Interview with Operations Manager, Kelly Ireland

Explain your role at Creative Netwerk

I'm the operations manager for Creative Netwerk. What that entails is, all the little details. I run payroll for the organization, I help Kelli with some of the financial aspects, I manage insurance. Making sure all the I’s are dotted and the T’s are crossed.
 

How did you get into dance, originally?

I started dancing when I was five at my local studio, and then it has been a part of my life ever since. I went to a performing arts high school, and then I went to college for dance. I just knew that I always wanted to dance as a key part of my life. 

Once I reached the end of my college career, I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it professionally and what that really was going to look like. I was really burnt out from school, and I think I just needed a break from dancing itself. So I spent some time in Florida working at a private club and resort - I had also studied hospitality in school. I did some more admin work there that I enjoyed, but I started missing dance more, so I decided to make a move from Florida to New York City. 
 

Wow, how did that evolve to where you are now with Creative Netwerk?

After that, I started slowly dancing again, and working it back into my life. And I really enjoyed the admin work - the kind of things that most people might find boring, like the repetitive nature of some of that work really satisfies me. So I decided to explore that route a little bit more professionally, but in the dance and arts field. I stumbled upon a part time role or seasonal role for Ballet Hispanico, just to support their upcoming Gala. So I started working with them, and really enjoyed it. I loved the people who were working there. And there never was  an end date set for my role, and luckily, it continued. So I stayed and I continued as their marketing manager. I ended up staying there for about three years. That was a full time job, a classic nine to five every day, and I wanted more of a balance. I wanted to teach. I also still wanted to dance. So I decided to leave that job and try to find a balance. 

I got a few dance gigs here and there. And then I saw a listing on dance NYC for this Creative Network position. It checked all the boxes of what I was looking for at that time, especially in terms of time and what the job was, it was different from what I was doing at Ballet Hispanico. So I felt like there was an opportunity for me to still grow in the dance realm. Obviously, that ended up working out, and here I am now, and I feel like I've done a good job of finding the balance that I was looking for.

While I'm working at Creative Netwerk, I started coaching the Queens College dance team last year, and I'm still dancing as well. I get gigs here and there. I'm very lucky to have found a little routine that works for me. 
 

What has it been like to witness the growth of the organisation?

Yeah, it has been pretty incredible. Because when I first joined, it was such a small team. There was a small amount of programming happening, and then one or two weeks into the job, we worked on this transition with Kelli and Charles coming on. I remember meeting with Kelli for the first time, and you know, she's amazing, and she and Charles are just incredible together. So to go from a handful of classes that were happening when I first started to like the 70+, classes that are happening nationwide, plus events, it's insane! I think Kelli's leadership is a big part of that. And she also makes such great human connections and when I think about all the people that she's brought on to lead the different chapters, they are just incredible. I think that's all contributed to the amazing growth and where we are now. 
 

Why is the mission of CN important to you?

There's so much humanness and authenticity in it. Dance is for everyone. I think Creative Netwerk really does a good job of making sure that everyone has that access to dance. And we serve all of these different regions, and we're really making sure the students in each location are getting the dances that are relevant to them, and the history and the culture that's relevant to them. 

I think it's easy for a dance organization to say they want to do this after-school programming, or come up with a curriculum. But I feel that Creative Netwerk really does a good job of making it authentic and going to the sources of those different styles, like Lite Feet and Chicago Footwork, and making sure those stories are passed on to the next generation in a really pure way.
 

What is your vision and hope for the future of CN?

Kelli and Charles are always saying that we will go international. I really feel like that will happen. I don't know when, but I can see Creative Netwerk being an international dance organization and really thriving. That would be very, very cool.
 

What do you hope the Creative Netwerk community will learn from you?

I just hope all the staff, all the children that we work with, anyone involved with Creative Netwerk at all, realizes how special they are and how special it is to be a part of something like this. 
 

Any fun stories or anecdotes from your time on staff? As the staff member with the longest tenure now, you must have some moments to share!

I love our weekly meetings. We always start out with a question that ends up maybe being like half of the meeting, but they're always really silly and fun. I just remember my boyfriend was working from home one day, which he usually doesn't do, so he was there when that meeting was going on. And I forget what the question was, but I was talking about something really random, like a hot air balloon trip that I went on when I was a child. My boyfriend was like, “What are you talking about?” I told him, this is the best, when we're getting to know each other. This is what we do. 

Something else I really appreciate is every time I go to watch our teachers in New York, they're incredible. To be there and witness greatness, is insane. So I always really like going to class and see what they're doing with the kids.