HUBBARDSTREET2

A few split-second decisions at pivotal moments in his life led Andrew Wright to Hubbard Street, where he dances with Hubbard Street 2. He shares the story of his own “Choose-Your-Own-Adventure” path to life as a professional dancer — and a few lists that define his extraordinary character. Enjoy!

Andrew Wright - Photo by Nick Korkos

Hello world.

Dance has always been one of two constants in my life. I grew up in a family that often moved, thus being a dancer as I was growing up completely defined who I was as a person. It is something that I can always trust to push me beyond what I believe to be capable, soothe my soul when I am unhappy, make me laugh, make me cry, and make me sweat. I always know that when I enter a dance studio I will leave it a better human being than I was when I entered. This is the most comforting feeling in the world.

I am a true believer that life is kind of like a Choose Your Own Adventure novel; many paths are laid out in front of us and that it is our decisions that help us to arrive a certain “checkpoints” in our lives. There was one point in my life that I was ready to stop dancing and a twenty-minute drive to pick up a friend from a rehearsal resulted in a renewed love. There was another when a last minute decision to audition for Point Park University resulted in my pursuing a degree in dance instead of medicine. And there was a time when a split-second decision to audition for the Hubbard Street Summer Intensive instead of Cedar Lake resulted in my getting the job of my dreams. So what I have learned from this… trust your gut, people, because you never know where life will take you.

So, it has proven exceedingly difficult for me to write about myself. So instead of continuing to struggle writing long-winded paragraphs, here are some bullet points about me. We will call it “Andy in 10 Items or less.”

1. Avid DVD collector (but only $5 movies from Target or my favorite used movie store The Exchange).
2. I am a laughter enthusiast and believe that any problem can be solved with a good laugh.
3. I’m a romantic
4. I love the Food Network – my favorite chefs are Ina Garten and Giada de Laurentiis.
5. Pittsburgh is the first place that I ever called home, even though I didn’t move there until I was 18.
6. My favorite place that I have ever traveled to is Paris, France. It is magical and everyone should visit.
7. My mom, dad, and sister are my three best friends. I love them a lot.
8. I still pinch myself at least once a week and thank the world for bringing me to Hubbard Street.
9. I am a Libra through-and-though and a total optimist.
10. When I am done my career as a dancer, I want to join the dance faculty at a conservatory such as the one at Point Park and eventually run the program.

So here I am in 476 words according to my word counter. Below I am going to list a few more of my favorite things, just in case you wanted to get to know me just a little better. 

Love. Dance. Laugh.

Andy’s Favorites:

1. Color: Eggplant and Forest Green
2. Album: Bon Iver by Bon Iver and Gossip in the Grain by Ray LaMontagne
3. Movie: American Beauty
4. Designer: Frankie Morello
5. Dance Moms cast member: Kristi… she is hilarious
6. #1 Played song my iTunes: I Don’t Feel it Anymore (Song of the Sparrow) by William Fitzsimmons
7. Book: The Harry Potter series (choosing one is like choosing a favorite child)
8. Season: Autumn
9. Television Show: The United States of Tara, Dexter, Game of Thrones, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Photo by Quinlan Kyp-Johnson

Andrew Wright offers an expression of intensity as he dancers Penny Saunders vaudeville/sideshow-inspired work Bonobo. Hubbard Street 2 Dancers, Emilie Leriche, Andrew Wright and Alicia Delgadillo.