Although she hails from the Bronx, Paige Fraser-Hoffman is very much a product of Westchester. Wowing audiences in the ensemble of Broadway’s The Lion King since 2022, Fraser-Hoffman attended Pelham’s Our Lady of Perpetual Help until eighth grade and studied dance at the now-closed Ballet Atlantic Academy, also in Pelham, before performing in local shows. Last May, the Fordham University alum was honored with her very own day in Westchester, celebrating her years of performances in and around the county as well as her impact as artistic officer and program director of dance for The Paige Fraser Foundation. Founded by Fraser-Hoffman’s aunt, Lesmah J. Fraser, the Bronx-based foundation works to provide community access to cultural enrichment and promote health and wellness through programs, workshops, and financial support. We caught up with the multitalented entertainer, who discussed her inspiring work and what lies ahead.
How did Westchester shape your early career?
I started dancing when I was four at a local ballet studio, and I got the opportunity at the age of 10 to play Clara in The Nutcracker at the Tarrytown Music Hall. I think that moment was very pivotal for me, even though I was young and not fully aware of the magnitude of that experience. Getting to play a featured part and knowing that my teacher believed in me and had pushed me to get to there was super affirming.
What do you love about performing on Broadway?
The best thing is looking out into the audience and seeing the joy on people’s faces, especially the kids. I think that is really what keeps me going, especially if I am having a bad day. What I also love about Broadway is just how much they’ve been able to rebuild themselves after the pandemic. We all essentially lost our jobs as artists, and it’s beautiful to see the community vibrant again.
Dance is a great escape for kids. It’s time away from whatever they’re going through.
Why do you feel dance is so important for kids?
We never really know what people are going through at home or within their family lives, and I think dance is a great escape for kids. It’s time away from whatever they’re going through and I know it exposed me to such amazing experiences: the opportunity to perform onstage, building confidence, understanding body awareness and posture. I also think it helped me when I was diagnosed with scoliosis because I knew how to approach movement with my specific anatomy and my specific structure, since my spine is curved.
What are you looking forward to?
I just accomplished a big goal of mine, which was getting my master’s degree [in arts and culture advocacy from the University of Denver], and, right now, I’m really inspired by multimedia art, such as dance on film. The Paige Fraser Foundation has been collaborating with The Bellevue Literary Review, and we’ve done a few short films [for a series] called Reading the Body. The Bellevue Literary Review provides poems, which the dancers who I select for the film then interpret in their own ways. This year, some of the topics were teenage pregnancy, illnesses that have plagued New York, and multiple sclerosis; so, it’s really been about merging art and medicine.
