Getting Personal: M. Cynthia Oliver
Posted: February 20, 2012 at 9:32 am
Getting Personal is an email Q&A with a local personality. Here, Melissa Merli chats with M. Cynthia Oliver of Urbana. She is a choreographer, performer, scholar and professor in the University of Illinois Department of Dance. Getting Personal appears first in print, in Sunday editions of The News-Gazette. In the Feb. 19 newspaper, we'll have a chat with Champaign schools Superintendent Judy Wiegand.
What time do you typically get up? What do you do the first hour of the morning?
6 a.m. I read, look out the window with my son, in quiet. Or just sit and have my coffee. It's my favorite time of day.
What did you have for lunch today? Where? With whom?
Massaman curry at home with my husband and son. Jason (Finkelman, her husband) is a great cook.
Best high school memory.
Sitting under the senior tree — a tree that stood at the end of the parking lot with seating built in — with my best buddies, Brian and Hugh, shooting the breeze — Caribbean speak for talking nonsense.
Tell me about your favorite pair of shoes.
A pair of thigh-high black faux-suede platform boots. I use them as a costume because they are so ridiculous. I bought them over a decade ago in the West Village in NYC at a shop for drag queens. I love them.
What does a perfect Sunday afternoon include?
Hanging out at home with my husband and son. A walk in the park. A good meal. A nap.
Was there one book you read as a child that you still cherish? Own? Read?
Naw, I was into comics early on, all kinds — Archie and the Gang as well as Vampira (or was she Vampirella?), etc. Then as I moved into teenage years, I got heavily into James Baldwin. I still have those books. And the requisite Erica Jong — every girl needs a little something naughty.
Where on earth are you dying to go? Why?
Nowhere really. I did so much going when I was a young dance artist on tour that I'm sorta done. I do love going home to the Virgin Islands. That is a must to stay connected and to keep my young son connected to the culture. But if I had to choose a place, it might be Turkey. I am fascinated by its location, straddling East and West. I love the music, the food and might want to check it out before I die.
Tell me about your favorite pet.
His name was Ebby. He was a stray dog in the neighborhood who had gotten hurt. I nursed him back to health and fed him in secret under our house. When we were discovered, my parents let me adopt him, and the family has been dog lovers ever since.
Have you discovered that you are becoming like one of your parents? Which one and how?
I think I have qualities from both pretty equally. My mother's energy, enthusiasm and sense of daring; my father's chill vibe, easy-to-get-along-with-ness (I could be dreaming here — maybe you should ask my partner about this?) and his ability to dance (he is the true master); and mom's charisma, appetite for learning and her determination to get things done.
What would you order for your last meal?
Mashed potatoes and spinach. Both sauteed in lots of garlic and butter. And a glass of good red wine.
What can you not live without?
My hair products. A black girl's absolute necessity.
Who do you have on your iPod?
Lots of reggae. It reminds me of home, keeps me warm in the godforsaken winter. Stuff like Midnite and Groundation and classics like Bob, Bunny, Peter, Gregory, et al.
What's the happiest memory of your life?
Giving birth to my son (Eli) and that whole first year of wonder.
If you could host a dinner party with any three living people in the world, whom would you invite?
Lynn Nottage, playwright; M. Nourbese Philip, Caribbean writer; and bell hooks, feminist/cultural theorist.
What's the best advice you've ever been given?
'Access your anger, then channel it' — from an older actor on a project I was doing in Minneapolis years ago. I didn't think I had anger then. But he told me I would discover it one day, and then I'd know what to do with it. He was right.
What's your best piece of advice?
'Engage brain before opening mouth.'
What was your first job, and how much did you make an hour?
Jobs you mean — I'm a Caribbean girl, after all; we are known for having many. I baby-sat a lot. Got paid something for that. I can't remember what, but I think it was good for the time. I saved it for long stretches and spent it on coveted teenage girl things. I also taught ballet to toddlers when I was 13. I don't think I was paid at all for that. It was an honor to apprentice under my mentor, a renowned Dutch performer. Then I worked for the Virgin Islands Council for the Arts. I was a Girl Friday. I don't remember how much I was paid there either, but I'm sure it wasn't much. I did learn a lot about the field I wanted to enter though.
What was a pivotal decision in your career and how did you arrive at that decision?
There were two critical moments for me in my career. The first was the decision to make dances/performance pieces. Prior to that, I only wanted to be the instrument of other artists, to dance in their works. But I noticed dancers were considered so expendable at the time and that to really be engaged in the discourse of the field, to have serious longevity, one had to be making. So, with the encouragement of a presenter from one of the experimental venues in NYC, I started making work and have enjoyed (and been tormented by) it ever since. The second was to get my Ph.D. I had an interest in further study. I followed my interest and earned a doctorate in performance studies from NYU. I really loved that engagement and another world of ideas it opened up to me. I believe my creative work is stronger because of it. The opportunities both decisions have created for me have been amazing. I am lucky to do what I love and make a living.
Do you have a bad habit? What is it?
