Episode 015 - Kevin Dinneen

In this episode, I welcome my husband, Kevin Dinneen! He shares about his first time attending a professional dance company's performance, and how there was no "guidebook" for dating a professional dancer before he wrote one. 

 

Read "Flowers Are a Thing": https://www.facebook.com/notes/vidadance/flowers-are-a-thing/1521301624845093/

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Artist's Edge: The Mission of Artist’s EDGE is to raise the level of Business Intelligence, Life Skills and Emotional Intelligence for people who are committed to expressing their passions, their creativity, and their unique genius through their careers, helping them reach higher levels of success with ease. Click here to access all courses!

 

Intro & Outro Music Credits:

Bad Ideas (distressed) by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3412-bad-ideas-distressed-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

 

SHOW NOTES:

Episode 015 - Kevin Dinneen

Lindsey Dinneen: Hello, and welcome to Artfully Told, where we share true stories about meaningful encounters with art.

[00:00:06] Krista: I think artists help people have different perspectives on every aspect of life.

[00:00:12] Roman: All I can do is put my part into the world.

[00:00:15] Elizabeth: It doesn't have to be perfect the first time. It doesn't have to be perfect ever really. I mean as long as you, and you're enjoying doing it and you're trying your best, that can be good enough.

[00:00:23] Elna: Art is something that you can experience with your senses and that you just experience as, as so beautiful.

[00:00:31]Lindsey Dinneen: Hello, and welcome back to Artfully Told. I am your host Lindsey, and I am excited to be sharing a story from my special guest today, and that is my very own husband, Kevin. Welcome, Kevin. Thank you so much for being here.

[00:00:47] Kevin Dinneen: Yes. Thanks for having me.

[00:00:49] Lindsey Dinneen: All right. So I know that you have a social story about art that you'd like to share with us today.

[00:00:55] Kevin Dinneen: I do. Unfortunately, this is going to be a rerun for you.

[00:01:00] Lindsey Dinneen: Okay!

[00:01:00] Kevin Dinneen: You lived it and, and then you heard it several times. but I'd like to tell the story of when I was thrown into the deep end of attending ballet. This might surprise you all: there's not a primer out there. There is now because I created it. So check that out later, "Flowers are a Thing" on Facebook. Look it up. But there was not a primer or a, how to, or a, what do you call those--quick-start guide--there wasn't a, there wasn't anything.

[00:01:32] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah.

[00:01:32] Kevin Dinneen: Yeah.

[00:01:33] Lindsey Dinneen: So you were going to come see a show of mine. Actually, we had just met.

[00:01:41] Kevin Dinneen: You got that right! That's funny because that's an alert from what is, what is that app?

[00:01:47] Lindsey Dinneen: It's a text messaging app. So yeah, it has nothing to do with what's going on right now, but good timing. Perfect timing.

[00:01:55] Kevin Dinneen: Right. Okay, so let's backtrack. So the first day I met Lindsey was at a church function, and I happened to learn that she was a professional dancer and that she would be performing soon. And, I decided, "Hey, it would be cool if a group of us, that were in the church group , went and, and saw the performance." I decided to go ahead and organize this thing. And we got like six people to go in, and buy tickets and go support her. Now, the interesting thing is that that was the first day that I met her. Then I started like planning it and running by like, "How do I promote it? Does this email do it justice? I don't know what I'm talking about. Did I use the words?" Right. And, and that was like a week or two in maybe?

[00:02:51] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah, I don't, yeah. I don't even know if it was that long because we met, and then I want to say either that night or the next day you sent me an email asking if you had the right wording or if I would change anything, it was really pretty quick because the performance was only a couple of weeks away at that point.

[00:03:10] Kevin Dinneen: So, so fast forward to the day before, slash day of, I really started to like Lindsey and I had already decided that I was going to ask her out. But she's got this upcoming performance that was going to be at the Kauffman Center for Performing Arts. That's the legit place in Kansas City. There is not a better professional theater anywhere. I mean, it's amazing. It rivals the one in Sydney, right?

