Alan Scofield wears many hats: a popular teacher, founding director of the nonprofit arts education agency, Young Imaginations; dance faculty member at College of Marin; Kiddo’s Pied Piper of dance in the Mill Valley schools; and now an oracle extraordinaire with his website, thestoryhome.com, which offers free audio children’s stories.
Describe your personal style. Keeping a Saturday mind alive in a Monday world.
What defines you? Being a dad for my daughter, a husband for my wife and a teacher in my community and knowing the wonderful children of Marin.
Who are your fashion influences? Early Comme des Garçons and Yohji Yamamoto, (for) their poetic use of black. Lululemon for yoga—very nice.
Who are your inspirations dance-wise? Certainly Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, the great stars. Jose Limon and Alvin Ailey too, for their grace and power. I could fill a magazine with my dance inspirers.
Where do you love to shop in Marin? Downtown Mill Valley, the little shops; near Peet’s, the mother ship.
What is always in your bag/pockets? Quarters, keys and the blue bookmarks I hand out to promote our new children’s storytelling website, thestoryhome.com.
What is your best cheapo secret? iTunes, surely.
What’s your fashion pet peeve? I don’t do peeves.
What is your view of Marin style? The savoring of life, health and growth. Going out to West Marin to experience (Whitman’s) “the vast pure spaces unconfined.”
Where do you love to eat in Marin? For lunch, Comforts. Chicken salad, natch. After-theater soirees: Il Fornaio. Little Cafe Z, too!
How do you spend your weekends? With the loveliest people in the world: the students who take my Saturday morning jazz dance class at Roco Dance and Fitness. Sunday, (wife) Sharon and I explore.
Where do you go to pamper yourself? I stroll through Robson-Harrington Park in San Anselmo, do tai chi or yoga. And breathe.
How would your friends describe you? Happy.
What was the last book you read and why? The Waters of Shiloh, by Thomas Merton. His words restore me whenever I go too far or do too much.
Do you have an all-time favorite children’s literary figure? Hans Christian Andersen, surely. He revealed the pure magic hidden in everyday life.
Favorite dance show on TV? So You Think You Can Dance is terrific. Those kids defy gravity!
What was the last movie you saw? The Burmese Harp. Remarkable.
Favorite dance venue in Marin? At any Young Imaginations program. Roco Dance in Mill Valley is stunning. The College of Marin main stage. But if you mean nightlife, don’t ask me. I’m home resting my feet!
If your life were a movie, what would be your theme song? “What I Did for Love,” from A Chorus Line. Seems right.
