Creativity is Home: Dance Alum Eric Bean, Jr.

Performing artists create shared experiences in shared spaces. In the past few weeks, many performers have been forced to reinvent their work in isolation. For the next story in our “Creativity is Home” series, we caught up with Eric Bean, Jr. BFA ’07 (Dance Education), who is currently on tour with Disney’s The Lion King as a dancer and Ensemble member. He shared some tips on maintaining a healthy practice, finding creative inspiration and celebrating a “socially distanced” birthday.

UArts: What are some challenges of this transition, and how have you adapted?

Bean: The biggest challenge I have found is trying to find new ways to stay creative while also maintaining some form of income. I am fortunate enough to be in a show that will be able to bounce back once these hard times have passed. But until that happens, it is up to me to continue to maintain my mind, body and spirit, so I am ready to jump back into eight shows a week, while making sure I can pay whatever bills might come my way!

UArts: Have you found any advantages or silver linings?

Bean: The biggest advantage/silver lining that I have found is the ability to connect with [and] take class from members of the community who I have idolized and might not have had the opportunity to work with (and vice versa!). It's been a true joy seeing how the arts community, once again, bands together to lift each other up and keep the passion for the arts alive.

UArts: What are some methods you’ve been using to connect to your creative community?

Bean: I love to teach and choreograph. So the biggest way I’ve been keeping in touch with and connected to the community has been through my livestream classes [on] my Instagram live feed. I have had people taking classes from as far away as Israel, and it has created several opportunities for me to create digital master classes, Q&A sessions and private sessions for studios around the country. I also began an online book club geared toward male performing artists for suggesting, discussing and connecting over LGBTQ-themed literature! (The club is a Facebook group called Reading Rainbow, if any guys are interested in joining!)

UArts: What book are you reading currently?

Bean: The most recent [is] Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. It’s a fun political fiction story about the biracial son of the first female sitting president [who falls] in love with the prince of a royal family, who—up until that time—was an individual he regarded as his nemesis!

The next book in the club is Enemies of the State by Tal Bauer—another politically themed fiction, [in which] the newest president and head of his Secret Service detail begin a friendship—that develops into more—in the midst of an attempted military coup to seize the office of the presidency and start another world war!

UArts: Is there anything you do for creative inspiration at home?

Bean: So I have been having a blast taking and teaching classes. But I’ve also really been enjoying seeing all the art and dance that is being streamed online; a large portion of which are free! Companies like AAADT, BalletX and Paris Opera are showcasing work we normally only get to experience when attending a live performance. It’s definitely keeping me artistically fulfilled! I am also constantly exploring new music on Spotify and iTunes, which always gets my creative juices flowing.

UArts: Have you discovered any new music recently? What gets you moving?

Bean: Current music on my playlist that I'm really enjoying is a series of albums called Bargrooves, which is house music. [It] really gets me dancing and is great for warming up. I’m also really enjoying Mykal Kilgore's album, A Man Born Black, and Postmodern Jukebox!

Bean recently celebrated a birthday in self-isolation and marked the occasion by making a cake he saw on The Great British Baking Show; ordering his favorite ice cream from a local custard shop; and raising money for the Actor’s Fund during his birthday livestream class.

Originally from Bermuda and based in Las Vegas, Bean has taught and choreographed nationally and internationally. He has held faculty positions at UArts, University of Nevada and Dance Bermuda, American Ballet Theatre’s only international program. Bean is hosting a jazz dance class on his Instagram every Saturday at 3 p.m. EST (12 p.m. PST). Follow along at @ebjdance.

Are you a UArts alum with a story about your home-based creativity? Send your stories to the Office of Alumni Relations at alumni@uarts.edu.


Header image: Troy Jennings