Nicole Harris: Can you tell me about the work you’ll be performing as part of the OnStage Summer Performance Series? Jenny Oliver: This performance includes sections from our upcoming evening length concert, ‘Hot Water Over Raised Fists’ that will be further developed during our DanceMaker’s Residency at the Boston Center for the Arts and premiered in June 2019. HWORF was originally inspired by my desire to create meaningful dialogue around the broad issue of water rights and protest. The Dakota Access Pipeline protests and the water injustices in Flint, MI have stayed with me for the past 2 years. These issues became the nexus of the two themes of my show. The first theme water, exploring its importance, the destruction it can provoke & the sustainability it provides. The second theme is protest, investigating why it is needed, how it is used & the longevity it provides. We are in the beginning phases of exploring the development of these ideas and this concert includes excerpts resonant of a flip book of different manifestations of the two themes through a visceral experience using modern dance combined with a mix of jazz and eclectic music. While allowing us to share our perspective about water and protest this concert also allows us to fulfill our mission of Philanthropy through Dance. A large percentage of the ticket sales will go towards the Rasin Foundation’s De-Worming Initiative that it provides to the community of Leogane, Haiti. As a Board member of the Foundation I am eager to create an intersection between art and health in a tangible way. We are currently serving 1,000 children and 168 peri partum women providing medication to help prevent intestinal parasites that potentially lead to death.
To be a humanitarian is a duty that all privileged people should be aiming for. As defined by Merriam-Webster: a Humanitarian (n) is a person promoting human welfare and social reform. (adj) relating to or characteristic of people who work to improve the lives and living conditions of other people. These are the motivators for the work I want to produce. As Zora Neale Hurston is quoted as saying “If you are silent about your pain, they will kill you and say you enjoyed it.” My aim is still not remain silent about the things that affect my life and instead share my perspective with the world. The more variety of voices providing perspective, the richer the conversation and understanding can be. N: Your company’s mission, in part, is to create research based choreography. Can you explain what that means and how it may differ from other choreographic processes? JO: Creating research based choreography has been a wonderful experience and one that is new to my practice. In other works that I’ve made the focus has been heavily on movement, athleticism and the spectacle of the music. I’ve since shifted my approach to one that I’ve been exposed to through working with other choreographers that I admire and one that fully resonates with what I want to be saying as an Artist. Being able to immerse myself in the stories, facts, outcomes and potentials of the subject that I am focusing on has helped me to approach my dancers in a way that helps them create the relationships onstage that are full and robust. Once I have collected my research, I try to find ways to share that information with my dancers and discuss the most authentic representation on stage. Throughout my process with the dancers, we’re in constant dialogue about movement and how our relationships to each other are reflecting the overall message of the piece. Using this method is still new to my practice but experimenting with this approach has brought fulfilling challenges elevating my choreographic lens and enhancing the depth of my dancers.
Nailah Randall-Bellinger is a major mentor. She was my college professor who showed me a world of dance that I didn’t know existed. Almost 20 years later and she is the person that I call on as a friend and artistic advisor when creating work and discussing issues that effect that creation process. Bob Thomas was another college professor of mine who spoke truth to power about the realities of dance and career. He often helps me with strategizing to make money and inspires me with his ability to think way outside of the artistic box. He has often been a sounding board and friend to me over the years. Last but not least, Marlene Edouard, she has become my second mom and the person who introduced and guided me through the Haitian culture and tradition, not only of dance but life as well. She trained me in Folkloric Dance and opened many doors for me in Boston while encouraging me to dream bigger and execute larger. Through the work of my company and the classes that I teach both in the community and through the schools and universities that I work for, I am providing a space for people to discover dance and themselves. By creating critically thinking individuals who, hopefully, will continue to pay forward everything that I share with them my intention is to raise the artistic bar in this city. N: Who are some of your favorite choreographers and why?
JO: Ulysses Dove!! His works are some of the first that I saw that really moved me to want to dance fully and share stories through movement. Particularly, VESPERS, still has me awe struck and butterfly filled. After watching his interviews I felt more connected to his work. He states “I am interested in passion. In every embrace, every second of life (should be) lived so fully that there can be no regrets, no retreat, no looking back.” -Published in Connoisseur magazine Other choreographers that I admire are Katherine Dunham for her anthropological approach to black dance, Pearl Primus for her choreographic works that reflected her research of black dance and culture in Africa and the Caribbean. Fatima Robinson for her edge and creativity in commercial dance and more recently Reggie Wilson for his approach and process to creating black dance using research based methods. I often find myself being motivated by the works that these people have created and the dedication that they gave to the art form.
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Nicole Harris: Can you tell me about the work you’ll be performing as part of the OnStage Summer Performance Series? Noa Barankin: The theme of the show is "Rhythm Re-imagined" (which is also the title). In my work, the audience will be able to see new uses of props and technology, for the purpose of making rhythms and integrating them with dance and movement. In particular, the cast is made of all tap dancers. However, we are also drumming (on and with various objects), and doing body percussion. There is some integration of modern dance, as well as tap dance classics. I also like to call what I do - "visual rhythm", because it is rhythm that you can see. Most of our pieces are stand-alone, meaning that you can take them out of the context of the full show and they can be performed on their own. A lot of thought was put into making these pieces come to life, and the details are noticeable - from the choice of the prop to the way we use it and integrate it with the sounds of tap dance or percussion.
N: Who are some of your favorite choreographers and why? NB: Ummmmm all of them? I love all artists and learn from what I see. I absorb. Possibly Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire for their lack of fear in tap, and the endless incorporation of props and special effects in their dances. I'm ALL about props (as you shall see in the show!!) N: Monkeyhouse believes in the importance of both giving back and paying forward. Who are some of your mentors? How are you paying forward what was given to you?
Another mentor is Doron Raphaeli, who gave me my first professional paying job as a dancer. It was in Tararam, a drummimg company, where before that I have never laid my hands on a pair of drumsticks. As artists, we need that person in our lives, who gives us that trust. I'm paying it forward to my cast by doing the same - creating opportunity and teaching them something new.
The third one is Sean Fielder, through which I encountered most of my cast, and who gave me the opportunity to join the Boston Tap Company - my introductory dance path as a newbie in Boston. There is also Pam Caira, director of Step by Step dance studio, which is where we rehearse, and I cannot omit her name from this list by any means because she's a source of inspiration and a real supporter of DrumatiX. It's through her help and support that I am now able to bring drumming classes to the studio, for young dancers to get a taste of DrumatiX and explore a whole new world of rhythm making. by Karen Krolak Nicole enjoyed interviewing the other choreographers we are working with, but Karen stepped in when it came time to interview the choreographers of Voetstoots, Caleb Howe and Nicole herself. Here are their thoughts on collaboration, the choreographic process and working together. Nicole and Caleb will also be dancing in work by Elizabeth Powers, Karen Krolak and Elyssa Berg. reACT reBUILD reCOLLECT Friday, July 27th @ 8pm 665 Salem St, Malden, MA Tickets available here for only $10 if you use the VIP Code MH10. VIP tickets are not available at the door so get yours today! karen Krolak: Lots of people loath collaborating. What drew the two of you to want to build something together? Caleb Howe & Nicole Harris: We improvise well together. We’ve had a lot of opportunity to experiment with movement together over the last year and while we are both happy with what comes out of those exercises, this was an opportunity to see what could happen with a more prolonged process. Caleb has never choreographed before, and so collaborating gave him the opportunity to build a piece without having to take on everything at once. kK: Can you describe how this piece grew out of specific Musing exercises? C: When you first made the umbrellas during the first generation of what later became the Dictionary of Negative Space, they had a very different intent than the prompts you gave when you brought them into rehearsal back in March. You handed an umbrella to me and asked Nicole to coax me out from underneath it. We were the only two in attendance which gave us the opportunity to do a lot in a short amount of time. Working with the same partner over and over again allowed us to build an understanding of how the umbrella moves even as the specifics of the prompt changed. N: When we left the studio that day both Caleb and I were interested in continuing to play with the ideas you had introduced. Knowing you and what you know of the roles depression and anxiety can play in both mine and Caleb's lives, I am not surprised that you selected those particular prompts for us. When we got in the studio this spring we tried to stay true to the idea of finding the ways you can help support another person, even when that means temporarily setting your own problems to the side. The idea of the umbrella expanded and the journey of the characters developed, but the seed of the piece continues to be that same exercise of two people supportively coaxing each other. kK: Caleb, how did the umbrella shape your movement choices? C: Much of the movement that Monkeyhouse is drawn to tends to be very grounded, either on the floor or with hands on the floor. The umbrella does not like to be upside down and so it restricts choices and required me to find more upright movement. While I do have some background in ballroom dance, the choice to use it here came much more from the restrictions the umbrella posed than simply relying on what I knew. kK: Nicole, this is the first time the you have collaborated with Caleb on choreographing a piece, how was the process different than other choreographers in Monkeyhouse?
