Artist of the Issue: Julia Loffredo

Loffredo’s most recent dance accomplishment was a prominent role in her studio’s production of The Nutcracker. She said, “We did [our show] in November, because we couldn’t get the studio in December. I was the Snow Queen, and it was my final hurrah, so that was the biggest dance achievement that’s ever happened for me. It was a really good way to have my last year of dance.” Despite her experience with dancing solo, Loffredo prefers dancing in a group: “I’ve only had one performance alone, which was with a male partner, and that was fun, but there’s just something about the energy of being with, like, fourteen girls, where we’ve all known each other forever and we know how each other moves. That energy is unmatched by being alone on stage.”

Loffredo’s family and teachers influenced her craft and her perspective of the art. She said, “My favorite dance teacher is actually my friend’s mom, and she’s a really big influence on my life. She is a mom of three and still dances, and she was in many companies when she grew up and danced in college, and she’s an amazing woman [who] shows you that you can dance and have fun, and you don’t have to become a professional.” Loffredo spoke about her respect for her teacher’s resilience: “It’s obviously hard to have this type of job, especially if your daughter is a dancer, because dance isn’t always amazing.” She added, “Another one of my influences is probably my older sister, just because I always watched her dance growing up, and she was always there for me. She was always a role model.”