Art provides meaning to our dreary, mundane existence. Whether you connect with art as a viewer or a creator, art provides solace in dark times and doubles your happiness on joyful days. Thus, it is essential to celebrate art in all its varied forms. Brittany O’Connor is precisely doing this. Brittany, a dancer and artist with an acclaimed reputation as a ballerina, has excelled in both commercial and classical arts.
Brittany developed a love for dance early in her childhood. She found dancing an apt medium for self-expression, opting to make it her profession instead of pursuing a more traditional career. She started her journey by learning jazz and tap dance. However, at fourteen, she found her true calling in the classical art of ballet.
This old dance form, dating back to the fifteenth-century Italian Renaissance, incorporates a performative aspect and is usually displayed on a stage with an audience. Brittany worked hard to embody the grace, delicacy, and gentleness involved in the classical dance form. She was successful, as she got to perform at multiple shows with the Pacific Northwest Ballet at just seventeen years of age. The nights and days spent on a stage in her ballet shoes truly shaped her, invigorating a more urgent need to grow as an artist.
Her talent was also acknowledged internationally when an international ballet company, the Dresden SemperOper Ballet, recruited her in Germany. Dancing with this company was a dream come true, as she got a chance to take part in ballet performances of Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, La Bayadere, and other classic tales.
Brittany wanted to enhance her portfolio with varied experience, looking for growth as a multi-skilled artist. This desire led her to LA, where she eventually transitioned to commercial art. That began a new era for Brittany – she got featured as an actress in multiple films and TV shows like Ted 2, Glee, The Oscars, Penny Dreadful, GLOW and for designers Hermes and Chanel to name a few.
The highlight of her career has been the principal lead dancer for the legendary tenor Andrea Bocelli’s World Tour for the last six years. She was the first dancer ever to tour with him and was the first one who incorporated dancing into his concerts. It’s also where her two loves, classical and commercial dancing, have come together. She’s an amazing cross-over artist working with the world’s most influential cross-over artist, creating magic on the international stage.
Additionally, Brittany was the first western dancer to choreograph and perform as a solo artist in Saudi Arabia’s internationally recognized concert hall Maraya, in AlUla. Brittany has toured with Grammy Award-winning Flamenco artist, Benise and has also been featured in his PBS special. Other than these fantastic feasts, she has also been able to experience other dance styles, such as Bollywood, Tango, Burlesque, etc.
It is quite apparent that Brittany dedicated herself hundred percent to all the hats she wore as an artist. Her love for art clearly shines in her desire to celebrate various art forms, which is why she stood out both as a classical and commercial artist.
Click here to take a peek at Brittany’s portfolio, or follow her on Instagram.