NACHMO Boston Interview - Alexa Romancewicz & Teresa Dominick

Teresa Dominick by Laura Dominick

By Nicole Harris

​There are so many things I love about this interview. Alexa and Teresa are first time collaborators and they talk about all sorts of other NACHMO Boston artists that we love!

Learn more about Alexa and Teresa by clicking their names!

Learn more about NACHMO Boston and take the #MonkeyhouseNACHMOChallenge by following us on Instagram!

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Nicole Harris: This is your first time doing NACHMO together. (I believe this is Teresa’s first NACHMO!? WELCOME!) What are you most nervous and most excited about the experience of creating work in a month?
A&T: We’re so excited!!! 

Alexa:  We’re using a large prop for our piece, which is always a challenge in itself, but creating a piece around it in a month adds an extra layer of difficulty!  I’ve had the concept for this piece for about 8 years now so I’m stoked that I can finally put my thoughts to action. Teresa has a WILD passion and drive for dance that I admire so much and I’m thrilled she’s co-parenting this concept with me. 

Teresa: I’ve been aware of NACHMO for a few years now and it’s just never worked out to participate until now! Alexa reached out and asked if I’d be interested in collaborating on a piece and I took it as my sign to just go for it this year.  I’m really looking forward to getting in the studio and exploring both working with a prop and working in this partnership. 

N: How did you meet? What made you decide to collaborate this year? How will your collaboration begin?
A&T: We actually only met 4 months ago at auditions for OnStage Dance Company!

Alexa:  I’ve never seen anyone submit choreo and do FIVE pieces in their FIRST season at the company. We were in a small piece together this season that involved partnering, which is how we got to know eachother better…except that we weren’t actually partnered together! I noticed a lot of similarities in our quality of movement and I was like “I gotta work with her!”

​Teresa: As Alexa has mentioned, I’m always down to dance, and after getting to dance with her in several pieces for OnStage Dance Company I was thrilled when she reached out and invited me to collaborate for NACHMO. She’s a fabulous dancer and I’ve watched some of her previous work and think our choreographic styles are complimentary but different in ways that will really push both of us to grow and explore and just have so much fun! ​

Alexa Romancewicz by Mickey West

​N: Teresa - When you signed on to the conversational application you were listed as ASL Interpreter instead of just your name. Are you, in fact, an ASL Interpreter? If so, how did that come about? Are there ways that you feel speaking ASL impacts you as a choreographer and/or a dancer? 
Teresa: Yes, I’m an ASL Interpreter! I went to college to become an interpreter and have been working professionally for about 5 years now. During my career I’ve actually had the privilege of working with many talented Deaf dancers and performing artists which has definitely widened my worldview about what dance can be. I enjoy the visual movement aspect that ASL, dance, and choreography all embrace.

N: Monkeyhouse and NACHMO Boston believe that we wouldn’t be here without the support of our community. Who is one of your favorite local choreographers and why?
Alexa: I’ve been a big fan of Nozama Dance Collective for years and I’m always fascinated by their work. Every time I leave a show, I feel inspired to create something. ​