Interview Blog

Edward Franklin a native of Atlanta has traveled with world with several notable dance companies. He received his beginning training here in dance before going on to dance in Philadelphia, New York City and China. He has an interesting and slightly jaded view of Atlanta’s dance scene. He seams to thinks its sub par compared to where he has previously danced. Ha has a vision of what he would like to bring to the Atlanta professional dance scene.

Bernard:

Hello Edward, thank you so much for doing this interview for me.

Edward: 

No problem, why did you choose me I barely perform in this city anymore. If you get me on stage it’s not cheap. 

Question 1:

Being that you started dancing here in Atlanta how has it grown and changed?

Edward:

 Atlanta has more professional dancers and dance companies now versus 20 years ago when I first stared dancing at North Atlanta High School with Gary Johnson. He was my mentor. He had a junior company that I was in when I was high school.

Question2:

What does Atlanta need in order to grow?

Edward: 

 I don’t enjoy the quality of the work thats being presented here. It has no “flavor”.

Question 3:

Flavor?

Yeah the movement has no passion. Every one is giving the same thing. No ones offering anything different. Everybody’s using kids or pre-professional dancers to show there work. There are not offering these kids any kind of knowledge about the movement. Where it comes from and how to dance it with passion.

Question 4:

Your vision for Atlanta and the Atlanta dance scene?

Atlanta needs to decide what its dance scene is going to be? Atlanta is known for its Hip Hop scene but thats limited. If you can’t teach what to do then you’re not helping anyone but yourself. Everyone is so busy trying to be “ Fierce” that the work looks like shit.

Question 5:
Fierce?

Fierce is when people give a lot of extra that has nothing to do the work or the dancers.

Bernard.:

Its seams you have a lot of opinions and thoughts about the state of the current Atlanta dance scene. 

Edward:

I do

Bernard:

We’ll have to continue this discussion later I did not plan on such a spirited interview.

Edward: 

I look forward to it