Pamela Connolly moved to Key West in 2016 with her family and a spectacularly diverse package of professional bona fides. She added the titles founder and director to her resume when she launched the Pasión Project, a Key West-based boutique dance studio, an international teaching and performance troupe, and one of the entrants in the 2023 Bud Light Fantasy Fest Parade. Keys Weekly recently caught up with Connolly to get some behind-the-scenes scoop on her group and what it takes to bring their art to the street on parade night, Saturday, Oct. 28.
You have such a multifarious professional background: author, actress, television show host, comedian, doctor of psychology, advice columnist, co-founder of a sexuality health center, and dancer. How did you come to dance, or how did dance come to you?
I had polio when I was a small child and was enrolled in a ballet school to strengthen my limbs. I performed on stage and TV throughout my childhood, becoming a professional dancer in London at 12 years old. Later, I fell in love with all types of dance, especially Brazilian lambada. As an adult I sailed around the world and it was in Ecuador that I first found salsa and Latin dance.
What was the first year your group entered the Fantasy Fest parade and what inspired you to do so? We first decided to perform in the parade in 2019. I created a show involving classic convertible cars out of which teams of dancers emerged in death-defying, ‘straight-arm’ lifts (think of that famous ‘Dirty Dancing’ lift, but add several revolutions) while other teams danced as alluring female mechanics, working on the cars. The dance routines were cheeky hip hop/lambada/reggaeton style.
Any memorable mishaps from your first parade experience that you can share? As my troupe was performing full throttle in front of the judges at the Truman/Duval stop, an emergency vehicle started plowing straight towards them. Those dancers who saw it coming managed to pull the others out of harm’s way, but it was very hairy. Nevertheless, we were thrilled to win ‘Best In Entertainment.’
Can you tell us a little about this year’s entry – what it might look like and how many people/performers will be involved? This year’s Fantasy Fest theme is ‘Uniforms and Unicorns.’ Our entry will involve 10 exceptionally talented unicorns, including some musicians, plus 12 urban dancers — teachers and students from Pasión Project Studio on Southard Street.
Is it top-secret, or can you tell us something about this year’s costumes and props?
Hmmm. If I told you I’d have to kill you. But, I will say they will be fun and startling and will follow this year’s ‘Uniforms and Unicorns’ theme.
Can only Pasión Project performers and students participate in your entry or can non-members audition? If yes, how? Come along to our Monday night urban dance class at 8 p.m., taught by Juju, and let us know you are interested. We have classes in different dance styles during the week, and will be looking for Latin dancers for future performances.
What particular challenges are inherent in bringing a performance team like yours to a street event like the Fantasy Fest Parade? Safety is a top issue. It is challenging to perform in the street, especially since the ground becomes littered with beads. There is also the stop-start aspect, which means we have two types of performances — one traveling number, plus the big number for the main stopping points. So everyone has to be alert and aware of the changes. But it’s great fun to participate, and my entire team is really looking forward to it.
The final deadline for individuals and groups to apply to walk or roll in this year’s parade is Oct. 14. To fill out a parade application form, see a full schedule of events, and download the mobile app, visit fantasyfest.com.
