Jillian Swanson, an operatic soprano, is a native of Schaumburg, Illinois. Since graduating with her Masters in Vocal performance from the State University of New York at Fredonia, she has appeared in numerous operatic, concert, and musical theatre productions throughout the country and over-seas, most recently Graz, Austria. When not performing Jillian is an avid cosplayer and builds unique costumes, with original hair and make-up design. “I love the role of Gabby and this song,” says Jillian. “This is a fascinating story of a young woman who wrestles with the patriarchy of football, feeling like an outcast even though she’s so talented and has this gift for kicking. During the song we see her struggle with her past experiences. As the song progresses, Gabby finds this inner fire about herself, which is inspired by other female athletes in the past. She turns that into something powerful and emotional.” Dancing Pony Productions hopes to uses the video of Every Time I Kick the Ball as a proof of concept to generate interest in developing the full musical short, Let Her Kick. In the meantime, we just want to share Gabby’s positive message with others who may need to hear it.