[00:03:44] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah, the Sydney Opera House for the acoustics.

[00:03:47] Kevin Dinneen: So, anyway, so I wasn't gonna ask you out and throw you off your game, and either, either burden you with having to let me down or be so excited that you couldn't think about your work.

[00:04:00] Lindsey Dinneen: Sure.

[00:04:00] Kevin Dinneen: So, yeah. I only think on the opposite ends of the spectrum, apparently.

[00:04:05] Lindsey Dinneen: It wasn't a happy medium where I'm just like, "Yeah, this works."

[00:04:08] Kevin Dinneen: Yeah. "Well, whatever--this dude? Nevermind."

[00:04:12] Lindsey Dinneen: Details.

[00:04:14] Kevin Dinneen: So a little while before the performance, like a week before I decided that I was going to ask you out. Then I found out that your parents and your brother and sister-in-law were going to be at the performance as well.

[00:04:33] Lindsey Dinneen: Yes.

[00:04:34]Kevin Dinneen:  So now I'm worried, 'cause I've got to make a good impression because I like her. So I have to make a good impression on her family. And the night before I start thinking, you know, is it customary to do something? And I, and flowers come to mind. And I, I think of the opera and there's roses being thrown on the stage, and ice skating, they throw all sorts of stuff, stuffed animals and flowers and all that. And, so I got to thinking is, "Am I supposed to do that? Would it be weird if I did, or would it be weird if I didn't?" I didn't know the answer, so I Googled it and I remember some of the images coming up where little girls getting flowers after a recital. And so I was then worried thinking, "Oh, maybe for dance, this is, you know, just for girls--and boys, I guess, but anyway--like little kids after a recital." And I just imagined like, giving you this bouquet of flowers and you're like, "Uh, did you miss where I said, I'm a professional?"

[00:05:47] Lindsey Dinneen: Oh no!

[00:05:48] Kevin Dinneen: "I am not a student at a recital." And then, you know, the other way around, I show up with nothing and she's like, "Oh, I guess he doesn't care." 

[00:06:00] Lindsey Dinneen: You think in extremes.

[00:06:01] Kevin Dinneen: Again? Yeah, yeah. It's either. Yeah. So, I got to thinking and I thought, "Okay, so let's do, let's do something, but we don't have to fall into the flower or no flower category and you can do your own thing." So I thought about the conversation that we had had where I found out that she liked Granite City Brewery's chocolate cake. There was her favorite cake.

[00:06:27] Lindsey Dinneen: It's amazing.

[00:06:28] Kevin Dinneen: And so I go and watch the performance, and then I didn't bring the cake in beforehand because I thought, you know, this is a fancy theater. Oh, also I'd never been there. I didn't know the rules or anything. And I figured, you know, it's a little bit self-obsessed if I called to see if I can bring cake , like, "I know you've got a lot going on, but this is important. Can I bring cake? It's for a date? Thanks for taking my call."

[00:06:58] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah.

[00:07:00] Kevin Dinneen: And so I didn't want to call to ask that. So, so I decided what I'll do is, I'll just leave it in the car. And then after the show, I'll just run out, grab it and bring it back. And, so I watched the show, Lindsey was awesome. And, then I meet her parents and her brother and sister-in-law and all that goes really well. And I was like, " Hey, I'll be right back." So I leave and I go out to the car, I grabbed the cake and then, I get back to the door and I go to go inside and the door is locked.

[00:07:37] Lindsey Dinneen: I forgot this part.

[00:07:40] Kevin Dinneen: The door is locked and there's no one around. So right now there's a cast party going on. Right? So, so the people that are gonna stay are going to be there for awhile and the people that have left, like they left a while ago. If they were going to leave, they were gone. And so I'm just, I'm stuck and I'm freaking out. And,  I go all the way around this building. There are two entrances, right?

