“Meet the Artist” – the Q&A series featuring the Teaching Artists of Arts For All – continues with AFA Intern McKenna Dixon (Fordham ’25). Interviewed by McKenna in the Fall of 2022, “Meet the Artist” allows our Teaching Artists to share their individual backgrounds and stories about art in their life.
First, let’s get to know McKenna as she shares how important art has been to her throughout her life.
Q: Who are you?
McKenna: My name is McKenna Dixon (she/her), and I am a college student, artist, and intern at Arts For All, originally from Los Angeles, CA!
Q: How did you first get involved in your specific discipline of art?
McKenna: I first got involved in theatre at the age of five. In preschool, I struggled with selective mutism, so when I transitioned to a new school for kindergarten, my mom suggested I audition for the school’s musical as a means of building my confidence, making new friends, and finding freedom in art. My cousin graciously prepared me for a very low-pressure singing audition, and I ended up having so much fun waddling around onstage as a penguin in Mary Poppins, my very first musical.
Q: What role did the arts play in your upbringing?
McKenna: The arts played (and continue to play) a fundamental role in my upbringing. My first theatrical experience offered me a newfound sense of liberty from anxiety and a passion for performing. When I was twelve, I also gravitated towards ballet and pointe. I learned discipline, ensemble work, and expression through movement. I hold the arts so close to my heart because of the valuable life lessons and sense of self to which they introduced me at such a young age.
Q: What is your educational background?
McKenna: I am currently a second-year Theatre: Performance major at Fordham University.
Q: Did you experience a particular “aha moment” in which you realized theatre was your passion?
McKenna: Instead of experiencing one major “aha moment,” I realize I am constantly reminded that theatre is my passion because of the profound impact it has on the way in which I think, empathize, and view the world. Whether I am a performer or an audience member on any given day, my appreciation for theatre ignites in a new way each time.
Q: What drew you to Arts For All? What are you most looking forward to this year?
McKenna: I was drawn to Arts For All because of our aligned value of increasing accessibility to the arts. Especially as someone who was impacted by the arts in her youth, I am excited about the prospect of offering children creative outlets and environments. This year, I hope to not only teach young people about the arts, but to make myself an approachable resource, mentor, and ultimately, friend as well.
Q: What does art mean to you?
McKenna: Art is expression, communication, and reflection. It is an invitation and inspiration to experience a new perspective.
