Getting to Know Lacey Sasso - NACHMO Boston Interview

by Nicole Harris

Photo by Spin Inspired Photography

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!

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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?

Photo by KPWee Photography

L:  ​Hello!  Thank you for chatting with me again!  A lot has happened in the last 5 years.  Since I was in undergrad, I knew that eventually I wanted to have my own company.  In 2014, I started creating more of my own work and pursuing performance opportunities.  Somewhere in the middle of all that excitement, I had a conversation with my dancers about producing my own show and they were completely supportive. Before I knew it, we had Love in Motion, our first independent evening length performance, and Sasso & Company was born. 

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:  What changes in your process to build a piece in such a short time span (one month)? 
L:  When I am on a deadline, I have to go with my gut instincts.  I have no time to question myself or the movement.  Sometimes that feels exhilarating and at others, it can be rather stressful.  Generally, I find that work created in a short amount of time is clearer, in that I don’t try to complicate my phrases or make too many phrases.  I stick with the bones and focus on the message. 

Photo by GSCS Photography

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!