials with my team Kick-fil-A, and I like to go to social dances (mostly salsa). I also love to go to local breweries and wineries where my friends play music, and I try to go to new events in town that I can find on the Independent’s website!