N: Since I have primarily collaborated with you for the last 18 years, we have developed a shorthand (both verbal and physical) in working together which doesn’t exists yet with Caleb, so the experience was very different in that regard. I think my biggest challenge was making sure I supported Caleb, who hasn’t choreographed a piece before, in a way that didn’t impose my own agenda on the work or the process. kK: Caleb, what were some of the challenges you dealt with as you choreographed a piece for the first time? C: I don’t have any training as a dancer, The challenge for me building this piece was not having a movement vocabulary to draw upon, and having to construct each of the movements from scratch. N: Caleb described it to me as being similar to when a child learns to read or write. They don’t yet have the experience to recognize entire words but instead process each letter one at a time. I thought that was a really great analogy for what I saw in working with Caleb. kK: Nicole - how did you find the music for this duet? N: Before we knew what the piece was going to be we were playing Pink Martini’s “Hang on Little Tomato” in rehearsal. The movement instantly began to transform itself. However we knew we would not get the rights to Pink Martini’s music, so we slowly introduced other pieces of music discovered on Ilicensemusic.com until we found the right combination of what we were looking for, not too fast, no lyrics, not too heavy a swing. Once the music was selected I did a little editing to the beginning to help support the story we are trying to tell.
Nicole Harris: You are building a series of vignettes using four different dancers. Can you talk about who is in each section and what drew you to those people/pairings? Elyssa Berg: This decision came from watching how people interacted during Musings. I was able to work quite a few times with these ideas and throughout the sessions of Musings I was able to watch the pairings of people, seeing how they interacted with the light and each other. I chose the pairings in this way so that the connections appeared genuine and true to the relationship of the pairings. Nicole and Caleb are a part of the first section in which the feeling of the piece is curious and explorative. The second section includes Elizabeth and Sarah and the feeling is more playful which is very true to the relationship between the two of them and how they move together. The last section is a solo with Elizabeth in which I wanted the feeling to be isolated and contained. Thanks to Musings each decision was made based on how the individuals and their actions inspired me as they brought themselves to the work. N: You have led a series of Musings (a time for choreographers to play with ideas in a low stakes setting) over the last year in preparation for creating this piece. How have you used Musing time to help get you where you are now? What was something from Musing that was unexpectedly helpful? EB: Musings have helped me in feeling prepared to create. When you come into rehearsal with a big idea, of something you haven't done before, it can be very intimidating. The most frustrating part of building a new piece can be the trial and error process that you feel you don't have time for. It can feel like a lot of pressure to build something quickly with the resources that you have, feeling like everything you make has to be good. Musings gave me the chance to have all of the trial and error moments that you need before you start setting a work. Since there is no pressure in Musings you can try just about anything. You can go in with a small idea and just see what happens. A lot of unexpected things have happened during Musings that made their way into the piece. With all of this time to weed out the ideas that I didn't need I was able to focus on what I liked and what read the best. It was amazing to see how easy the building process of the pieces was after preparing through Musings.
by Nicole Harris Next up, Choreography Mentee, Elizabeth Powers! You saw the piece she created as part of the Choreography Mentorship Program at NACHMO Boston in January. You'll have the chance to see it again on stage tomorrow. We're excited to see what Elizabeth brings to the company in the future! Elizabeth is also dancing in work by Sarah Feinberg and Elyssa Berg. Here she is talking about the two pieces she has in tomorrow's concert. re{ACT} re{BUILD} re{COLLECT} Friday, July 27th @ 8pm 665 Salem St, Malden, MA Tickets available here for only $10 if you use the VIP Code MH10. VIP tickets are not available at the door so get yours today! Nicole Harris: You have two pieces in this concert that you created as part of two different choreography programs this winter. What were some of the highlights of your experiences with each program? Elizabeth Powers: Many of the best parts of each program are the same! Both gave me as an emerging choreographer free space along with lots of freedom and little pressure to make something new. A highlight from OnStage Dance Company’s residency program was that I had the opportunity to bring together dancers who I new from different dance communities as well as meet other dancers from the OnStage community. A highlight from the Choreography Mentorship Program with Monkeyhouse was all of the opportunities for feedback and reflection on the work I was making. Additionally with this program I was given mentorship in all kinds of areas of the field including working with a lighting designer, finding/licensing music, costuming mentorship, and more. N: The piece you created for OnStage Dance Co's Residency Program was fairly significantly less improv based than the one you created for Monkeyhouse's Choreography Mentorship Program. Can you talk about the differences between those two processes? EP: The main difference between the two processes was what I came in with. For OnStage, I began the first rehearsal by teaching a phrase. The first rehearsal with Monkeyhouse began with several improvisation prompts as well as dancers creating their own phrases from these prompts. With the OnStage piece, the improvisation tasks were mostly developed into set material. For this piece, I imagined very specific images while working to bring them to life. Comparatively, the Monkeyhouse piece was created by honing specific improvisation scores and combining them into a cohesive dance. N: Will you be making any changes to the two pieces from their first performances? EP: Definitely! Every time I see my work I think of something new to add, alter, or take out. The main structure of each piece will stay the same but I definitely made several small edits to both. Additionally, since there are elements of improvisation between each piece, there is no question that the pieces will not be exactly the same as they were in their original form, which is what I love about dance :) N: What is a favorite rehearsal moment for each piece? EP: A favorite rehearsal moment for the OnStage piece was the moment when all of the pieces finally went together. There was a time in the process when we had so many bits of material that we had been playing with, but they didn’t seem to work together. Trying one combination that finally worked was a great moment. A favorite rehearsal movement for the Monkeyhouse piece would have to be the first time we played with creating the duet between Sam and Olivia. It was just so much fun to watch them explore their silly and playful movement that was fun and thought provoking to watch.
reACT reBUILD reCOLLECT Friday, July 27th @ 8pm 665 Salem St, Malden, MA Tickets available here for only $10 if you use the VIP Code MH10. VIP tickets are not available at the door so get yours today!