[00:08:07] Lindsey Dinneen: Mind you though, this is, this is a bit of a walk. It's a huge building.

[00:08:10] Kevin Dinneen: It's a huge building. And there's a back that's in the garage. So you have to go all the way around the garage and then around the building. And then, you know, the entrance is, is actually cut into the building. So I actually have to go a good four blocks. Right?

[00:08:28] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah, I think so.

[00:08:29] Kevin Dinneen: A good four or five blocks. And so, I pass people on the street and they're--'cause I'm in a suit with this Granite City carry-out bag walking, like someone's chasing me.

[00:08:40] Lindsey Dinneen: Well, and it is, you know, January, so it's freezing!

[00:08:44] Kevin Dinneen: And it was January, like 9:30 or 10:00.

[00:08:47] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah, yeah, yeah, probably.

[00:08:49]Kevin Dinneen: So like I wonder what they thought my condition was or my situation was.

[00:08:54] Lindsey Dinneen: It's a cake emergency.

[00:08:55] Kevin Dinneen: A cake emergency-- so then I get around to the front of a building and, I see an, I don't know, he's an usher or what-- he sees me waiting there with a bag and I, I wave at him and he comes over and I said, I'm friends with a dancer, and I just ran out to my car and I got locked out. I am part of the after party upstairs. And he's like, "Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, come on in." So I was like "Whew." I thought for sure I was going to have to, that this was going to be a whole thing. No, once you leave, you can't come back or something. And then I can see our successful relationship just melting away at that very moment because this usher took it upon himself to be a guard, sent me away, and all of my hopes and dreams were dashed. Anyway...

[00:09:41] Lindsey Dinneen: Anyway, the flair for the dramatic.

[00:09:45] Kevin Dinneen: Yeah. Yeah. So, so I get back and when I get back, it was perfect timing because Lindsey and her family were actually headed to the elevator to go downstairs, to leave, when I caught up. I actually don't remember what we talked about heading to the elevator, but I didn't mention anything about what was in my hand. And I saw you and I just totally forgot the dilemma that I had just been in. And, so we're riding down in an elevator, with Lindsey and her parents. And I remember her dad was on one side of her and her mom was on the other. And I said, "Oh, and I have this chocolate cake for you. And, and she smiled and we were really awkward, but luckily Lindsey was grinning ear to ear. And so we get out of the elevator and there's just like this, like probably 10 or 15 seconds where no one said anything.

[00:10:41] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah, no, we were just awkwardly grinning at each other.

[00:10:44] Kevin Dinneen: And your parents are just watching.

[00:10:47] Lindsey Dinneen: Well, everyone else, 'cause there was a friend of yours also in the elevator with you and he was also just like, nobody kind of knew what to do.

[00:10:56] Kevin Dinneen: So, yeah, so we leave the elevator and I said, "Hey, so I was going to get your flowers, but I didn't know if flowers were a thing. And so, I thought I'd get you chocolate cake instead." And luckily Lindsey smiled and was like, "Chocolate cake is a thing too."

[00:11:16] Lindsey Dinneen: I'm pretty sure I affirmed that flowers indeed are a thing, but chocolate cake is a thing too. Yeah. Yeah. And it's great because it's now a tradition and kind of everybody who knows me as a dancer knows about this thing. So they'll even ask about it, like "When are you getting your cake at the end of the performance run?" And things like that, 'cause it's, it's always, it's a tradition now.

[00:11:44] Kevin Dinneen: Yeah, and so since Lindsey is the Artistic Director, and runs a professional dance company. Whenever we have a cast party, then we always have chocolate cake that's for everyone.

[00:11:56]Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. And it's really fun, 'cause we get to share that story. And, yeah, I just remember thinking, you know, just grinning at you from across the elevator. 'Cause we were like on either side. And silence. And we're just like, transformed into these like super awkward, you know, love-struck teenagers. Like your relationship isn't even really happening yet, but we think we probably like it each other. Yeah, I think that was definitely proof though, for me anyway, that you, you liked me and that you paid attention. That was a big thing actually, 'cause you could have just been like, okay, I think she said the cake and got it from anywhere, you know? Excellent. Well, thank you for sharing your story about art, Kevin.

