Cool New York Photo of the Day

Caitlin and Nikki get ready for the show in the basement/backstage of the Cool New York Dance Festival!

Cool New York Photo of the Day

Eva Dean invited us all to her beautiful home for dinner last night.  Her neighbor made a living room out of snow on the sidewalk and Nikki took a little break on the way home.

Cool New York Photo of the Day

Caitlin and Nikki work on spacing for Fidelius while Jason works on a lighting design with the other Jason and the rest of the fabulous Cool New York Dance Festival tech crew!

Cool New York Photo of the Day

Karen, Jason, Caitlin, Nikki and Kwak7'aj braved the storm yesterday morning and drove from Somerville to Brooklyn to be at the Cool New York Tech by 11:30am.  The adventure involved having to u-turn on Interstate 84...  Yikes!

Best of Boston Nominations

 

It is that time of year again, ladies and gentlemen!  There are so many amazing businesses and organizations in Boston who need your support so get out there and get nominating!

And don't forget, Monkeyhouse loves you!

Between Two Things Reservations

I know you are all excited about coming to see the Green Street Studios Emerging Artists Concert Between Two Things so PLEASE MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS NOW!

You have two reservation options:

A.  By Phone.  Call the Green Street Studios Box Office at (617)-864-3191.  Please leave your name, phone number, date of performance and number of tickets you want reserved.

B.  Online.  Visit http://gssemergingartists.blogspot.com and fill out the form on the right.

No matter how you reserve your tickets please arrive at Green Street to purchase your tickets no later than 20 minutes prior to the start of the show in order to guarantee your seats.  Shows DO tend so sell out so reservations are highly recommended.

Between Two Things

February 11th & 12th @ 8pm

Tickets $20/$15

Green Street Studios

185 Green Street, Cambridge, MA

Mixed Media - Music and Movement in Medford on 2/9

Tootle Toot Toot! Monkeyhouse Artistic Director, Karen Krolak, and our favorite French Horn player, Anne Howarth, will present Mixed Media - Music and Movement in Medford, MA on February 9, 2011 for the Tufts University Quarter Past Noon Music Series.  At times humorous and at times thought provoking, the duo offers alternatives to traditional models of dance accompanied by live music. The horn and the human body are given equal voice in the creative conversation. Using compositions by Alec Wilder, George Philip Telemann, Sigurd Berge, and original works, this performance will examine how we watch and and what we listen to.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011, 12:15 p.m.

QPNM: Mixed Media – Music and Movement

Granoff Music Center, 20 Talbot Avenue, Tufts University Medford/Somerville Campus

 This event is the third concert of the 2010 – 2011 Quarter Past Noon Music Series at Tufts University and is free and open to the public.

            For more information, please visit as.tufts.edu/music/musiccenter or call the Granoff Music Center Box Office at 617.627.3679.

 

 

Between Two Things Posters!

By Nicole Harris

Remember when I said that Jennifer Hardy made us some sassy posters?!  Well here they are!  A huge thanks to Jennifer (and her husband who took the photos!)

 

 ** This post was re-posted from http://GSSEmergingArtists.blogspot.com **

 

The Inside Scoop -- Subluxation -- Part 4

A LITTLE BIT OF NEW MUSIC
by Nicole Harris

For the record, I am a lucky woman.  I have a number of friends who are fabulous musicians (which is pretty fabulous) but even better than that, I have a number of friends who are fabulous musicians and supporters of dance.

When I first choreographed Subluxation in 2006 there were two pieces of music, Devil's Airship by Pinataland and my first ever "commission", Summertime by Bill Swan.  When I started to re-invent Subluxation for the Green Street Studios Emerging Artists Program this winter it needed a little bit of a musical overhaul as well.  The original solo (which you will be able to see at Monkeyhouse's Against the Odds at Springstep this Spring!) will still use those two pieces of music but this new version includes two new pieces in addition to Pinataland's Devil's Airship.

In 2008 I started building a duet called Fidelius (read a bit about that here!) and commissioned my friend David Wechsler of Tyranny of Dave (also from Pinataland!) to record Cole Porter's Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love).  After many recreations that track fell to the wayside (but it was replaced by another David Wechsler song!) where it sat lonely and neglected until, you guessed it, I started using it in rehearsals this fall.

