ABOUT ME
Biography
Wolfgang Goluska is a Grand Rapids based dancer with over a decade of experience both teaching and performing in various movement styles. He began dancing at Elizabeth Williams School of Dance where he studied ballet, tap and jazz. Over the years he has attended summer intensives at Grand Rapids Ballet, Northeast Academy of Dance, Cincinnati Ballet, and New York Dance Project. At Grand Valley State University, Wolfgang furthered his dance education, studying ballet and modern dance technique along with dance history, dance costuming, dance on camera, choreography, urban dance, and dance pedagogy with a focus on children’s physical and cognitive development. Wolfgang graduated from GVSU with a B.A. in dance in April of 2023. Following his academic career, Wolfgang joined CPR Dance: Inhale Movement for their sophomore season and has been working with the company since, performing in their full season shows, Exhale and Eupnea, along with various festival performances across the midwest. Wolfgang has also had the pleasure of working with several companies as a guest dancer, including Children’s Ballet Theatre, Creative Arts Repertory Ensemble, Greater Lansing Ballet Company, and West Michigan Youth Ballet. In addition to performing, Wolfgang has been able to share dance, teaching at various institutions including but not limited to, Ada Dance Academy, CARE Conservatory of Ballet, CPR Dance: Inhale Movement, Grand Rapids School of Dance, and the City of Wyoming’s Parks and Recreation Department.
Photo Credit: Darren Breen
ARTISTIC STATEMENT
As an artist, I am continuously on a journey of self-discovery and exploration of the world, where I take pleasure in experimenting with a diverse range of ideas, movements, and tones. These range from standard expressions pushed to their limits to unconventional approaches pushed even further. I believe that art really can only show the perspective of the artist and so my work is just a way to show my perspective of the world, and hopefully give others entertainment in the process. Rarely do I ever go into a dance knowing exactly how the dance is going to turn out because I believe that including the dancers and their perspectives and personalities in the work only deepens the exploration.
Much of my choreography starts out with a central concept, story, or idea that I want to play with, and then gets developed as I try new ways to play around with that central concept. I plan the concepts beforehand but oftentimes the movement comes from a collaborative effort. That being said, I like to use my own movement as a baseline for the work and will often begin by teaching small movement phrases so that when movement is being made in the rehearsal process, it follows a consistent tone.
While I don’t often create what I would consider “site-specific” work (so far, I have largely created for a more “traditional” performance setting with a stage and audience setup), most of my work is tailored to the space that it will be performed in. I enjoy pushing the boundaries of the space and trying to use what I can to its fullest extent.
While I have a background in classical ballet, I don’t rely on it much in my work. Instead, I like to explore the intersections between different movement styles like modern, tap and jazz, and everyday pedestrian movements. I find limiting myself to one style to be confining as I continue to discover the vast possibilities within the world of movement.
I enjoy subverting the audience’s expectations, bringing an unexpected perspective or twist to the idea. I like to push people to think of the world in a different way, and I find that doing something unexpected can get people thinking about my work and the wider world differently. Everyone has their own point of view, and so I try to push people to think about other ways to view the piece or the underlying concept that the piece is based on.
Ultimately, my goal as an artist is to create work that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. By experimenting with different movement styles and exploring unconventional ideas, I hope to create work that is both unique and accessible. For me, art is a way to connect with others and to share my vision of the world, and I look forward to continuing on this journey of self-discovery and exploration.
Photo Credit: Darren Breen