[00:12:40] Kevin Dinneen: Oh, and if anyone wants to hear more about that story...

[00:12:43] Lindsey Dinneen: Ah, yes.

[00:12:44] Kevin Dinneen: And they want to learn more--maybe, you know, we're speaking right now to someone who's in a similar place and aspiring to date a dancer. And you know, maybe you're not sure if it's for you, or you're not sure if you can hack it. Well, I do have some tips and best practices for courting and dating a professional dancer. So check out "Flowers Are a Thing" on Facebook and you will be more prepared.

[00:13:16] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. Oh, definitely. Yeah. And, dancers will definitely get a kick out of it because you're going to relate to all of it too. So yeah. Enjoy.

[00:13:24] Kevin Dinneen: Bobby pins has its own section.

[00:13:26] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah, exactly. And that should be enough right there as we all know, but, yeah. Awesome. Well, thanks, Kevin. And, a couple of quick questions, if you don't mind.

[00:13:38]Kevin Dinneen:  Oh, you're not going to ask me the questions I helped you come up with you.

[00:13:40] Lindsey Dinneen: Oh yeah, I am. Okay.

[00:13:43] Kevin Dinneen: Okay.

[00:13:45] Lindsey Dinneen: How do you personally define art or what is art to you?

[00:13:52] Kevin Dinneen: Okay, so to me, I think art is, is taking some base components, some raw material and forming that raw material into something that a viewer or listener or someone experiencing that in whatever shape or, or vessel medium that might be, and something that enhances their lives. Whereas you take this, there's a piece of paper and this pen and separately, you glance over it, but you take those things and you combine that into a, into a moving-- I don't mean moving physically, but something that moves the person that sees it. And that is what art is. You have these, these raw materials that you create an experience from, and I think that's art and it's it's on every--it doesn't have to be happy. It doesn't have to be sad. It doesn't have to be hard to understand. It doesn't have to be easy to understand. It's just creating something moving from raw materials.

[00:15:06] Lindsey Dinneen: Ooh, I like that answer. That was awesome.

[00:15:09] Kevin Dinneen: I just came up with that by the way.

[00:15:11] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah, that was seriously off the fly, because we had come up with these questions a while ago, but I don't think he thought they would be used against him, so to speak. Okay. What do you think is the most important role of an artist?

[00:15:27]Kevin Dinneen: You know, I'm going to kind of cheat because I think it's up to each individual artist, and I think all of the roles of art are important. So you can think of the role of an artist portraying a social issue to bring about positive change. That's so important, but if you have an artist who is really gifted and really enjoys entertaining, a lighthearted entertainment, then I think that that's where they need to go. Then that is just as important of a role as, you know, bringing a social change or whatever, 'cause that's also a social change actually. And maybe, maybe an artist feels that he or she is is called to educate through art or inform through art. I think that they are all important and I feel like it's important for each artist to embrace his or her passion, and not conform to what they were, what he or she was told is art.

[00:16:32] Oh, it's not art if, you know, people can understand it. Or it's not, it's not art unless it's on canvas, or it's not art, unless it's to the point where it gets into a museum, or whatever it is that that people are told is not art. If you're it, whatever it is, I think whatever an artists' passion is, I think it's important for them to play that role. 'Cause they're going to do it better than if they were doing something else and they're going to do it better than someone else who has a different passion as well. So I think they're all important. And the most important thing is to follow your passion.

[00:17:11] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. Yeah. I absolutely agree. Okay. Final question. Should art be exclusive or inclusive? Exclusive meaning that the artist does his or her job, so to speak and then, it's up to the individual to interpret it without any kind of assistance, whether that's knowing the reason behind the piece or, you know, what inspired it or whatever. Versus inclusive meaning that more people would be able to understand it because the artist is going to express the reasoning behind it, or the significance of the mediums they've chosen.

