THE
ELK’S JOURNAL RENÉE NICHOLSON Interview with Renée Nicholson by Keegan Lester, ERL guest author and acclaimed American writer with WV Roots
Renée K. Nicholson is the author of a collection of essays, Fierce and Delicate:Essays on Dance and Illness; two poetry collections, Roundabout Directions to Lincoln Center and Post Script; and co editor of the anthology Bodies of Truth: Stories of Illness, Disability, and Medicine. She serves as director of the humanities center at West Virginia University. “Probably everything,” Renée
lyrical and fascinating memoir.” Her book debuted last spring
writes, when I ask: What do
to critical acclaim, stitching pieces of each of these selves
people get wrong about Ballet?
together to create something truly more complex than their
“Mostly that we all have eating disorders. Or that it is easy--
“I realized that I could be this new self without giving up my love
our job, I suppose, is to make
of ballet, but I could be other things…and I'm still discovering
things that are super tough look
all the things that make me.”
effortless, so that one's on us.”
essay “In Sickness,” which details her diagnosis of Rheumatoid
digressions.
Hotdogs.
Arthritis during her ballet career. It was an essay that got
How do you dress them? “Right
First:
me through my own difficult medical diagnosis, and I find
now I'm in a fall kraut, diced-
myself going to her words often. “I like to send cards, and find
onion, and mustard phase,”
presents, and I like to surprise people, and grill for friends.
she says. “I sometimes also
These may be completely different than performing a classical
like a sweet-n-sour version
variation in a ballet, or being a part of a swirling mass of tutus.
with kraut and slaw, and of
They're all good.” She continues “I think when you're used to
course I like WV Slaw dogs,
coming to something day in and day out, you carry that ability
and especially chili dogs from
across artistic pursuits. I like daily writing, even if I don't use
Custard Stand, and also chili
everything I write each day.”
with a side of Fishbowl chips.”
“I got into narrative medicine specifically when approached by a palliative care physician who had a patient with ALS. Jamie,
And the second digression, if you make super tough look
the patient, didn't have a lot of time left, and desperately wanted
effortless and blame yourself for it — where does self love enter
to write a memoir. So, I met with him and began to help him,
the equation? “As for self love, I try to just remember that each
and as I looked for help and models, I kept running into this
day is an opportunity. Mostly, I try to not feel trapped by the
program at Columbia University called "narrative medicine." I
things I want…and I embrace other things about me—
ended up doing a graduate certificate in Columbia's program,
With Nicholson, there are so many actualized selves to love: A professional ballerina, a professor, a writer, collector of vintage sweaters and cardigans, dog mom to the wonderful golden
NOV 2021
Renée wrote this in response to a question I asked about her
This answer sparks two natural
dogs from Mario's Fishbowl
38
pieces alone.
retriever, Gelsey, griller and connoisseur of soups and now the Director of The West Virginia University Humanities Center.
because I became fascinated by how this approach could really help people feel more whole. The origin of the word "heal" comes from the same as to make whole. That makes sense to me on a lot of levels. Finally, I like the idea that my art can be in service to others.”
BuzzFeed commented on her latest book. Fierce and Delicate,
I asked for some of her Appalachian Literature recommendations
“Nicholson’s previous experience as a poet is evident in this
and she responded with “Ann Pancake, whose work I deeply
