Point Park Dance Alumna's Work Named Best Virtual Stage Production of 2021 by Pittsburgh City Paper

Meet Kaylin Horgan '11

Job Title & Employer: Dance faculty , Pittsburgh CAPA (Creative and Performing Arts)
Job Title & Employer: Freelance dancer/choreographer/director
Major/Program: Dance (jazz)
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa.
High School: Pittsburgh CAPA
Hobbies & Interests: Painting, my two kittens, traveling, psychology, spiritual studies

"Point Park's location in Downtown Pittsburgh provides students so many opportunities, and Pittsburgh has a way of nurturing young artists after they graduate ... Plus, the training is undeniable at Point Park, especially now that the dance program includes Crystal Frazier teaching hip hop and the diverse class offerings."

Kaylin Horgan '11

Your work Milton was named Best Virtual Stage Production of 2021 by Pittsburgh City Paper. What does receiving this honor mean to you?

Milton is a biographical work in movement based on Homewood-bred attorney Milton Raiford. To be able to write, direct and choreograph a work about such an incredible man has been humbling. Raiford has done extraordinary things for society, and through the creation process I learned to love his intensely complex personality. It was a true honor to have the chance to preserve his life story.

I was given this opportunity to create the work through the Community Supported Art (CSA) performance program, hosted by the New Hazlett Theater. My artistic goal was to combine the narrative structures used in musical theatre, the physical athleticism used in contemporary dance and my passion for social justice. This work was my debut in writing a full-length production, starting with a script.

For Milton to gain such success, it is quite remarkable. To have attempted a production through a global pandemic was terrifying and life-changing. The production was meant to be witnessed live and I am looking forward to that in the near future.

What do you believe sets Point Park’s Conservatory of Performing Arts apart from other universities?

Point Park's location in Downtown Pittsburgh provides students so many opportunities, and Pittsburgh has a way of nurturing young artists after they graduate.

The city is the birthplace to/or home of many legends and the artistic soil is rich (Martha Graham, Paul Taylor, Billy Strayhorn, Gene Kelly, Billy Porter, Kyle Abraham, among others).

Plus, Pittsburgh acts as an incubator for new ideas and is affordable. This allows for bigger risks once you graduate.

Lastly, the training is undeniable at Point Park, especially now that the dance program includes Crystal Frazier teaching hip hop and the diverse class offerings.

What are your most memorable experiences as a dance major at Point Park?

The day that Jodi Welch convinced me to stay when I wanted to give up my first year of college. Also, Jason McDole and Pearlann Porter's classes, as well as Charles Hall's beautiful spirit as an accompanist in class.

What inspires you in the classroom as you train the next generation of artists at Pittsburgh CAPA?

At CAPA, I teach jazz to grades six through eight and modern to grades nine through 12. I graduated from CAPA in 2007 and I have a deep connection to the school. Having the opportunity to work there brings me full circle.

I know what it's like to be a student at CAPA. I know what it's like to have a dream, but not have the same resources as a kid that grew up in a larger city like New York. I want my students to know that anything and everything is possible. They can see me as someone that started right where they are standing and spent an entire career traveling the world and living the dream that began in those studios.

What advice do you have for prospective students?

Don't be afraid to do it your way and pay attention.

Point Park Dance Alumna's Work Named Best Virtual Stage Production of 2021 by Pittsburgh City Paper Alumni Profile