Dora De Paula, Artist and Superwoman
Choreographer, Dancer, Company Director and Founder, Mother, Woman
Nov 14, 2009
Dora de Paula was born in Curitiba, Brazil on October 28, 1963 to a dance teacher mother. Dora and her sisters grew up surrounded by music and dance. Her mother's dance school quickly went from a small local school to a huge National dance school; Dora was sent to New York and Paris to study dance and after heading her mother's second dance school, "Estudio D", she finally decided to settle in Paris, France to dance, teach, create her own dance company and make her life.
Dora has since worked with many choreographers, and worked on such projects as the "Cirque d'Hiver", as well as her own project, in fruition, "Dance and Stage" where she takes students into a professional setting, giving them the chance to work hands-on with make-up artists, stage technicians and various choreographers at the Théâtre de Ranelagh in Paris.
Dora is considered to be one of the best dance teachers in Paris, and is a resident teacher at the Paris International Academy of Dance.
The Interview : At the beginning of her life, her training
When did you want to become a dancer? How old were you?
"I started ballet at 5; I was the youngest of 5 girls! My mother had her ballet school, but I was rejected from the National Ballet Institute in Brazil! When I was 14, I switched to Modern Jazz. But, my real passion, I discovered when I was 18. I discovered Tap!"
Why Tap dance? What does Tap mean to you?
"Tap is democratic. You don't need to have perfect ballet technique for it. It's fun and it's excellent for your coordination. You can also learn tap pretty quickly; ballet takes a long time to be good. I have good rhythm, put that together with the thought I had of 'I can't do ballet', Tap was a real discovery for me and it became my passion. It was 1978, the year of 'Saturday Night Fever' and my mother wanted to open another school, expecting only 300 or so students to sign up. Instead, 1200 students came!"
What were your first impressions of dance classes?
"It was tough. Learning ballet is very hard, and my technique wasn't the greatest. I felt that it wasn't really for me; and I felt like the 'Ugly Duckling'. All us girls were sent to New York to study dance; I studied Tap. I went back to Brazil after a year, started taking over the administration of 'Estudio D' but every year, for 4 months, I went back to New York to study Tap, Modern Jazz and ballet. I did that for 13 years running. At first, I paid for my trip to New York by working as a tour guide! Little by little, I went pro, then I decided to come to Paris."
Why did you travel to study dance?
"1979 in New York City was an exciting place to be! It was the explosion of Michael Jackson, disco, John Travolta. In New York, every dance class was like participating in a Broadway musical! It was fun and beyond anything I imagined. In France, not many dance classes are like that. But I think that my students learn that, if you really give your all in class, you'll not only go places; you'll also have fun doing it."
In the second part of this 3-part interview with Dora de Paula, she talks about the challenges of heading a dance school, her move to Paris, France, dancing and teaching in France.
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