Jack-rabbit-itis. It is hard for me to be still. I will make lists of all that needs to be done and feel a compulsion to whittle it down. My persistent goal is to embrace stillness and quietude. That is so hard for me. That's why my mornings are so precious. It seems to be the only time I can make that happen.
How do you handle a stressful situation?
I try to be levelheaded, to breathe, to think things through and respond sensibly and with reason and compassion.
Read this article:
Getting Personal: M. Cynthia Oliver
- Getting Things Done: Personal Productivity and Team Effectiveness - CU Boulder Today - February 20th, 2021
- Duluth bodybuilder talks heavyweight win, his go-to cheat meal and performance alter-ego | INFORUM - INFORUM - February 20th, 2021
- 3 Stocks That Could Double Your Money - Statesville Record & Landmark - February 20th, 2021
- Android 12 developer beta is here, with updates to make your phone run smoother - CNET - February 20th, 2021
- Ford cars will go all electric, all the time in Europe by 2030 - CNET - February 17th, 2021
- Teslas next business: Turning your solar roof and EV into Bitcoin mines - ZDNet - February 17th, 2021
- $10,000 Invested in This ETF Could Send Your Kids to College - Tulsa World - December 26th, 2020
- It's Time to Rethink Employee Performance Management - GovExec.com - December 26th, 2020
- New Years Eve Will Still Rock In Times Square, Even Without A Live Audience - Deadline - December 26th, 2020
- With his sudden U-turn over Christmas, Boris Johnson caps a year of debacles - The Guardian - December 26th, 2020
- Best gas grills of 2021: Weber, Char-Broil and more - CNET - December 26th, 2020
- Perigee Raises Pre-Seed to Bring Security and Performance to HVAC and Environmental Controls - PRNewswire - December 19th, 2020
- Apple M1 tested: Performance benchmarks and thermal throttling - Android Authority - December 19th, 2020
- Chadwick Boseman should win the Oscar for this scene in Netflix's 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' - Fast Company - December 19th, 2020
- Personal loan: Small-ticket disbursements up five times in 2 years - Moneycontrol.com - December 19th, 2020
- Microsoft Is Working On Arm-Based Chips For Azure, Surface PCs: Report - CRN - December 19th, 2020
- Sony X900H 4K LED TV Review: sleek design and a great picture - Reviewed - December 19th, 2020
- Calphalon Cool Touch Convection Toaster Oven is just $210, almost its all-time low price - CNET - December 19th, 2020
- Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Tesla, FedEx, Airbnb, Winnebago & more - CNBC - December 19th, 2020
- These are 20 of the 18,000 people who died of COVID-19 in the US this week - Business Insider - Business Insider - December 19th, 2020
- COVID-19 vaccine is flying high and on dry ice to reach you - CNET - December 19th, 2020
- The carrier battle over 5G will only escalate in 2021 - CNET - December 19th, 2020
- From turboprops to third force: Rexs bold move to shake up Australian aviation - Sydney Morning Herald - December 19th, 2020
- The MSI Prestige 14 Evo Review: Testing The Waters Of Tiger Lake - AnandTech - December 19th, 2020
- Australia vs India: Don`t have any personal goals, says the talented Shubman Gill - Zee News - November 24th, 2020
- The Personal History Of David Copperfield Review: Dev Patels Performance As The Title Character Of Dickens' Classic Is Very Enthusiastic - SpotboyE - November 24th, 2020
- How to choose the right hybrid fund based on your investment horizon - Moneycontrol.com - November 24th, 2020
- Astronauts on a Mars mission will need to be 'conscientious' to work well together - CNN - November 24th, 2020
- WISeKey's Cybersecurity AI technology creates a platform that helps connected devices to become intelligent devices, organize themselves into trusted... - November 24th, 2020
- 4 Reasons You Can't Afford to Invest Like the Wealthy - Mooresville Tribune - September 21st, 2020
- University Theatre to open season with virtual performance of Glass Menagerie - Mahoning Matters - September 21st, 2020
- Here's Why Municipal Bonds Belong in Every Investor's Portfolio - Mooresville Tribune - September 21st, 2020
- Graduates of Elite Universities Get Paid More. Do They Perform Better? - Harvard Business Review - September 8th, 2020
- Johnson back to No. 1 with performance that looked the part - Chattanooga Times Free Press - August 25th, 2020
- Mill Creek mayor resigns mid-term, citing personal reasons - The Daily Herald - August 25th, 2020
- Global Silicone For Personal Care Market 2020 Industry Outlook Dow Corning Corporation, Momentive Performance Materials, BASF SE - Scientect - August 25th, 2020
- Personal Mobility Devices Market is Booming Worldwide 2020-2027 | NOVA Medical Products, Performance Health, Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare, Medline... - August 25th, 2020
- RNC 2020: Republicans open convention with rising stars, dark warnings - AL.com - August 25th, 2020