N: You have led a series of Musings (a time for choreographers to play with ideas in a low stakes setting) over the last several months in preparation for creating this piece. How have you used Musing time to help get you where you are now? SF: Musings have been a great opportunity to try out ideas and get feedback. I had some improvisational prompts that I started with but then got stuck when it came to setting choreography. I was challenged by karen during a musing to come up with a phrase to teach and then use the improvisational prompts I had been playing with in conjunction with the phrase. This was a major turning point in the choreographic process for me. The phrase I came up with that day ended up laying the foundation for the entire piece. N: What is a favorite rehearsal moment from the creation of this piece? SF: One of my favorite moments was when the last bit of choreography came together and all of a sudden I had an ending to my piece. I had initially came in to rehearsal that day with a very different plan for a possible ending and as we were working through the choreography the ending came naturally and that was that.
they make it their own. A few bits of choreography got adjusted here and there but the biggest change is just new dancers bringing new life to the characters. One of the things I love most about this piece is that no two dancers are going to perform it the same way. Every time this piece gets performed its a little bit different and that is part of what keeps it exciting.
Nicole Harris: Can you tell me about the work you’ll be performing as part of the OnStage Summer Performance Series? Kelley Donovan: We are developing a modern dance work using chance elements, numerology and imagery from the Tarot, Additionally, I am performing a recent solo and showing an old solo from 1994. Rozann Kraus will perform "Waltz news" featuring 6 dancers depicting images of the "false news" featured on social media. N: Who are the dancers you’ll be working with? KD: 10 dancers, some new and some whom I have worked with since 2007, The dancers include: Rose Gibney, Carolyn Jepsen, Crystal Heroux Jacqueline Wilkinson Jane Wong, Katie Logan, Kira Mathiesen, Lauren Sava Marva Yates , Samantha Wilson, Sarah Takahagi,, Tiffany Lau and Rozann's work features: Jacqueline Wilkinson, Jim Banta, Karen Klein, Kelley Donovan, Rozann Kraus, Dan Quinn and Samantha Wilson N: You have a performance series of your own called the Third Life Performance Series. Can you tell us about it? How did it come about? KD: Yes, the third life series has been going for 6 years now since 2012 and we have presented over 150 choreographers and groups! It is an informal series, designed to echo works in progress like the Judson Church Monday night showings in NYC. When I started the series there were few informal showing in Boston and I felt a need for a stepping stone to full concerts and full productions and a need to build community that comes from seeing one anothers work.
N: What are some amazing things you have been up to since we spoke in January?
KD: I have mostly been performing solo work, at Thang at Somerville Armory, Mayfair, Third life and performed w/ teXtmoVes and with Kraus and..... in Dance for World Community, We Create at Hibernian Hall, I also reset a new work on Boston dancers called "Transitional State" at Dance Complex, and created a commissioned work for Boston Moving Arts for the same show! It has been quite a busy year so far!
You can catch their show at OnStage Dance Company, 665 Salem St, Malden, MA Saturday, July 7th @ 4pm Use VIP Code NDC10 to get a special ticket price here! Follow Nozama on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter to learn more about them!! Nicole Harris: Can you tell me about the work you’ll be performing as part of the OnStage Summer Performance Series? Gracie Novikoff: Nozama Dance Collective is thrilled to be a part of the OnStage Summer Performance Series! We will be presenting a 45 minute set on Saturday, July 7th at 4pm. We will be performing predominantly new works, which is very exciting! We have been crafting a series of pieces surrounding the concept of “Enough”, in that as women we have seen enough, we have heard enough, we have had enough; now is the time to embrace that we are enough. Under this concept’s umbrella, we are presenting empowering works of frustration surrounding the threats to women’s rights, as well as uplifting dances of women coming together to celebrate one another. The tumultuous political climate of 2016-2018 has inspired us in numerous ways, particularly in how bold women have stood up and claimed their voices against oppressive forces. We are committed to bringing female empowerment to the Boston dance community, and this performance will fully embody that. This set list will then make up a large percentage of the choreography for our own full-length production, appropriately entitled “Enough”, which will be on August 3rd and 4th at Green Street Studios in Cambridge, MA.
In creating our pieces, we pull inspiration from our own experiences as well as the other women in our lives and our relationships with them. Specifically, Natalie Schiera and I (Nozama’s Co-Directors) are inspired by our mentor from Boston University, Micki Taylor-Pinney. She taught us the bulk of what we know about the art of choreography, and how to captivate an audience with your message. She is our greatest instructor and guide! N: Last time we spoke it was during NACHMO Boston and you were presenting work of a new choreographer for your company. Have any additional company members choreographed work during 2018? How has it been for you and for the dancers to expand the number of choreographers you’re working with? What have some of the challenges been? What has been really successful? G: One of the internal missions of Nozama Dance Collective in 2018 was to offer opportunities to our dancers that would promote their own individual goals as artists. With this, we now have numerous choreographers within the company. Natalie Schiera and I as Co-Directors still choreograph many of the pieces, but we have had stunning pieces choreographed by Kelly Gauthier, who has been with the company since its inception. Additionally, this season Dana Alsamsam is choreographing a phenomenal trio, while Juliana Wiley is crafting a fantastic duet. We are also excited to produce solos choreographed and performed by Teresa Tobin and Katy Esper, individually. We look forward to fostering the creativity and passion of our dancers as choreographers and as artists, and we are consistently seeking opportunities for them to achieve their goals. N: I know it hasn’t been nearly as long between the last interview and now as it was between the first two, but what what are a couple of amazing things that have happened to the company since January?
G: So many things! We are especially proud to now be officially partnered with the Big Sisters Association! We teach monthly workshops to girls ages 9-13 years old with their “Big Sisters” from the program. These workshops focus on topics such as girl power and positive body image, and incorporate movement and choreography to express these concepts. The partnership has been tremendously beneficial for both parties, and we are excited to donate a proceed of our ticket sales from our August 2018 production, “Enough”, to this organization.
For more information about Jennifer and OnStage Dance Company check out their website, Facebook and Instagram. For more information about the OnStage Summer Performance Series and to get tickets, click here! Nicole Harris: What made you want to start a performance series? What are you goals for it? Jennifer Crowell-Kuhnberg: My goals for the performance series are multi-faceted! To start, producing an evening-length showcase is a very expensive and overwhelming endeavor for small dance companies. I wanted to provide an opportunity for these groups to show their work in a way that didn't cost them anything but could also yield a profit for them, from their ticket sales. Most small companies are lucky to break even after a show, much less walk away with a profit. On the other hand, being new to the Malden community, I wanted to help facilitate the beginning of what I hope will be a more robust arts' scene in this part of the city by bringing in some fantastic, local companies. Our new studio space is huge and has such incredible potential as a burgeoning arts space! It's a perfect location for experimental showcases and events and this idea seemed like a great way to expand on some of the successful programming we are already doing (like our Residency Program and Annual Arts Marathon). I hope we'll see members of the Malden community, and surrounding towns, come in to see some of the performances and experience dance in a new way (or for the first time!).
