Introducing Theresa Wasiloski
Theresa Wasiloski is an artist who has lived and worked in the Lafayette area for nearly twenty years. She works primarily in dance, but enjoys experimenting in and sometimes overlapping multiple disciplines.
She was born in Baton Rouge, La, and started dance classes at the young age of four. In the late 90s she moved to Lafayette to study dance at UL Lafayette (then USL), and since then has been working, teaching, experimenting, and creating in the South Louisiana region.
Who makes up your art circle?
My inner circle consists of a few close friends, artists, my partner- those who I bounce ideas off of, talk things out with, take suggestions from, and am hugely grateful for… Leah Twilley, Justin Bacqué, Whitney Hebert are all huge supporters, collaborators. And the people I’m working with directly, such as the other members of the Arts Faculty at J Wallace James Elementary- I’m one of eight art teachers at the school, and we’re in constant collaboration planning and executing multiple performances and events for the kiddos at JWJ, not least of which, two full length musicals twice a year. Whew! 🙂 The dance community in Lafayette makes up a huge part of my art circle, the people I have danced with, and for, and that have been in my pieces, the folks at Basin and the AcA, Bree and Paige and all of the Teaching Artists over there. Gwen Aucoin and I have a shared art journal thing going on that makes me happy. All those people out there makin’ things! And my students, too!
How do you expand your art circle?
I continue to work, I move towards what moves me. I think if you just continue to do your work then it will expand, (or contract, if it needs to) naturally. I continue to accept new opportunities, go to shows when I can, pay attention to what sparks my interest, and follow connections that are truly meaningful.
What value do you see in having a creative community?
I love seeing others grow through their creative endeavors. I guess I’m talking specifically about the dance community here… Being witness to my students gaining confidence, or to my peers’ development, which directions they take their work, finding ways to support each other- it’s really beautiful. The more I continue to work in this community the more I’m grateful for it.