Beach Pigeons

Anna is a Seattle-based dancer, choreographer, figure skate coach, and overall force of nature. 

We spent two days exploring Seattle and following along her movement-filled daily routine. On one day in particular, Anna taught figure skating at 6 am, followed by a cycle class at 8 am, iced her knees on the beach, picked up her daughter from school, and returned to the skating rink for another lesson. 

Her energy is infectious, and she is deeply involved in her community as both a dance teacher and a role model for aspiring dancers. Not long ago, she was touring with Macklemore as a dancer and choreographer. She shared that she became Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ first backup dancer in 2010, a month after giving birth to her daughter Anyango.

Away from the rink and the stage, Anna channels another creative outlet. We visited her home, where she transformed into her alter ego, “Bunny.” Wearing an orange wig, electric blue eyeshadow, a leopard-print bodysuit, and chain-smoking prop cigarettes, Bunny is inspired by the eccentric figure skating coaches Anna watched growing up.

We spoke about movement, touring, creativity, and the routines that keep her going.

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Q: What is one daily habit that you couldn’t live without?

One daily habit that I couldn’t live without is definitely moving my body and doing a form of exercise or movement, like walking or swimming or cycling or working out, doing my little exercises. I would say that’s the only daily habit I have, besides brushing my teeth, hey!

Q: As the original “Macklorette”, what was your favourite part of performing on stage?

Definitely the chemistry of all of us together, looking each other in the eyes, or having special moments together, and watching my teammates rise to the occasion of this huge audience or platform. That was so special. But also my favourite part of performing on stage is performing on stage! And really just soaking it in and letting it touch me, I sometimes cry when I dance cause it’s so special. 

Q: How did the opportunity to dance with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis come about?

I started performing in 2010, a month after Anyango was born. That first show was at Neumos, a venue in Capitol Hill, in Seattle. It was their biggest show to date at the time. Ben (Macklemore) gave out free Dick’s cheeseburgers to everyone in the audience. 

I got that gig because they were supposed to have other dancers, but they flaked out. Owuor, who was my partner at the time and is Anyango’s father, was also the trumpet player for Ben and Ryan. He said, “You should have Anna do it.” They asked me the night before the show, so I came up with everything that night. I recruited my friend, Kisha Vaughan to perform with me. I remember showing Ben the choreography at the tech rehearsal, and he was like, “Wow, that’s a lot.” And that’s basically been our relationship ever since, I’ve been a lot. 

Q: Is there an aspect of touring that you really miss, and any parts that you don’t miss?

The touring community and family, like my family. I felt like I had a lot of my really best friends that I was touring with at the time, so I definitely miss that. I miss the camaraderie of it, and the team type feel of it. I miss actually performing and getting your body to do these things and expressing the music and expressing love and appreciation through the music, I definitely miss that. I actually miss the music itself. And just the epicness of being – like so many hands and people go into making a stage before we ever even get there, so the gratitude of being able to be on stage is really powerful. And what don’t I miss? I do not miss getting back to the hotel around 2 am and then having a lobby call at 5 am for a flight, and feeling just kind of like a zombie in that way.

Q: If you could choreograph any artist’s music video (dead or alive), who would it be and which song would you pick?

Obviously Michael Jackson, and James Brown, and Prince, and André 3000 and Missy Elliott, and Christine and the Queens.

Q: Where does the inspiration for your character “Bunny” come from?

That actually comes from real life people that I’ve seen my whole life growing up, as a figure skater and you’re watching the different coaching staff and these eccentric big personalities. And that’s how I developed Bunny. She started, her first thing was this little film project I did where she was a washed-up figure skating coach, that drank boxed wine and lived in the past and had a crush on the Zamboni driver and ate Twinkies. 

Q: What is one quote that you live by?

This is my favourite quote, it’s also a prayer.

“I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love you”

And then I also like to say another quote/mantra that I made up which is:
“I am divinely protected by the hand of God, the Creator and Maker of all things”

Q: What does a typical morning look like when getting ready for a 6 am lesson on the rink?

OMG, a typical morning looks like I get up at 5:15 am, and then I make some black tea and I wash my face and get dressed and head to the rink. That’s literally all I do, I have to leave the house by 5:30 am so I basically have 15 minutes to get ready. And I love having my tea while I’m teaching, so that’s my one thing.

Q: What would your perfect day off look like?

A perfect day off for me would be: I wake up super early in the morning, with the sun. I go for a walk, and I’m out in nature, and I have my little tea, and I’m just walking around. Then maybe I’d   do some form of exercise, like a lap swim. I’m hanging out with Anyango, and watching her do her thing, and maybe I’m eating fresh foods. I have a really cool outfit on, and I hang out with some of my dear friends, and I have really good ideas about my future. Maybe I get some good news from a call or email. Then I go on an adventure which is a bit scary but also memorable like a hot air balloon ride, or jumping into a floating river. I would stay out all day and the weather would be perfect and I wouldn’t have any distractions and I would just be in the moment. The day is really long, and I get to mostly be outside and relaxed. That would be my perfect day.

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