N: You also have a choreographer residency program. Can you talk about that and how it came about? J: The Residency Program came about when OnStage first acquired our own studio space, about five years ago. Having our own space allowed us limitless possibilities in terms of the programs and opportunities we could offer as a non-profit arts organization. With our performance company, the choreographer auditions and rehearsal process are very regimented as we have a limited time frame to work within. The Residency program was an opportunity to give choreographers more time to play, explore and experiment by giving them no rules (other than to show up and create something!). It changes the dynamic of the choreographic process when you're free to create whatever you like, or can have an idea evolve in a way that you might not have expected. N: You have only been in your space for about a year. How has it been? What are the unexpected challenges of running a space? What has been wildly successful about it? J: Moving to this new space has been such an adventure! We had our own studio in Somerville for several years, but I was very excited for the opportunity to expand into a larger space - and when I walked into this studio for the first time, I knew I had to have it! It's always challenging when you move to a new area, as we had to start from scratch with all of our marketing efforts and getting people to know who we were and where we were located. Even a year in, that's still something we're working to improve on! But it's been such a thrill seeing so many new people come in to take classes, or audition for our company, or sign up for our programs. I hope we'll continue seeing more new faces each day! N: You clearly have done a lot to champion choreography and choreographers. What is that particular cause so important to you personally? J: Thank you! I think the reason this is so important to me personally is because I took the long way to get here and I wish I'd had a short cut! Meaning, I was very intimidated to break into the dance scene and find my place in it. I was told it was too "cut throat," too competitive, not a reasonable way to make a living, and so on. Finding success as a choreographer can seem impossible when there are not enough opportunities for emerging dance makers to show work, build their brand, or discover what their brand even is! It takes a lot of time to cultivate your artistic voice and get eyes in front of your work. By offering some of these programs through OnStage, I hope I can make it just a little easier for artists to find their way.
N: Monkeyhouse believes in the importance of both giving back and paying forward. Who are some of your mentors? How are you paying forward what was given to you?
J: My earliest mentor was Elaine Hershfeld from the Mark Twain School. She was the director of the dance program and was always so supportive of my little creations. She awarded me the Choreographer of the Year Award way back in 1998 and I swear, to this day, it's one of my most meaningful achievements. I also had some fantastic teachers at Horizons in Dance in Brooklyn who instilled that sense of joy in dance but also a very strong work ethic. I've been working as a full-time dance instructor at many studios over the years, and I definitely try to emulate their teaching style. They were a huge influence on me as a kid and if I can have even a fraction of the same impact, I know I'm doing ok. N: Monkeyhouse has a Choreography Mentorship program and we are always interested in hearing what other artists have gone through. What advice would you offer to emerging choreographers? J: Most advice that emerging choreographers will hear is related to working hard, being tenacious in their efforts to get work out there, applying to everything, etc. And that is all good, and important, advice. I would also add that the best thing you can do for yourself is not try to be someone or something that you're not. Be proud of your unique dance voice and don't worry about trying to change your work to fit what everyone else is doing. Your work will naturally evolve and be influenced by other things you see and experience, but the worst thing you can do with your art is compare it to others' and force it to be like theirs. The most successful and well respected choreographers have that reputation because they paved their own way.
Nicole Harris: What made you want to make the move from being a dancer to a choreographer?
Tyler Catanella: I feel like I've always been more of a choreographer than a dancer. I had some not-so-great experiences when I first started dancing where I felt like a pawn being used in a game I didn't believe in. So now I only do work where collaboration is premier. I encourage everybody in my company to be as smart of a director as they are a performer. NH: What are you most nervous about regarding ChoreoFest? TC: SLEEP! The last time we performed in 2013, I got really sick from staying up all night and composing the music to our piece, and only getting to sleep from 7:45-8:30am. I hope that we three companies can all gel together well so that the night goes smoothly (and with enough time to sleepsies)! NH: Have you participated in ChoreoFest before? If so, what is your favorite memory of that experience? What advice do you have for new ChoreoFest choreographers? Are there things you hope to do differently this time? TC: Hell yeah we have! My favorite memory was the 8:30am morning tech, where we realized: "Hey, we actually made a really great piece! And we're proud of it!" That was honestly the moment that gave us the confidence to form Paradise Lost into professional company. As far as advice, I've got two big pointers: 1) Pace yourself! Don't exert a ton of energy in the first hour dancing all out. You've gotta conserve your mental and physical energy so that you have a cohesive piece at the end of the night. And 2) Say YES! Don't spend a lot of time talking about big ideas and improvising without setting. Make strong choices and roll with them. There is no room to go back and edit. NH: Since this is a very controlled creative space (in terms of time and topic) where do you see yourself starting when you get in the space? TC: We will start with a strong ensemble-building exercise that allows us to drop in and play with whatever theme we receive. From there, who knows! NH: In creating a new work, what in the relationship between you and your dancers? Do they participate in the creative process? If so, how? TC: Like I stated, I give lots of directorial freedom to those I perform with. I allow them to make choices with their characters, and even create space within the piece where they can set their own choreography. And often times, I'll let people work on something based on an idea or image I have, then bring it back for us to shape and mold together. I've got a ton of trust in these folks :) NH: Knowing that Karen Krolak will be on hand as "choreographic guru", what things do you hope she can help with in the overnight process? TC: One word: Sanity. I hope that she can reassure our process and keep us level-headed and focused on the end goal. Seems a pretty cool cat. NH: Who are some of your favorite choreographers? TC: Right now, I'm really digging a ton of hip-hop choreographers. So I'm really digging Tricia Miranda, WilldaBeast Adams, and Kyle Hanagami to name a few. They're doing great stuff with their dance videos. NH: Who are your mentors? How are you paying forward the things your mentor gave you? TC: I've got a ton of mentors in life, many of which are right here in Boston. People like Josie Bray have been incredible mentors in helping me find myself in the work that I do. My Associate Artistic Director Shannon Sweeny is my biggest inspiration in dance world because of how much she believes in what we do, and her bold and much-needed honesty always keeps me in check in the best way. She's the other half of the brain at this point, and the finest collaborator I've ever had/probably will ever have. And most importantly, I reflect so much on my grandparents when I make art. They themselves were hairdressers and worked till they were in their late 80's, but their love, dedication and hard work always keeps me grounded. It reminds me that life comes first, and that we make our art for the people we love and ideas in which we believe. NH: Where can people learn more about you and your work? TC: www.paradisemoves.com Thanks Monkeyhouse! Paradise Lost loves you!
by Nicole Harris Somewhere around 2004 I took students of mine from Impulse Dance Center to a Manhattan Dance Project workshop where I met tap teacher Derick K. Grant. I was instantly enamored with his laid back yet individualized teaching style and when I found out he taught regularly in New York City I promised to begin showing up at places he was. A few months later I walked into his class at Steps on Broadway in New York City while I was in town visiting my sister and knew just who I was. "You're that girl from Boston. You said you were going to being stalking me and here you are!" Since then I have been lucky enough to study fairly extensively with Derick and I consider him to be one of the biggest influences on my tap dancing today. Last year he and I sat down to talk about his career, his choreography and his view on life. NH: What was the first thing you ever choreographed?
DG: Lord have mercy, the first thing? Well, let’s say the first official thing was a solo. It was called “Drums.” I was a rookie in the Jazz Tap Ensemble and I was challenged to choreograph a piece. I got to work with Jerry Kalaf, who was the musical director. It was the first time where I worked with live music, and had to like come up with arrangement, and make a dance. That was pretty cool. I was probably about 19. NH: What are your biggest challenges as a choreographer? DG: For me being entertaining. I found that most of the tap choreography was very green. My main problem was getting people to dance while they tap, ‘cause most choreography that is used in shows is used with the purpose of telling a story. And most choreography that is used in tap dance are musical compositions. So finding a balance where you can use the body as a narrative, as an actor, but then use the sounds coming from those same movements, as a musical composition, is hardcore. NH: Who are some of your favorite choreographers? DG: I’m going to have to say Jerome Robbins or Bob Fosse. I started to study ballets because I realized that ballets were bodies of work that represented choreographers, and those pieces would live long after the choreographers died. And that in terms of being a choreographer, that’s kind of like the point, that’s like the painter making the painting. You want to have a piece that can live beyond you. You know? So then I started checking out the ballets, seeing what they had in common, and then what made them different from each other in terms of style and storytelling. And I had some success, I mean it was a rocky road because I don’t know a ton about ballet, so I probably missed a lot of the subtleties; they all kind of looked the same to me after awhile. I mean I know what’s a pretty turn, what’s a pretty leap, but that’s about the extent of it. With Fosse and Jerome, you can see it in the body, like that’s a tap dancer there. It was easy for me to respond and to understand that.
