Choreography Is My Livelihood

Marian’s Story
I see choreography in everyday life. Whether it’s cars moving to the side of the road to make way for an ambulance or someone holding open the door for the next customer at the convenience store, people know the steps and understand their role in the dance.

I continue to be moved by the commitment we make to the choreography. Standing hand over heart for the national anthem, allowing another customer to go ahead in line, or my personal favorite, high-fiving a total stranger at a sporting event, I find myself emotional at times when the movement is executed with genuine passion and dedication. Our common language of gestures is beautiful, complicated, cultural, effective, and can be hurtful as often as it can be uplifting.

My dance background influences everything I do from the way I navigate a cluttered room to how I pack for a vacation. I try to think two steps ahead and plot my path from point B to point B. I economize movement when working my way through a crowded high school hallway and when called for, employ bold expansive motions to impress a particular point.

I think in general, artists are attempting to make sense of the world as they perceive it through the form that best expresses their understanding. It is a wonderful privilege to work on behalf of the artists in Nebraska as I advocate for arts policy and education. I seek to ensure that Nebraska artists will always have the opportunity connect our lives to their inherent artistry.

About Marian 
Marian Fey is the new Director of Nebraskans for the Arts, the non-profit citizen’s advocacy organization dedicated to arts funding and arts education throughout the state. She comes to NFTA with a background in non-profit administration and arts education. She is the mother of a writer, a jazz guitarist, a vocalist, and an actor and is married to a scientist.