Blake worthey
Blake Worthey is a dance-theater artist from Memphis,Tennessee. He started dancing in as a rehab for a sports injury then continued his training while at U. of Arkansas-Little Rock, While there he trained in Limon and Graham based modern with a sprinkling of strong 80s jazz. Most notably he got to perform WHATT?!!! by Rennie Harris. After receiving his BFA he studied at Modus Operandi, a training program in Vancouver, British Columbia. While in Vancouver he got to work with amazing people from OutInnerSpace, RadicalSystemArt, Company 605, Kidd Pivot, Parts + Labour, Mutable Subject, and Social Ritual. Most recently he attended Orsolina28 where he studied the process of Crystal Pite and William Forsythe. He has performed as part of a “Looking for America'' exhibit in 2019, and was a part of Nick Cave’s Until exhibit at the Momentary. He has been a guest artist of the Northwest Arkansas Ballet Theater for the past three years. While at NWABT he had a feature role in Ryan Jolicoeur-Nye’s Immortal Beloved:Possessed by Genius. He is very honored to be a part of NWABT for this season.
get to know the dancer
Where are you from?
Memphis, TN
In one sentence, describe your "discovery" of ballet. Or, what was your pathway to ballet?
Ballet was my rehab after hurting my knee!
Do you remember the first ballet you ever saw? What was it and how did it affect you?
I have actually never scene ballet in person.
What do you like to do outside of dance (hobbies, interests, etc.)?
I write plays!
What are some of your other talents?
I can whistle very well.
What are some of your indulgences?
If left to my own devices I will sleep for 15 hours.
What is your favorite role that you have performed? Have not performed?
I really want to play the Fool character in La Fille Mal Gardée
Do you have any pre-performance rituals?
I normally shave my head right before a show opens.
If you weren’t a dancer, what would you be?
I would probably be just a playwright or a history teacher
How do you spend your summer breaks?
I travel for 2-3 months for dancing and hanging with friends I don't readily see.
If I could visit any country in the world it would be….
I would love to visit Brazil or Greece.
What does Northwest Arkansas mean to you? Why is it special or different from other places you've danced/trained?
NWA has its own little artistic bubble. You can kinda do what you want here.
What are three things people might not know about you?
I cannot whistle with other people because it makes me smile.
I love hearing other people smile over the phone.
I stopped studying for tests in the 7th grade.