N: Can you talk about the dancers you’ll be working with? What are you looking forward to and what are the challenges of working with this particular group? C: I'm actually creating a solo for myself. This is fairly outside of my comfort zone, as usually I like to work with a big cast and I don't like to perform in my own work. This summer I created and performed a solo for the first time, and it's a form that I'm excited to continue working in. In this process I have found that as a dancer it is a lot harder to listen to my own direction than it is to listen to the direction of others.
N: What are you most excited about for this year’s National Choreography Month? C: This is the first National Choreography Month that I’ve participated in so I’m excited for the experience and to see what kind of work the choreographers come up with. I’m really excited to be getting my work out there in a public setting. Since I graduated from Bard College about five years ago I’ve been dancing as a company member in Dance Prism, a small ballet company in West Concord, MA. It’s a wonderful company and community but with a degree in modern choreography I only really get to showcase any of my own work during our summer studio performance. Most of my solo work is done on pointe so I’m also interested to see what the general reaction is to my kind of work with a man dancing on pointe, being that it’s my first time putting it in front of a wider audience.
N: Who are some of your favorite choreographers?
C: My favorite choreographer is Antony Tudor. I love his understated style of ballet. It is so smooth and yet says so much. I often show clips of his Jardin aux Lilas and The Leaves are Fading to my dancers when I start a new piece, to give them a sense of the subtle arms and understated emotional cues that I love to see. I also love a lot of Twyla Tharp’s work because of her use of pointe shoes in a more modern setting. I love to see subtlety in a choreographer’s work. My “wow” moments happen most often when a choreographer hits all the right notes, in movement design, music choice, and their ability to elicit just the right response from a dancer. When a choreographer is able to make all the pieces fall together, it is just magical. N: What changes in your process to build a piece in such a short time span (one month)? How long do you usually take to create work? C: Honestly, I am fairly well used to creating work in less than a month. For the summer performance that I mentioned earlier I am usually working on up to four of my own pieces while learning other choreographer’s pieces as well in an equally short time. I’ve been doing this for five years now so I am no stranger to this process. I do like to have time to go back and modify the work if the piece needs it. Having more time allows for more precision but the shorter rehearsal period, as I said before, has forced me to let go of my perfectionism. It has actually allowed me to produce a piece to which I feel surprisingly connected thus far because I don’t have time to obsess over the details. I’m also working on a piece now that won’t be performed until the summer and I am setting it on two dancers from Dance Prism which means that I am experiencing two very different kinds of process at the same time. It has certainly been an interesting experience to hold back to back rehearsals, one in which I can take all the time in the world to communicate the piece to my dancers, and one in which I struggle over trying to let go of detail enough to fall in love with my own movement in a very short period. It has been a very enlightening month of choreography and art.
We interviewed you back in 2015 when you were part of 24Hr ChoreoFest. What sort of amazing things have happened in your life since then? I am grateful ChoreoFest sparked the re-birth of Freedom Dances in the Northeast, following my return to Rhode Island from North Carolina. Since then, I have created many new works, co-produced a concert at AS220 with Heather Brown Dance in January 2016, produced “Verge” at the Providence Fringe Festival (FringePVD), and collaborated with composers Kirsten Volness, Dan VanHassel, and Verdant Vibes. Freedom Dances has also performed new work in a number of shared dance events including José Mateo’s Dance for World Community, AS220’s Dance Works in Process, The Dance Complex’s Friends and Faculty Showcase, Tiny and Short, Festival of Us, You, We and Them, and NACHMO 2017. In fall of 2016, as one of the guest choreographers for the Providence College Dance Company, I created “Silver Threads Among the Ashes”, inspired by the 15th anniversary of 9/11. I have joined the dance faculty at AS220 and am completing my 2nd year of the Boston Feldenkrais Training Program.
Freedom Dances’ mission is about creating works that explore individual, social, and cultural identities. This last year has been a doozy in dealing with those departments. How has the climate of the country impacted your work of late?
Last year’s NACHMO piece was very much a reflection of the results of the 2016 Presidential election, set to Kirsten Volness’ composition, “Complacency Will Kill You – (Contentment Is a Choice)”. There are so many incredulous and baffling things happening in our country and world recently, it is hard to grasp onto one strand before the next thing happens that leaves me with my mouth agape. There are a multitude of topics which infuriate me and pull on my heart strings promulgating a call to action. However, amidst the chaos, and changes in my personal life, I find myself logistically and emotionally much closer to my family. In troubling times, I find it important to remember that when push comes to shove, what is most important are the connections with those we love, those we can help in our day-to-day lives, and those who bolster us in times of need. Who are some of your favorite choreographers? Christopher Wheeldon, Alvin Ailey, Dwight Rhoden, George Balanchine What changes in your process to build a piece in such a short time span (one month)? How long do you usually take to create work? I find every process creates itself out of necessity of the parameters surrounding it. As dancemakers, we never have the luxury of time or money to pay for a lot of space, dancers, etc. so in that way, all processes are restricted by time. Of course, when in university, we are afforded free dancers and space, and a semester to make a piece or maybe two. In the past couple of years, most of my dances are created in less than 15 hours, unless the work is one of my longer multi-media productions. In that way, this process isn’t much different in total hours, but shorter in overall duration. We had our first rehearsal on January 15th! My dancers are great – they love dancing and being in the studio, so they are super generous, amazingly talented, and a joy to work with! We have been meeting twice a week, a total 4 hours per week, plus company class.
N: I’ve noticed a theme with several of the choreographers participating in this year’s festival splitting time between New York and Boston. How has living in such close proximity to two major cities changed the way you build work? What are the cons of splitting your time between two cities?
I am able to find many dancers and build work for large groups. I mostly love it, after about 6 months I get bored of the same routine and need a change! The logistics of just remembering where I left things and maintaining relationships that include long absences. N: Can you talk about the dancers you’ll be working with? What are you looking forward to and what are the challenges of working with this particular group? I am doing a solo so for me the challenge is finding inspiration. I am working from the sound more than I usually do in a group work. With a group I generally bring the sound in later but [for this piece] I am building it with the movement. N: What changes in your process to build a piece in such a short time span (one month)? Mostly finding adequate time within such a short span of time to work on the piece. January is a particularly busy time for me because most years around this time we are finishing up a piece. I have been in NYC performing a new work which we will bring to Boston March 16-17th at the Dance Complex. I have packed up my NYC apt and moved back to start my spring semester of teaching this week. Getting my Boston place set up after subletters have departed and sorting thru all those details in the midst of trying to focus on creative work and starting classes. January is the busiest month of the year for me! N: How long do you usually take to create work? I usually take several months so I am finding that I have to be less precious about the details, a bit easier in a solo. There is a freedom not to worry about perfecting something so much.