The final piece of music was just added today, thanks to my ever generous friend Nicholas Zampiello.  I am very excited to announce that we will be using the Campaign for Real-Time's Shout as our final track!  (I have tried to make a few other pieces using this track so I'm so excited that it has finally found a home!)

psst...  There just might be another track by Mr. Zampiello in a new piece I am working on too!  2011 is going to be a great year for new choreography!

 ** This post was re-posted from http://GSSEmergingArtists.blogspot.com **

The Inside Scoop -- Subluxation -- Part 3

MEETING COURTNEY WAGNER
by Nicole Harris

I first met Courtney at the Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center's Boomtown Festival this past summer.  At her first Monkeyhouse rehearsal she was shouted at by inmates but did she flee?  No!  She and her giant cup hat continued dancing and has since joined us for performances at Dance in the Fells, Movement at the Mills and First Night.  Courtney was an incredibly supportive voice in convincing me to apply to the Green Street Studios Emerging Artists Program and I am THRILLED to have her dancing in Subluxation!

NH:  What was your first professional performance?

CW:  My first professional performance was "A Holiday for Hope," performed at the Bushnell Performing Arts Center in Hartford CT.  The performance was a Christmas benefit show for the "We Are The Children Foundation", a local charity which sought to provide Christmas presents and cheer for under-privledged Hartford area kids and their families.  My dance studio was chosen to perform as the ensemble which meant we got to both sing and dance.  The first year (2002) I wasn't actually old enough to perform, but I acted as assistant to the choreographer, and I was a paid dancer my junior year (2003).  It was a very unique experience to get to work with professional Equity actors and choreographers from New York as well as perform in front of a large audience in a well known venue.  While we were there, we also got to meet the cast members of "STOMP!" who were performing on the mainstage. 

NH:  What is your favorite performance experience?

CW:  It's hard to pick a favorite performing experience!  Each one and every group I've performed with has its own memories.  My favorite Monkeyhouse performance experience is First Night Boston thus far.  I also have fond memories from my annual dance shows at home, especially as I got older.  The year that stands out the most is my junior year, the show was "Hook." I was Smee, and my good friend, Josh Feder, played Hook.  We always had so much fun at rehearsals during that year and I loved the dances and the script and improvising we did for that show.

NH:  How do you think your dancing helps/changes/adds to your medical profession?
CW:  Blending dance with medicine and science has always seemed natural to me, and combining the two has helped me grow and become better in both.  In school, I could apply or reinforce things I learned in the classroom (anatomy, kinesiology, physics) to my dancing, or vice versa.  Cardiology may not be as applicable to dancing, but I think having something else I am so engaged in helps me interact better with my patients.  One of the doctors once told me I was unique for being actively involved in something so opposite of medicine (strict/logical left sided brain vs. creative right side) and better off for it.  I think it keeps me well rounded.

NH:  Who are some of your favorite choreographers?

CW:  Some of my favorites include (in no particular order) Mia Michaels, Wade Robson, Melissa Jean Feder, DeAnna Pellecchia and Bob Fosse.

** This post was re-posted from http://GSSEmergingArtists.blogspot.com **

Movement at the Mills Applications

by karen Krolak

Romping around the Mills Gallery for Movement at the Mills was a blast back in November. Monkeyhouse relished partnering with the parameters of the space. It pushed us to re-examine Anti-ossification and prompted us to add more layers. 

I highly recommend applying for this series and as you may remember, Mariah Steele also raved about her experience performing there last year. Want to participate in the for the last show of this season on May 6, 2011? Well, get cracking because applications are due on Friday, February 11, 2011 by 5:00pm.

If you have questions about the the applications, send emails to Andrea Blesso Albuquerque at ablesso@bcaonline. org . She is super supportive, patient, and really knowledgeable about how to engage the space. Oh, and feel free to contact me at MonkeyhouseLovesMe@gmail.com, if you would like to hear more about how the process works on an artistic level.

Click here for the call for applications. Good luck!

The Inside Scoop -- Subluxation -- Part 2

GETTING TO KNOW A LITTLE MORE ABOUT 

CAITLIN MEEHAN

by Nicole Harris

Caitlin and I have been dancing together for just over two years now yet every time I have the chance to watch her perform I am stunned by her elegance and grace.  And those LIMBS!  The woman has arms and legs that go on for days.  I am honored to have Caitlin as my friend and THRILLED that she will be performing in Subluxation for Between Two Things.  I'm pretty sure she would categorize herself as a "serious" dancer but I have a little secret:  Caitlin Meehan is a comedian.  Her timing and ability to tell a story with even the simplest of gestures makes her simply irresistible!

