143: On Rejection, Perseverance, and Chasing your Dreams — Kristin Draucker

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Kristin Draucker, a veteran dancer and choreographer who is currently performing with the</span> <a href= "https://paultaylordance.org/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Paul Taylor Dance Company</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. As a long-time New York City resident, she has danced with a variety of well-known companies in the area. Draucker began creating original works in 2014 and has shown her choreography both nationally and internationally at various companies and festivals. In 2017, she joined Paul Taylor Dance Company, where she currently performs.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kristin’s story is a compelling tale of obstacles and perseverance. From the start, Kristin’s road into the dance world was nontraditional; she took her first dance lessons at age 15. As if this late start didn’t hold its own challenges, Kristin’s journey to eventually joining her dream company — Paul Taylor Dance Company — was a process that took ten long years, with three rejections and one final success. Kristin’s grit and drive is an inspiration, and, on the podcast, Kristin shares some rich perspective on the nature of rejection, the value of perseverance, and the love of dance.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Moving Quotes:</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"There was never another option [than dance]. It was the only thing I wanted to do. It's pure pleasure — even when it hurts, it's pure pleasure. It was all worth it. And it still is, every day. There's nothing else I'm interested in doing.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"If you open yourself up to many different forms of art, your worldview and artistry widens."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"All teachers aren't the same. All teachers can be wonderful, but they may not speak to you the way that you need something given... Being particular about who guides you is important as a young dancer."</span></p> <p><span style="font