Don't miss the NACHMO Boston Concerts at the Dance Complex on Friday, February 9th and Saturday, February 10th! N: We interviewed you back in 2016 when Boston Community Dance Project was participating in 24Hr ChoreoFest. What sorts of amazing things have happened since then?
It has been a world wind of excitement since 2016! In 2017 BCDP showcased in over 15 guest performances, held 8 workshops, continued our Thursday Contemporary Fusion class, had two successful CONTEMPORIZE! Intensives and sold out our 5th Annual Benefit Show! We solely have raised over 2,000 for charities and keep continuing to spread the love of movement through our hashtag #FollowTheArtistry. N: What are you most excited about for this year’s National Choreography Month? HEELS HEELS HEELS! We have ventured into some new ways to approach the stage and have worked very hard to bring a new dimension to our pieces! We have broadened our repertoire and explored some new moves to express which we are extremely excited to perform! We also have asked other dancers from the community to join us in this movement that highlights empowerment in young women to succeed and make life happen! N: What changes in your process to build a piece in such a short time span (one month)? How long do you usually take to create work? We seems to put ourselves in these tight matters a lot with producing a two hour show in just a few weeks each summer. BCDP seems to thrive in these situations and accept the challenge with open minds! To be honest, one month makes us feel better relieved and unstressed compared to the demand we go through to create for other events. We are sending so much love, creative juices, and positive energy to all the other artists as they put together for NACHMO 2018! Happy Dancing!
N: Can you talk about the dancers you’ll be working with? What are you looking forward to and what are the challenges of working with this particular group? J: Turning Key is excited to announce that we are working with Orchard House, home to Louisa May Alcott and author of Little Women, to present a Little Women piece this summer to celebrate the 150 anniversary of the novel. All of the movement will be generated from the original text. For this particular piece, dancer Melenie Diarbekirian will be dancing the role of Jo March, transposing the poem “My Beth” into a solo. In the novel, Jo writes this poem in response to her sister Beth dying of scarlet fever. I am intrigued to see how Melenie can bring the emotion of the text to the stage.
N: Can you talk about your college mentoring program? Why do you put so much emphasis on college programs for dancers?
J: Turning Key Dance Company supports dance in higher education, and offers a college mentoring program to young dancers seeking a career in the performing arts. We are passionate about informing students about all of the possible job opportunities in the field of dance. Our company has dancers that have graduated from undergraduate, and graduate dance programs, as well as dance conservatories. We have a good understanding of these programs and their differences. Artistic director Juliana Utz offers private lessons and seminars on finding the right dance program, choreographed solos for auditions, resume and application guidance and how to make a career in dance. We strive to present our students with the tools they need to thrive in higher education and the dance community. Turning Key Dance is proud to have successfully mentored seniors into prestigious dance programs such as Boston Conservatory, University of South Carolina and Marymount Manhattan College.
Today's interview is with our own Choreography Mentee, Elizabeth Powers! Learn more about her and see the awesome movement she's been creating on Instagram! To learn more about NACHMO Boston you can find them on Facebook and Instagram! You can also support this year's NACHMO Boston programming here! Want to be part of National Choreography Month? Take the #MonkeyhouseNACHMOChallege. Every day we will be posting a new prompt on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Follow along on social media to get the prompts and see some incredible dances! Share your own videos (no previous choreographic experience required!) using the #MonkeyhouseNACHMOChallenge hashtag in order to be featured! Finally, don't miss the NACHMO Boston Concerts at the Dance Complex on Friday, February 9th and Saturday, February 10th! N: You are participating in NACHMO Boston as part of the Choreography Mentorship program here at Monkeyhouse. What most excites you about creating choreography? E: I think that the most exciting part of creating choreography for me is watching a piece tell me where it’s going. I tend to base what I do off of the dancers that I have and how they respond to various tasks and structures. Sometimes I start off with a concept and other times I start off with one specific movement but however it happens, whatever is presented at the end is rarely indicative of that original idea. I am always amazed by the transition that occurs throughout the process of creating a piece and love that I can count on the process to inform me about what’s supposed to happen next. N: You have been working on how to include improvisation structures in your choreography. What is it about that idea that appeals to you? E: One of the things that I appreciate most about dance is its presence. Any movement is literally occurring the second that it is being done and then it is gone. Even in dances that are highly specific and choreographed with every detail in place, there is always a factor that will make it different each time it is performed. In college I was encouraged to allow different things to happen with each performance as a way to not get stuck in the choreography that we had been practicing for months. By incorporating improvisation structures into my piece I am looking to max out this concept. I am hoping that the improvisational elements will facilitate a feeling of exciting uncertainty within the dancers regarding what is coming next that it will read for audience members. N: What are you most excited about for this year’s National Choreography Month? E: Honestly just having the opportunity to make a dance and move with people that I care about. I am super excited about the cast that I am working with and having the support and guidance of Monkeyhouse has made this process so positive. I love that NACHMO is in January because it gives us the opportunity to start off this new year by making and sharing art. I am also super excited to attend the NACHMO final performance and see what all of the other choreographers have been up to this month! N: Can you talk about the dancers you’ll be working with? What are you looking forward to and what are the challenges of working with this particular group?
E: The dancers that I am working with are connected to Monkeyhouse in various ways but most come from different dance backgrounds. What I am looking forward to and the challenges of working with this group are almost the same. Other than working with Karen and Nicole as either students or company members, there are not many past experiences that all dancers have in common. While this can be a challenge in figuring out how to explain certain tasks or improvisation structures, it also allows me as a choreographer to highlight the individual strengths of each dancer. Additionally, when dancers from different backgrounds come together and work on tasks, what comes out of them is often not at all what I anticipated which is really exciting to see from a choreographers perspective. N: Who are some of your favorite choreographers? E: There are so many! Two of my favorite choreographers whose work I was fortunate enough to see live when I studied abroad in London are Akram Khan and Hofesh Shechter. I’m a big fan of Heidi Henderson and Doug Varone as well. I also greatly appreciate the classic work and specifically the methods of creating movement of Trisha Brown.
Finally, don't miss the NACHMO Boston Concerts at the Dance Complex on Friday, February 9th and Saturday, February 10th! N: I am so excited to see group concerts invest in forms outside the traditional modern and ballet! Can you talk about what is that first drew you to Bharatanatyam? D: I started learning dance when I was 5 years old and at that point I was just fascinated with the story telling aspect by using facial expressions and hand gestures. I had no idea of any movements that were involved. I was just happy to stomp my feet. Since I grew up in Bangalore, India, I was surrounded by Indian culture and I was constantly in touch with classical music and dance. My family was full of connoisseurs of classical arts, probably all these things put together has helped me fall in love with Bharatanatyam. N: Since all of our relationships with dance change over the years, what is it that you love about Bharatanatyam today? D: If you had asked me the same question 10 years ago, I would have said the energy that this dance form brings in is what I love. The ‘Nritta’ or dance movements was what I loved the most. Today, I would say, ‘Abhinaya’ or the conversation with the audience through facial expressions, hand gestures and the story telling is what fascinates me the most. Bharatanatyam has such a vast language that you can easily present different characters of different eras and of different stories with ease. Even though this art form is ancient, it still can connect to today’s generation. You can portray a piece on Devadasi from 1900s to a current issue of either global warming or Equal rights. N: You grew up in India. What brought you to Boston? D: Marriage brought me to Boston. I am glad I came here! Boston has an eclectic mix of people and I got to see many many dance forms. I saw such passionate dancers, and helped me see the uniqueness and differences from my own dance form especially when I was teaching at Dance Complex.
