Clara Oniceag

Get to know Clara

How and why did you become a professional dancer?

“I never wanted to dance as a child, although music and movement have always been a part of my life. At the age of nine I saw a YouTube video of a contemporary dance duet and decided that that’s what I want to do for the rest of my life. When I first walked into the studio, that’s when I felt most alive. Time stopped and I knew that whatever happened in that space would stay between me and those walls, nothing was wrong, nothing was too much, I could be myself entirely and I could pretend it was nothing, that it never happened, although it was everything and beyond. And so it all started from a feeling of hunger, of wanting to feel that for the rest of my life.”

What is about NDT that inspires/challenges/deepens your artistry?

“NDT is home to such a broad variety of dancers and repertory, and although so different, their oppositions come together and create opportunities: to be vulnerable, to question our limits, to lead with empathy, they come together as one and the puzzle is complete. Magic happens when the pieces come together. However, you can still see the traces and the corners of all of them.”

How do you think art impacts your personal life, and the way you view the world?

“I believe that art provokes us to connect to our deepest, most genuine side, the kid inside us and perceive the world not just in black or white, but in all the shades of grey in between. I believe that art brings a sensitivity and delicacy in approaching life that cannot be found in any other way."

What do you hope to bring to the audience as an artist?

“I hope to make them feel something, whatever that something is. I hope to be vulnerable enough to create a connection, an intimate moment with the audience, even just for a second, a duet, just like the one that made me start dancing in the first place. A duet that comes out of a moment of vulnerability and empathy from both sides, a space of healing and seeing beyond. Yes, I hope to make them feel…”