- Personal Protective Textile Market (Impact of COVID-19) Top Growing Companies: Royal Ten Cate NV,DuPont,WL Gore and Associates,Kusumgar... - July 5th, 2020
- Kalamazoo Growlers win on opening day in front of 100 fans happy to see baseball - MLive.com - July 3rd, 2020
- Failed by the system? Asylum seekers wait to call Scotland home - STV Edinburgh - July 3rd, 2020
- J&J Healthy Workforce Program: Bringing Purpose and Productivity to Life - OrthoSpineNews - June 12th, 2020
- Global Personal Care Polymer Ingredients Market 2020 Key Performance, Top Players, Segmentation, Future Plans and Forecast to 2025 - Cole of Duty - June 12th, 2020
- Andrew Peller Limited Reports Solid Operating Performance in Fiscal 2020 - GlobeNewswire - June 12th, 2020
- BTS Take Over Dear Class Of 2020 With 3-Song Performance And Personal Sentiments From Each Member - ETCanada.com - June 12th, 2020
- Global Enterprise Performance Management Market Expanding Rapidly with Forecast 2025 and Top Players : Adaptive Insights, Anaplan, BOARD... - June 12th, 2020
- How Coronavirus is Impacting Specialty and High Performance Films (Polyester, Nylon, Fluoropolymer, Polycarbonate and Others) Market Reflecting a CAGR... - June 12th, 2020
- COVID-19 impact: Insight on the Growth of Performance Coating Market Growth with Challenges, Standardization, Competitive Market Share and Top Players... - June 12th, 2020
- How Diverse Is Your Board, Really? - Harvard Business Review - June 12th, 2020
- Global Employee Performance Software Market 2020: Classification, Application And Specifications, Industry Overview, Analysis Of The Main Key Regions... - June 12th, 2020
- Potential impact of coronavirus outbreak on High-Performance Nonwovens Market 2020: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Trends, Growth and Forecast... - June 12th, 2020
- Server Spending Measures Aspiration As Much As Oomph - The Next Platform - June 12th, 2020
- How BTS Became The Undisputed Kings Of K-Pop - British Vogue - June 12th, 2020
- Report finds massive drop in Canadians' willingness to disclose personal information for free online services - GlobeNewswire - May 28th, 2020
- CFOs of FUGAZ and their 3-year performance record - Nairametrics - May 28th, 2020
- Calls to ramp up scrutiny of teacher performance - Sydney Morning Herald - May 28th, 2020
- Valorant Ranked System Explained: How Competitive Ranks And Tiers Work - GameSpot - May 28th, 2020
- Avoid investing in different funds of a single AMC as they perform in unison - Livemint - May 28th, 2020
- Best Chase Business Credit Cards of 2020 Forbes Advisor - Forbes - May 28th, 2020
- The scores are in: America failed the virus test | Moran - NJ.com - May 28th, 2020
- Letter to The Editor: Reopening restaurants with digital handwashing - Food Safety News - May 10th, 2020
- Trump's incompetence makes Andrew Cuomo's performance look better than it is - CNN - May 10th, 2020
- Taylor Swift's Sang "Soon You'll Get Better" Live For the First Time in an Emotional Performance - POPSUGAR - April 21st, 2020
- While the NBA season is on hold, this Bucks' Rim Rocker continues shooting trick shots from his Oak Creek home - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - April 21st, 2020
- Haley Downey Named Big 12 Women's Swimming & Diving Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year - Kansas Jayhawks - April 21st, 2020
- Performance Management: The Emphasis on Accountability - GovExec.com - February 22nd, 2020
- Denison women compete at Kenyon Fast Chance Invite - Big Red Athletics - February 22nd, 2020
- Warren Leads an Onslaught of Attacks, Zeroing In on Bloomberg - The New York Times - February 22nd, 2020
- HPR: Deadly tomatoes led former executive to riveting solo performance - Calgary Herald - January 9th, 2020
- What Russell Wilson Eats in a Day Is Nearly Impossible for 'Regular People' - Sportscasting - January 9th, 2020
- Golden Globes: who will win and who should win the film awards? - The Guardian - January 9th, 2020
- Uiagalelei arrives on campus after solid performance in All-American Game - Clemson Sports Talk - January 9th, 2020
- Satire, podcasts and an Olympian: High Performance Rodeo brings the 'wild' to Calgary - CBC.ca - January 9th, 2020
- The Bafta 2020 nominations prove the industry treats diversity as a fad - British GQ - January 9th, 2020
- Don't fall prey to the stock market's banner year - CNBC - January 3rd, 2020
- 'Work has fully invaded our personal lives.' Here are 8 ways we can work smarter in 2020 - NBC News - January 3rd, 2020
- Reframing resolutions - The Baxter Bulletin - January 3rd, 2020
- Current Recovery & Performance Thursday Wrestling Scoreboard, 1/2/20 - shoresportsnetwork.com - January 3rd, 2020
- Spectacular multidisciplinary performance journeys through 5000 years of civilization - Seattle Weekly - January 3rd, 2020
- Business-aligned learning: the role of L&D - TrainingZone.co.uk - January 3rd, 2020