Today we’d like to introduce you to Toria Gobel
Hi Toria, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Toria Gobel began her dance journey in Milan, IN at the age of 3. She grew up doing recreational and competitive dance. She graduated with a Bachelors in Fine Arts in Dance, Performance and Choreography at Ohio University in 2022. Along with her degree, she also received a minor in marketing and a certificate in entrepreneurship.
Besides performing in and creating many dance works, she has also worked with many well known artists behind the scenes in stage management, sound management, stagehand work and lighting design. These include Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and Janet Jackson. Toria’s other studies include pedagogy, Laban Movement Analysis, modern, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, ballet, African dance, clarinet, tenor saxophone, and some Kinesiology.
She has worked with many acclaimed choreographers and artists such as Alexandra Beller, Travis Gatling, Dr. Zelma Badu-Younge, Nathan Andary, Cindy Heen, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Brian Brooks and David Dorfman Dance Company. She currently is a dancer with Emergence Dance Company in Orlando, FL as well as an Entertainment Technician at Universal Studios Orlando. Her passion and training has allowed her to pursue dance in many aspects and areas such as competitive dance and stage dance while also spreading her love for dance with others.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Covid in 2020 caused all my college courses to be online from my spring semester of Sophomore year to the beginning of my senior year. It was very difficult training for dance during a pandemic as well as doing dance classes online.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I have a passion for choreography and modern and contemporary dance. My most recent dance piece I choreographed, “alone?”, is something I’m very proud of. This piece explores the anger, resentment and loneliness associated with losing a loved one and the journey to find happiness again. The use of repetition and fast paced movement create a sense of urgency to get rid of these emotions and the want to feel “normal” again. Musical cues from the song “Walk” by Ludovico Einaudi create a hopeful yet intense atmosphere for the movement. What sets me apart from other people in my field is the pure motivation and determination I have to succeed. I’m so incredibly passionate about dance and have always put my whole heart into every one of my projects.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Growing up I lived in a very rural town in Indiana. Something fun we always used to do is have big bonfires in our back yard and have lots of friends and family over. It was always so much fun to just laugh and hang out together.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: toria_dances
- Facebook: Toria Gobel
- Youtube: toriagobel6583
Image Credits
NYC photos and studio photos done by Acalle Photography (IG: @acallephotography)
