A Day in the Life: Rodin Dancer Stephanie Boisvert

Ever wondered how people who eat, sleep, and breathe health spend their days? We did. So in this series, we’ll take you behind the scenes and show you a day in the life.

Stephanie Boisvert, Rodin Dancer

Photo by Peabody Essex Museum/Bob Packert

Auguste Rodin explored the intricacies of the human form in his sculpture, and now the human form is bringing his work to life at the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM).

Dancers from BoSoma Dance Company have been gliding through the PEM’s “Rodin: Transforming Sculpture” exhibit since it opened in May, interpreting the legendary French artist’s work through movement—and, in one case, inspiring a pint-sized fan to do the same.

One of those dancers is Stephanie Boisvert, 26, a BoSoma member and North Shore dancer teacher who studied art history. Boisvert and her colleagues spend about five hours in the galleries each day, captivating visitors and deciding, on the fly, how to best embody Rodin’s masterpieces. “You don’t have to have this full thing planned, but there are times when you just end up being a sculpture for a minute and taking a breath,” she laughs.

We caught up with Boisvert for a glimpse into her not-so-traditional summer job:

Wake up: Boisvert gears up for her morning with coffee. Water throughout the day is also a must.

Breakfast: “My breakfast almost always consists of carbs,” she says. “I need carbs to get through the first couple hours.” That usually means a bagel or toast.

10:30 a.m.: Arrive at the museum.

11 a.m.: Start “moving, dancing, interpreting the art” in the galleries. “We did some in-depth exercises in studying [Rodin’s] work and studying different ways we could bring it to life,” Boisvert says. “What we are doing when we are in there is almost completely improvisation.”

1 p.m.: Short break to rest and wolf down a Luna Protein bar.

3 p.m.: Time for lunch, usually a sandwich or a salad brought from home.

4:30 p.m.: After about five hours, it’s time to stop dancing. Boisvert says the slow, ethereal style she uses in the gallery help her survive the grueling hours and stay on her feet all day. “The movement that we’re doing is not high energy—we’re not jumping or leaping around,” she says. “It’s very small movements.”

Dinner: A typical evening meal is pasta or chicken with potatoes and green vegetables.

Evening: Boisvert says she doesn’t have much free time, but when she does, she likes to spend it with her new dog, at the beach, or decorating her apartment with a ’70s vibe.

You can catch Boisvert at the PEM’s Rodin exhibit through September 5, or in BoSoma’s performance of “Convergence” at the Boston University Dance Center on October 28 and November 5.