International Dancer - Meghan Lynch

The International Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute (ITI) established International Dance Day in 1982 to be observed annually on April 29, the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810), a pioneer of modern ballet. The goal of the International Dance Day message is to honor dance, celebrate its universal appeal, transcend political, cultural, and ethnic boundaries, and unite people through the shared language of dance.

Each year, a notable choreographer or dancer is chosen to create the International Dance Day message, which is distributed worldwide. The selection is made by the International Dance Committee of ITI and the ITI Executive Council. The message is translated into many languages and shared across the globe.

The Academy of Dance Arts has several alumni performing around the world. Recently, we had the chance to catch up with Meghan Lynch, who is currently under contract with the Vienna State Ballet, to get an update on her career and life.

My Motto:

Be genuine, Be grateful, Be open.  

I approach each day knowing I have something to learn about myself to help me improve my technique and interpretation of the choreography we are dancing.  Growth in dance is never ending and you must realize this so that you can always improve. 

What I Know Now:

While it takes a tremendous amount of focus and individual work, equally important is the need to find a coach who you trust will help to continue your growth technically and artistically.  I have been lucky to have two key people; first Sherry Moray providing guidance and skillful training to set me on a professional path, second Ashely Tuttle who has been a coach and mentor guiding my continued artistic and professional career growth.

Dancing in Europe:

The best part is the exposure to new cultures, working with many different artists, and being on stage with great audiences!  Vienna is an amazing city to live in with all its culture and history.  It has also enabled me to travel to many other countries and make many friends from around the world.

Dancing in Vienna:

To be dancing at the Vienna Opera House, which opened in 1869, feels as if I am a part of the history of the city which is known for its appreciation of the arts.  This year alone, I will perform over 70 shows at the opera house, and it is an indescribable thrill to perform to over 1700 people each night on such a world stage.  Even in my wildest 10-year old imagination I never imagined this dream.

Dancing with the Vienna State Ballet:

With over 100 dancers and 70 performances a year, it requires everyone to learn quickly and execute with precision.  While exciting, the work season is very strenuous for 10 months of the year.  

Unexpected Bonus:

Ball Season!  Every year in Vienna there is actually a Ball season complete with debutantes, formal gowns, dancing, and entertainment.  This year I was a part of a small ensemble that danced to Rhapsody In Blue for the Viennese Coffeehouse Owners Ball at the Schonbrunn Palace.  It was magical to dance to a Gershwin piece in such a historical and beautiful venue.  The Opera House also has a ball which is the last of the season and attending it is like a page out of history.

Academy of Arts Preparation:

I am grateful to Sherry Moray and Irina for the love and support they personally provided to me.  I have often referred to Sherry as my ballet mom.  She was personally supportive as well as tough driving me to excellence. While I was not a fan of ballet competitions, I now appreciate the value Sherry saw in them. She always emphasized it was an important performance experience. I believe they prepared me for the stress of live performances and being unexpectedly asked to perform an underprepared role last minute (a very common occurrence in a ballet company). I reflect on times where Irina would require us to remember and perform entire classes from memory. Learning to memorize choreography is especially important in my company now; we often perform ballets for consecutive seasons but are expected to remember and revive with little rehearsal time. 

Sherry’s emphasis on artistic presence is something that I am continually grateful for. It doesn’t matter where in the world you are performing, how you walk on stage matters! How you stand on stage matters! How you take your bow even in the last row matters! People take note of the dancers who always project something to the audience.

What's Next:

I plan to stay in Vienna and the State Ballet for the near future.  We will have an artistic director change which always brings a level of uncertainty but also excitement as new approaches will certainly be in our future.   While I am grateful for our current artistic staff, I am excited to meet and work with Alesandra Ferri who will be leading the Vienna State Ballet beginning with the 2025/26 season.

All my best to the ADA family!

Meghan Lynch