N: What changes in your process to build a piece in such a short time span (one month)? How long do you usually take to create work?
D: It usually takes me about a week or two to choreograph a single 5-10 minute dance piece. The relatively short time span of one month that NACHMO provides would therefore have been sufficient if I were just doing a single piece. However, as I wanted to carefully pick a couple of pieces to showcase the breadth of my dance form, the time span of one month had to include selection of songs and choreography, which was a challenge.
Follow along on social media to get the prompts and see some incredible dances! Share your own videos (no previous choreographic experience required!) using the #MonkeyhouseNACHMOChallenge hashtag in order to be featured! Finally, don't miss the NACHMO Boston Concerts at the Dance Complex on Friday, February 9th and Saturday, February 10th! N: You are interested in dance and science. Can you talk about how those two things come together? M: Definitely. Ever since I was little I have been fascinated by science - loving rocks and cloud formations. Later, I became invested in physical therapy as a career through anatomical courses and various dissections, which lead me to self-design a major in Dance Kinesiology at Mount Holyoke College. Therefore buried in Gray's Anatomy and scientific textbooks, I found a love of physics through translating principles to dance. Albert Einstein inspired my first choreographic plunge in 2014 as well as Thomas Edison’s phonograph and motion picture inventions fostered my curiosity with science and art. In each new creation, I hope to further explore this kinetic interaction and stimulate the perception of dance as a scientific sport.
N: Can you talk about the dancers you’ll be working with? What are you looking forward to and what are the challenges of working with this particular group? M: Yes, they are great! I am working with Katy Esper and Nora Buonagurio. We have been dancing together since 2015, therefore there is already a foundation of collaboration and trust. I am looking forward to being on the sidelines and watching these dancers take lead of the material. The challenge of working without a soundscore is that there will be no musical cues or counts and therefore Esper and Buonagurio will need to be extra aware to clearly converse physically and verbally within the space. N: Who are some of your favorite choreographers? M: Some of my favorite choreographers include Jiří Kylián for his harmonic combination of fragile movements juxtaposed with a sharp attack. Adele Myers prompted my love of athleticism and risk-taking. Jessica Lang inspires me with her brilliance in installation and innovation in each new work. Ohad Naharin pushes me to create work that is socially and culturally poignant. Andrea Miller allows me to be ok with the quirky. And as always, Fred Astaire has always been an inspiration; a brilliant technician, incorporating clean and syncopated rhythms. N: What changes in your process to build a piece in such a short time span (one month)? How long do you usually take to create work?
M: What I create for NACHMO will be a rough draft of an idea. I usually spend 1- 3 years on a piece. This includes many smaller showings and refinings of sketches, which allow me to spread out in as many directions and as quickly as possible. From these reworkings, I will compress the dances into a comprehensive whole. I just had a big finale to the work I had been creating for the past year and a half. Therefore what I am creating for NACHMO 2018 is completely new!... movement - concept - dancers and collaborators. Excited to see where 2018 takes me!
Want to be part of National Choreography Month? Take the #MonkeyhouseNACHMOChallege. Every day we will be posting a new prompt on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Follow along on social media to get the prompts and see some incredible dances! Share your own videos (no previous choreographic experience required!) using the #MonkeyhouseNACHMOChallenge hashtag in order to be featured! N: Can you talk a bit about how Evolve Dynamicz came about? How would you describe your work? L&N: In the summer of 2015, Lisa Costello and Nicole Zizzi met by chance through a project put together by a local Boston choreographer. In October of 2015, Evolve Dynamicz was established, with the hope of creating a repertoire to share the mutual passions for life and movement. In September of 2016, Evolve brought on their first set of new members and has continued to grow into what they are now. Evolve Dynamicz has become an oasis for this unique group of strong willed people— as they each face their own individual life challenges, they support each other and find common ground through the arts of dance, choreography, and movement. As artists, we seek to confront the challenges of a millennial life with a sense of openness and vulnerability. Our work embraces these challenges with curiosity, intimacy, playfulness, and a deep- seated passion for movement. Our interests in improvisational composition, site specific choreography, and collaboration with our dancers are brought forth in our choreographic processes. With this, we aspire to continually experiment with new vocabularies, ideas, collaborators, and mediums of expression— we are committed to sharing our passion of dance with audiences in all spaces, of all types. N: How do you and Nicole divide responsibilities within the company? Do you generally choreograph together? L&N: Together we make the decisions and final choreographic choices. We meet weekly to make sure we are on track administratively as well as in the studio. Our choreographic process varies with each piece we do! For our last show SPACES, we did each piece collaboratively, but recently we decided to explore choreographing separately and seeing how our work compliments each other. We’re still a fairly young company, so we are doing a lot of experimentation. :)
N: What changes in your process to build a piece in such a short time span (one month)? How long do you usually take to create work?
L&N: With a short time span, we need to streamline things a bit, so we will do less of our improv work that would normally help us build a piece and we will focus more on our choreographic notation. The notation helps us sort out choreographic ideas on paper outside of the studio. It is a way for us to step back from getting overwhelmed with movement possibilities and look at things with a more abstract eye. N: Who are some of your favorite choreographers? L&N: William Forsythe, Andrew Winghart and Justin Peck
N: You are very open about living with Cystic Fibrosis and raise awareness about it in your work. Can you tell us a bit about Continuing Fluctuations; a piece you created about living with invisible chronic illness? H: Continuing Fluctuations is actually a collection of work that we are hoping to share in a full evening performance in May. Each piece explores a different aspect of life with chronic illness. We have been trying to tackle a little bit of everything. Current inspirations include facing feelings of anxiety, finding your place in the world and dealing with outside perception. I strive to create work that can reach an audience on an emotional level regardless of their previous experience with chronic illness. Everyone can relate to these feelings because they are innately human. If people can make the connections on an emotional level, maybe they can start to understand and be more empathetic in their daily lives. You never know what someone is silently struggling with. The piece that we are working on for NACHMO is an extension of this work starting to explore the idea of losing independence. Everyone is faced with the prospect of becoming dependent upon family members for care. For most people it is a temporary situation and does not become permanent until very old age. People living with chronic illness, even young, otherwise independent people, often find themselves in positions where they must rely on the support of others to help with everyday activities. Sometimes this dependence is for a short stretch of time just to recover. Other times this dependence can become permanent and last for years. In this piece, I am hoping to capture what it feels like to loose that independence. N: Several members of Monkeyhouse live with invisible illnesses. Thank you for tackling such an important topic! What has the response been to the work? What do you feel you’ve learned through the process of creating it? H: The overall response has been positive, but like everything in the arts we need more support to keep the project going. We are currently running a fundraising campaign to support the production costs of the May performance. I hope that seeing a glimpse of what we are working on as part of NACHMO, people will step up and support our small company. Creating this work has been an amazing experience. With every new idea comes a new opportunity not only to explore movement, but also to explore within myself what is at the root of the idea, what am I actually trying to say. I think that is true for any artist working through his or her own process of artistic expression. Each idea I have presented has been a part of who I am for a long time. They are snippits of thoughts that have shaped the person I have become and how I have decided to live my life. They are all things that people living with chronic illness are often faced with every day. We are forced to work through these ideas and make life- altering decisions long before our peers. In exploring these ideas in a public space, maybe we can start a conversation. N: What are you most excited about for this year’s National Choreography Month? H: I am most excited about seeing what other choreographers have created in such a short period of time. NACHMO is always a great opportunity to touch base with the dance community and see what everyone is doing.
N: Who are some of your favorite choreographers?
