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Getting to Know Brett Bell - NACHMO Boston Interview

5/29/2021

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By Nicole Harris
It was lovely to meet and get to know Brett Bell during NACHMO Boston this year! We are excited to share his piece at the Malden Dance Mile on June 5th!
Malden Dance Mile

N: How was the NACHMO experience? What was something that went really well? What was something that went a little sideways?
BB:
​I have been choreographing for over 10 years and every experience has its ups and downs. For NACHMO, I felt it was such a new experience creating dance on film that everything felt wrong, but in a good way. I was challenged to use tools that went familiar, and unsure of where to start and what the outcome would be as a whole. I am pleased to say I would do this over and over and over again, and take what I have learned from NACHMO as I continue to create for as long as I can.
​

N: What is something you learned from this process?
BB:
I learned that I cannot do everything alone. My experience will always require editing and I am grateful for any amount of feedback I have received throughout this process.
​

Malden Dance Mile Saturday June 5th & 12th Free
N: What sort of changes (if any) did you make between the NACHMO Boston informal showing and the Malden Dance Mile?
BB: The changes between the informal and MDM showing I made, were use of space. I needed to consider the audience receiving more of a personal experience. Taking away the frontal view, and giving a visually uncomfortable take of searching for happiness.
​

White man with tattoosStanding outside by bushesIn shorts and a tee
By An Original Photography
N: Who are your mentors? What makes those relationships special to you? What are you doing to pay forward the gifts they have given you?
BB:
One of the most influential mentors I currently have is Sheryl Pollard-Thomas. She was one of my first teachers at the Boston Arts Academy where I began my training, and to this day, I will contact her with questions on what to do, or how to approach creating. Paying it forward to my students as I guide them and teach as I was taught.
​
​
N: It is important to us that we continue to lift up other artists in our community. Who are some of your favorite Boston area choreographers? Why?
BB: YES, this is very important. We must lift each other as artists because what we do is valuable and could have great impact on our communities. Im a FAN FAV of my dancers/ Boston based creators, Jeryl Palana and Deidre Lewis. These two fantastic women have continued to support me as I have supported them. To name a few more, Angie Conte, William McLaughlin, and Joe Gonzalez.
NACHMO Boston logo
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Getting to Know Brenna Banister - NACHMO Boston Interviews

5/25/2021

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By Nicole Harris
Photo by Olivia Blaisdell
Brenna Banister is more than just a NACHMO Boston choreographer. She is the director of Alive Dance Collective, the Regional Director of NACHMO Boston, and our dear friend. We love her foot dance and can’t wait for you to see it on June 5th at the Malden Dance Mile!
Learn More

N: In addition to being the NACHMO Boston regional director you were inspired to choreograph a piece this year! What made you excited about your idea?
BB: I initially started off the year not intending to choreograph. My first year as regional director I also choreographed and danced in a piece, and it was far too much for one month! However, once the month got rolling I was so excited by what everyone else was doing that I wanted in. A prompt put forth by NACHMO HQ this year was to dance with a piece of paper constantly connected to your body and the ground, and I found that very appealing. That was how the first phrase of my piece was created and I went from there!
​


​N:
This is your fourth NACHMO as regional director. What were some things you have learned from this process? What is your favorite part of NACHMO?
​
BB: NACHMO has really helped me see how vibrant the Boston dance community is!
Photo by Olivia Blaisdell
I’ve also learned that organizing is key, having help makes everything more exciting (yay Monkeyhouse!), the Boston dance community needs more positive experiences with what mentorship means, and that choreographers are always excited by this opportunity. My favorite part of NACHMO is seeing new connections being formed!
​
N: This year’s NACHMO was different than past years. What was one of your favorite moments? What was something that went a little sideways?
BB:
It was certainly different but so wonderful! I loved forming connections in the small groups of the Mental Health Happy Hours. It was amazing to form real, deep connection in a time when connection was so hard to come by. I also loved all of the group mentorship sessions. Each one was unique, but the current running through all of them was how kind and thoughtful people were about offering insight and feedback to each other. I left each session feeling inspired and full of admiration for the community that was created.
​
Malden Dance Mile Saturday June 5 & 12 Free Malden, MA
N: Who are your mentors? What makes those relationships special to you? What are you doing to pay forward the gifts they have given you?
BB:
My high school dance teacher, Rebecca McGregor is someone that I often pass along work to for feedback and insight. She’s been watching my choreography since I first started and it’s great to have that perspective! Otherwise, my mentors are the ladies of Alive Dance Collective. They are some of the most special humans to me and dancing with them results in safety, thoughtfulness, and all the laughs when working on pieces.
I try to pay these gifts forward by having a door open to talk about dance and life with the younger generation that I was lucky enough to get to know through a few years of teaching dance. Plus, by offering mentorship opportunities at NACHMO Boston with the goal that they feel as safe and fortifying as mine do.

​N: It is important to us that we continue to lift up other artists in our community. Who are some of your favorite Boston area choreographers? Why?
BB:
There are so many! Evolve Dynamicz, Ruth Benson & Lynn Modell, Kristin Wagner, Monkeyhouse, Sasso and Co, Public Displays of Motion, Ryan P Casey, and more!
NACHMO Boston, MA Logo on grey stripes
N: We are so thrilled to be in Malden! Do you have any connections to this fantastic city?
BB:
I unfortunately have not spent a lot of time in Malden, except for one time in Summer 2020 when my partner and I kayaked in the Mystic River. It was a beautiful day towards the end of the summer and was a new spot for us. I'm looking forward to returning to kayak again at some point this year!
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Happy May Birthdays!

5/1/2021

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Picture
Happy Birthday to all of our friends who celebrate in May! Monkeyhouse Loves You!

​Rich Miner, Joan Panek, Bari Rosenberg,
Amanda Mastroianni, Chikako Iwahori,
Susan Nase, Jim Pagella, Isabel Fine,
Jon Schaffrath, Derick Grant,
Hillary-Marie Michael, Jon Keith,
Andrew Fine, Leah Sakala,
Janine Harrington, Olivia Buntane,
Elizabeth Terschuur,
​Kendra Heithoff Henseler,
​Bill "Bojangles" Robinson,
​and Buster Brown
.
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