Dana Mazurowski’s journey as a dancer has taken many unexpected detours, including where to study. In the beginning, the New Hampshire native had her heart set—as many aspiring dancers do—on college in New York City. That soon changed when she realized she didn’t want the structured, isolated life that being a student of dance in the big city offered.
It just so happened that her father, Jay Mazurowski ’96, was an alum of the College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions, so she decided to check UHart out and immediately fell in love with the gorgeous studios, the strong program, and traditional campus where she could make friends outside the dance world.
“A piece of me was craving socialization separate from dance. I was so intrigued by the dance program at Hartt because it was not just arts based. There is a duality of having a conservatory, while also having a campus that was very appealing to me,” said Mazurowski.
Mazurowski marveled at all the diverse opportunities Hartt School had to offer, from attending a master class with Misty Copeland to studying at the renowned Henny Jurriens Foundation in Amsterdam in her junior year.
“My fondest memories are around all these amazing people and opportunities that Hartt provided us. They were a great resume builder!”
Upon graduating in 2016, she moved to Queens, New York, and remained there for four years. She studied to be a personal trainer because she wanted what she calls a ‘survival job’ that could benefit her dancing. Her certification as a personal trainer went hand in hand with her degree in dance pedagogy. Like so many of her contemporaries trying to make it in the dance world, she hustled working one-off gigs and other project-based stints simultaneously. This was how she made the many connections that put her on her current path.
But she longed for the green of New England, and the pandemic helped her decide to move back to her beloved New Hampshire.
“I am so happy I freelanced in New York because I built all these connections. It’s been a full evolution. Things just fell into place.”
Soon she received an offer from a fellow Hartt graduate to be the assistant director at the Martin School of Dance in New Hampshire. Other opportunities and auditions began popping up, and soon she was dancing professionally for the BoSoma Dance Company in Boston. That led to a partnership with New Hampshire-based Nsquared Dance Company.
Last April, BoSoma and Nsquared had a split bill. She danced for both companies! This began yet another collaboration, one that includes three other Hartt alumni—Courtney Costa, Cassie Laskowski, and Kelly O’Brien.
When asked if there was one professor whose teaching influenced her during her time at Hartt, Hilda Morales came to mind.
Mazurowski spoke of the ‘tough love’ Morales administered to her and how she realized over time the changes in her dancing and her approach to it.
“She was tough, but she didn’t give up on me. Now that I’m a teacher, I have a different perspective. She saw my potential, and I know I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the training I received from her. She taught me how to teach.”
This fall, Mazurowski will begin commuting to her full-time curriculum director position for the children’s program at BoSoma. Her advice to current students?
“Be open-minded to where you’re being pulled and get away from the traditional ‘this is what I’m supposed to do’ mentality. There are a ton of areas in dance. Go for all the opportunities!”
Dana Mazurowski is a 2016 graduate of The Hartt School.
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