H: I think my favorite at the moment is Wayne McGregor. He did a Ted Talk back in 2012 about his choreographic process. It was really interesting to see how he creates abstract movement that is inspired by seemingly mundane things. I like the way his work is modern and yet uses the lines of ballet to create interesting shapes. by Nicole Harris I love when we get to interview people more than once! It has been a lot of years since we last talked to Lacey Sasso and many amazing things have happened! She's here to tell us about herself and her work with NACHMO Boston this year! Learn more about her here! To learn more about NACHMO Boston you can find them on Facebook and Instagram! You can also support this year's NACHMO Boston programming here! Want to be part of National Choreography Month? Take the #MonkeyhouseNACHMOChallege. Every day we will be posting a new prompt on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Follow along on social media to get the prompts and see some incredible dances! Share your own videos (no previous choreographic experience required!) using the #MonkeyhouseNACHMOChallenge hashtag in order to be featured! Finally, don't miss the NACHMO Boston Concerts at the Dance Complex on Friday, February 9th and Saturday, February 10th! N: We interviewed you way back in 2013 when you were part of Against the Odds. (Read that interview here!) It’s great to talk with you again! So much has happened in the last five years! In 2014 you started your own company. How did that come about?
N: In 2013 you were splitting your time between Boston and New York. Are you working in both cities? L: Following that period of time, I moved to London and spent the last two years teaching and performing overseas. It was a brilliant opportunity to see how dancers in other nations train, to work with a diverse student population, and to perform in some incredibly creative work. Since moving back to Boston this fall, I have refocused on how I can be a part of and engage in the local dance community. We have so many wonderful programs and opportunities here in the city! I do still have connections in New York and am hoping to collaborate with a few of my artist friends to create work together soon. Currently, I am looking at performance opportunities in both cities, however, I consider myself to be Boston-based now and am so excited to be participating in NACHMO and producing on a new shared show, Deeply Rooted which is being presented in February. N: What are you most excited about for this year’s National Choreography Month? L: NACHMO has a wonderful way of kicking my winter blues away. Even today, I was trying to plan rehearsal and feeling rather uninspired, then I got on instagram and was instantly excited by the phrases other participants are coming up with. One of my favorite things about NACHMO is that the prompts continuously challenge me to move in ways that I ordinarily would not. I also love how the whole dance community comes together to share in this creative challenge. The work that is produced is exciting, innovative, and inspiring.
N: How long do you usually take to create work?
L: Completely depends on the piece. Some pieces come out in 4 hours and others take 4 months. For me, it can depend on how clear my vision is for the work. I love that NACHMO inspires me to focus and get a clear vision in a short amount of time. It can be so refreshing to see a finished product after such an intense period of creativity. N: Who are some of your favorite choreographers? L: Trisha Brown, Jose Limon, Michelle Dorrance, Akram Khan, Hofesh Shechter, Tracie Stanfield, Melody Squire…. I could go on and on!
To learn more about NACHMO Boston you can find them on Facebook and Instagram! You can also support this year's NACHMO Boston programming here! Finally, don't miss the NACHMO Boston Concerts at the Dance Complex on Friday, February 9th and Saturday, February 10th! N: You are working in both New York City and Boston. How does that work? What is keeping you in both cities? G: Once I left Boston to move to New York to pursue my MFA in Dance full time, I knew I wanted to maintain a presence in both cities. I was excited to see what opportunities NYC had, but I also didn't want to forsake my Boston dance community that had provided so much support that lead me to my pursuit of graduate studies in dance. Luckily, the commute is easy enough, and since my family is located in the greater Boston area, I have been able to come back for choreographic showcases, master classes, and performances. It is my hope that no matter where my career takes me, that I always have roots in Boston. N: What are you most excited about for this year’s National Choreography Month? G: What excites me about this year's NACHMO showcase was that I took upon the task to free myself from self-editing and overthinking structure. As I am working out concepts for my choreographic MFA thesis for later this spring, I wanted to present movement phrases in their raw and purest form as a way of exposing the bones of creating a dance.
N: Who are some of your favorite choreographers?
G: The greatest inspiration to my work is Trisha Brown, in particular her works "Newark," "Set and Reset," and "Sone of Gone Fishin'." I am also a huge fan of Merce Cunningham, Lucinda Childs, Beth Gill, Jodi Melnick, and Heidi Henderson. All of the aforementioned choreographers have brought intrigue and insight to the field that I hope to emulate in my work in some capacity. N: You’ve had a busy career so far. What is some advice you can offer aspiring choreographers? G: My greatest piece of advice I could give to aspiring choreographers is don't wait for an opportunity to come to you, go out and make it for yourself. It seems cliche, but it was integral to my success as a dance maker. When I first moved to Boston, no one knew who I was, so I had to really pound the pavement to make my mark. I took classes, went to performances, and networked with those in the community to make myself known. Furthermore, while it took a lot of fundraising, I presented a self-produced concert of my own choreography during my first spring in the city as a way of establishing myself. It didn't all fall into place at once, but each action lead from one opportunity, to another opportunity, and so on. It takes a lot of work, but it's worth it.
N: You have recently taken over NACHMO Boston. How did that come about? B: NACHMO Boston has been something I’ve enjoyed doing since its conception here in Boston. I have danced with Jess Muise, the former organizer, in a number of different settings. She approached me last year to let me know that she would likely be moving on and asked if I would be interested. I told her that with the support of Alive, I would be so excited to host such a wonderful dance opportunity in Boston! Alive looks forward to NACHMO every year and we’re thrilled we get to share that in a new way this year. N: What are you most excited about for this year’s National Choreography Month? B: I’m always excited to see what everyone else brings to the table and the work that’s created. The connections made are always fun, and it will be so exciting to experience all of it from the driver’s seat.
N: You come from a traditional jazz, tap, ballet, modern background. How does that range of styles impact the work you’re building today?
B: I think having a wide knowledge base allows me to pull from many different areas and helps me to not feel boxed in. Although I don’t perform Tap very often, it is one of my heart’s biggest pleasures, and I find that my Tap training comes out in my Contemporary choreography, particularly with how I hear and interpret music. N: What changes in your process to build a piece in such a short time span (one month)? How long do you usually take to create work? B: Creating work really varies for me. The piece that I started on Alive in July 2014 (“Shallows” or “The Pit”) took over two years (off and on) to complete. However, it is not uncommon for me to create something in a month if there’s an impending deadline. When I have to create work quickly, I usually start with an idea that is more fleshed out or less abstract. That way I either have already done some of the journey involving the concept of the piece, or there’s less of a complicated journey to take when thinking about the work. Then, I will usually create the choreography and teach it to the dancers. I usually incorporate less improv or collaborative building when there’s such a tight deadline, but I constantly talk to my dancers and other friends about the piece to gain ideas and inspiration. And sometimes, with a deadline, I just have to make a decision and can’t wait for the decision to come to me. One of my mottos is: “we can always change it later,” and I find myself reminding myself of that regularly during NACHMO. Nothing is set in stone, and sometimes making a decision actually gets you closer to what you want than sitting around waiting for the right answer to appear out of thin air. N: Who are some of your favorite choreographers? B: I’m a big Kate Jablonski fan. I love her combination of technique and artistry and unique athleticism. I also love Emma Portner and Michelle Dorrance. In addition, I’ve loved Wayne McGregor’s work that I’ve seen, and I adored Yury Yanowsky’s “Smoke and Mirrors” and hope to see more of his work. Plus, he and Kathleen Breen Combs have the cutest baby! |
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