Interview by AFA Intern McKenna Dixon in Fall 2022
Q: Who are you?
Elise: My name is Elise Connolly, I am originally from Florida, and I came to New York about eight years ago to study theatre. I come from a family background of educators. Both of my grandparents were music teachers, my mom is a math and music teacher, and my dad was a band director, so education and the arts have always been a part of my life. I am now pursuing a Master’s at NYU for Educational Theatre in Colleges and Communities.
Q: How did you first get involved in your specific discipline of art?
Elise: I started dancing at age three, and whether that was my decision or my parents’, I really couldn’t tell you, but I just know that I must have taken to it because I didn’t look back. I trained at that dance studio for at least five or six years. Then, my mom took on a job at the dance studio as a voice coach, and because she also did theatre, through the studio, she put on Peter Pan and Neverland, and that was my first theatrical experience.
Q: What role did the arts play in your upbringing?
Elise: A major role. The arts not only developed who I was, but they also framed my worldview, and they still do today. As a kid, I watched a lot of musicals–primarily Golden Age musicals. I was introduced to the Rodgers and Hammerstein canon very early on. Being in dance competitions and doing shows with my mom really made me who I am. The arts molded my career goals and a lot of my dreams.
Q: What is your educational background?
Elise: After high school, I went to a liberal arts school in North Carolina for a year and then went to the Disney College Program for a semester. From there, I got my Associate in Arts at Tallahassee Community College, and then attended Florida State University, where I received a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. I decided to move to New York, where I studied at AMDA. I knew I wanted to teach at a college and still have the flexibility to create my own work and/or perform work, so that was the basis for why I wanted to then pursue a Master’s degree. I am currently studying at NYU to earn my Master’s in Educational Theatre.
Q: Did you experience a particular “aha moment” in which you realized theatre was your passion?
Elise: In 8th grade, I was in You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, and it was in that moment that I knew what I was doing with the rest of my life. I thought, “I’m going to New York, and I’m going to be a famous actress.” In college, I read Fires in the Mirror and discovered Anna Deavere Smith, whose career I admire so much. Seeing my instructors in college teach during the day, and then perform on Broadway by night was another major “aha moment” for me.
Q: How do the children you work with inspire you to continue being a teaching artist?
Elise: I don’t know how much kids realize that they teach their teachers as much as they teach them, if not more, because I have learned so much from my students. The little ones have taught me to look at the world with a sense of wonderment and magic. The middle school kids have taught me how to practice grace for one another, and they have challenged me to learn new things to teach. I admire how the kindergarteners are always ready to have fun, love instantly, and soak up everything like a sponge.
Q: What is one of the main takeaways you hope the students gain from your classes?
Elise: One of the biggest takeaways I hope the students gain is that they can truly do anything they want to do, when they put their minds to something and do the work. I want them to know that they can learn anything, whether it’s socio-emotional learning, self-awareness, spatial awareness, or language.
Q: What drew you to Arts For All? What are you most looking forward to this year?
Elise: I love Arts For All’s mission statement because I really align with the notion that the arts can make a huge impact in a child’s life and in their learning. I especially love the Literacy Through the Arts program because I think there is something to be said about bring the arts into a core subject. It allows for a way to meet kids on a whole other level. Something that I am excited for is to see where the kids end up by the end of the year.
Q: What does art mean to you?
Elise: I think art is way more than just painting and drawing, the music that we listen to and sing and play, the dances that we learn, or the plays that we put on. We see art everywhere, from the streets of New York to the media, and it is way beyond the boxes we sometimes put art into. Art is culture.