[00:17:50] Kevin Dinneen: So for exclusive, this would be, I create this piece, and all I ever let anyone know about it is--let's say it's a painting. They just see the painting. And that's all I ever say about it. Whereas inclusive would be, if you're not maybe seeing things like I do, this is a painting that was brought on from the time I was in a car accident, so you'll notice that a lot of the edges are, are harder. Makes me think of like, you know, whatever it's things like that, like explaining the piece, there may be a lacquered by the meaning or audible track. You put the headphones on. And it's me talking about my process and stuff like that. Right?

[00:18:33] Lindsey Dinneen: Exactly. So not simply, you know, this is "Watercolor on Canvas," which it might be useful, but more about the piece.

[00:18:41] Kevin Dinneen: Okay. My answer is a, is a super hard inclusive. Just because I haven't been able to enjoy a lot of pieces of art because I didn't know what I was supposed to take from it. I, you know, I didn't understand-- boy, there's a lot of anger. I can, I can see really violent stuff here. And I, but I don't know. I don't know why. And I don't know if this person is justified. I don't know what's going on. For me, for an artist not to explain what's going on and say, "Oh, well, you get what you want to get out of it." Well then most people  don't get anything out of it . Or they don't get nearly as much as they would if they heard the story behind it or heard the process that created it. And I think that's very important. I don't understand when someone creates something, I don't understand why they wouldn't want everyone to be able to see it the way they're wanting it to be shown.

[00:19:58] Lindsey Dinneen: So to that point, do you feel that there's value though an artist creating a completely open-ended piece where even for themselves their intention behind it was to have a sort of, you know, vagueness?

[00:20:15] Kevin Dinneen: Yes. I understand the reason behind it, but it frustrates me just like every movie that ends without knowing if they're actually gonna be together or is he actually going to make it out alive? Yes, there's a storytelling element to that. And there's a feeling that it leaves you with  of wanting more and this unresolved, whatever it is, that you're left with, that actually leaves a lasting impression. And I understand that that's a part of art, or can be, but it's frustrating to me. I would like to know what happens, you know, I'll go with you. I'll go with you on a story, but take me to the end. Don't leave me hanging.

[00:20:59] Lindsey Dinneen: Right. Excellent. Well, thank you so much again, for being part of our podcast today. I am delighted to be able to feature that story. It's a pretty fun one, of course I'm a little biased, but it did put him in a very good place right away for me to want to date him. I mean, I already was interested, but you'd shown up to something that was like, you barely knew me at the time and made the commitment and actually followed through. And then he brought me chocolate cake.

[00:21:30] Kevin Dinneen: Yeah, fellows, fellows, listen.

[00:21:33] Lindsey Dinneen: For real, and cared enough to even have the question is, you know, our flowers a thing? Which most people, I don't even think it would cross their minds. So, yeah. But on that note, thank you so much for listening. And if you have your own stories to share with our listeners, we would love to hear them. So please feel free to contact me at any time and we will get you set up here in an interview. All right. Well, thanks again for listening and we'll catch you next time.

[00:22:03]If you have a story to share with us, we would love that so much. And I hope your day has been Artfully Told.

[00:22:13]Hey there, Artfully Told listeners. I wanted to share a really amazing resource with you that I think you will find invaluable. This website is called Artists' Edge. The mission of Artists' Edge is to raise the level of business intelligence, life skills, and emotional intelligence for people who are committed to expressing their passions, creativity, and unique genius through their careers, helping them reach higher levels of success with ease. Artists' Edge is the education arm of Deborah Russell Coaching. And she is an awesome person who uses all of her business background and skills to really assist artists become who they want to be. She has a bunch of different product courses that you can go through as well as personalized coaching. If you are a wannabe artist that wants to turn their passion into a career, or is an already established artist that wants to take their career to the next level, she is the person to talk to you about this. So please follow the link in my comments and show notes.