Today we’d like to introduce you to Dana Benedict.
Dana, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have been a performer all my life. I started dance at the age of three and did my first musical at the age of five. My voice studies started at the age of eight and by the age of 12, I was on the National Tour of the Broadway musical Annie, playing Annie. Fast forward, I received my BA in Drama from UC Irvine, where my focus was Musical Theatre, but I was also heavily writing music and discovered my love of physical theatre and clowning. I was fortunate enough to take a summer course in physical theatre and Commedia dell’ arte at Academia dell’ arte in Arezzo, Italy.
After college I worked where a lot of musical theatre kids work- I was a character actor at Disneyland and also performed every ‘haunt” season at The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor. Here is where my clown persona, Twirly was born. I am grateful for Dark Harbor because I had a playground to develop and discover Twirly. I performed as a street performer playing music, tap dancing, coming up with fun bits with large and small crowds. Since then Twirly has developed and grown more than I can imagine. I was able to collaborate with Drew Rausch, the comic book artist on Twirly’s Traveling Tricks, the comic book. This June I produced my first 45 full-length Twirly show in the Hollywood Fringe Festival. I am now in the works of creating a Twirly’s Traveling Tricks cartoon.
My clowning career was happenstance. I’ve been primarily trying to focus on my music career. I recently signed with the label Blackspace Music as a songwriter. I am currently creating a music show spectacle to take on tour.
When not performing music or clowning I am tap dancing with bands, occasionally performing burlesque and immersive theatre. I also teach voice and dance. I am very passionate about teaching, especially voice technique.
I call myself a variety performer because I love each talent I perform equally and eventually would love to perform them all in one space. Vaudeville is making a comeback and I’m so happy to be part of its revival.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No. Being a variety peformer has had its challenges. Because I have so many different avenues I have a hard time putting sole focus into one thing. The more I perform the more opportunities find my way and I’m able to focus on which talent is needed for the particular gig. I feel my music career would be much further along if I solely worked just on that, but Twirly and the tap-dancing have become just as equally as important to me.
I also deal with depression, anxiety and recovered from an eating disorder. It’s a daily struggle and as a performer sometimes these issues can be very hard to cope with.
With creating my own art I sometimes (most the time) have no one to answer to. I have to make sure to create deadlines for myself and also I’m learning it is okay to reach out to others and ask for help.
Tell us more about your work.
Singer-songwriter
Twirly the clown
Tap dancer
I am proud of my music video for “Turn the Stone” https://youtu.be/W_WZI5ggY10
I am proud of the one-woman clown show I developed and the comic book for Twirly
Next up is the Twirly cartoon
A full-length album
Second music video
Music tour
As a tap dancer what sets me apart is my ability to improv. One of my favorite gigs to do is tap with a live band and have a tap-drum off with the drummer.
In general, what sets me apart is my strength in multiple avenues.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Tenacity has been a very important quality. My perseverance to not give up and to just keep creating, keep performing, keep inspiring. Because I have been performing the majority of my life I am glad I’m able to find a place for each of my talents and more excited to see how they can connect.
The people I’m fortunate to surround myself with because of the worlds I perform in is truly a blessing, I am constantly surrounded by fierce. talented and inspiring creators and performers. A humbling quality I’ve learned of performing as Twirly is my vulnerability on stage. As well as my raw emotion in my music writing.
A blip from of my favorite reviews I received for Twirly:
Twirly the Clown brings major catharsis to her audiences as they watch her struggle with her need for validation and triumph over her shortcomings I have never been so proud of someone for putting on their shoes- and the small victories and MAJOR moments of collaborative entertainment thatTwirly gifted to us made everyone who witnessed her show a little braver, a little stronger, and a little sillier. Twirly lets us laugh with her, at her, and at ourselves, and is a breath of fresh air in the theatre world.
Contact Info:
- Website: danabenedict.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: instagram.com/danabenedictvariety
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danabenedictvariety/
- Other: https://www.patreon.com/danabenedict
Image Credit:
Photos 1,2,3,4 and 8 by Andy Amyx
Twirly comic book photo by 5 by Drew Rausch
Photos 6 and 7 by Steve Pagan
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