I know you're anxious to see Caitlin dance but in the meantime, here is a brief interview to tide you over.

NH:  Tell me about your first professional performance.
CM: My first professional performance experience was in Northampton, MA, in a piece called Search Party: Reports From the Field. The concert was produced by the Architects, and the piece had been created at Muhlenberg College by Jennifer Kayle (a member of the company and professor of mine). She invited 5 of the 12 original dancers to re-work the piece for this concert. It was one of those pieces that just sticks with you, and one of my all-time favorites. I still think about it often.

NH:  What is your favorite performance experience?

CM:   To choose a favorite performance experience is tough! I probably have one from each stage of my dancing life- from the Youth Dance Company I worked with as a kid, college, and my professional career thus far. One that stands out is actually a musical; I was a member of the dancing chorus in On The Town at Muhlenberg College and it was fantastic! Karen Dearborn's choreography included a lot of improvisation assignments and partnering- and costuming included vintage '40s dresses and tropical bird costumes with feathers. A 2-week run and a fabulous experience!

NH:  Who are some of your favorite choreographers?

CM:  My favorite choreographers include Jennifer Kayle, Karen Krolak :), Ellen Grinder, Gus Giordano and Mia Michaels... to name a few!

NH:  Why do you think programs like the Green Street Studios Emerging Artist Program are important?

CM:  Programs like Emerging Artists are vital because they allow choreographers to both find and fine-tune their voices. The showing and feedback components allow the artists to share ideas and observations with other choreographers, which in turn helps them to learn about their own work and process. Having the other artists and their dancers as audience members at the showings is also beneficial for the development of their work.

To read another short interview with Caitlin, click here!

To read Caitlin's bio, click here!

** This post was re-posted from http://GSSEmergingArtists.blogspot.com **

The Inside Scoop -- Subluxation -- Part 1

by Nicole Harris

In 2006 I premiered a solo called Subluxation at the Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center as part of Monkeyhouse's Are You Lucky?.  The piece, named after a medical term meaning "the state of being almost dislocated" showed the struggle between fixing what you have or starting over new and asks the question 'what are you willing to sacrifice to make things better?'

This past year I set out to re-set the original solo on someone new and used a Monkeyhouse Musing to play with Nikki Sao Pedro, Bari Rosenberg and Lisa DeBassio (Thank you ladies!!) on a series of basic improv structures from the start of the piece.  Watching all three of their waiting improvs led me to realize that Subluxation could make an interesting group piece.  When I learned about the Green Street Studios Emerging Artist Program I applied with the goal of figuring out what a group Subluxation could be.

Instead of imposing my own story, each of my performers (Caitlin Meehan, Courtney Wagner and Bari Rosenberg) came up with situations in their life in which they felt "slightly dislocated" and the structure pulled itself together almost overnight.  As each of their tales unfold I'll be keeping you updated with photos, interviews and more!  I know you are eager to find out about the lovely ladies I've been working with so keep an eye out for interviews with them coming soon!

** This post was re-posted from http://GSSEmergingArtists.blogspot.com **

Between Two Things

by Nicole Harris

This has been a very big week for the Green Street Emerging Artist Program!  On Thursday we had our first showing where we all got to see each others work for the first time.  I have to say, I am incredibly excited and inspired by the work of my fellow choreographers and I think this is going to be an AMAZING concert!

After the showing we held a quick photo shoot (a huge thanks to Jennifer's husband for taking the photos!) so we can put together a poster for the show.  Jennifer came up with a really gorgeous design which I'll share soon!

And yesterday we had a quick meeting at which we decided on a name for our concert:  Between Two Things

I'm looking forward to seeing what other fabulous things this group comes up with!

 

** This post was re-posted from http://GSSEmergingArtists.blogspot.com **

FELA! is coming to the Coolige Corner Theatre

by Nicole Harris

Thanks to a gift from a wonderful friend I was able to see FELA! on Broadway before it closed yesterday.  I have been a huge fan of Bill T. Jones for about as long as I can remember (Did you know that he just received the Kennedy Center Honors!?  Read what he has to say about it here!) and was excited to see so many modern dancers on a Broadway stage (including Oneika Phillips whose time at Shenandoah University overlapped with my very short adventure there.  I always love that moment when you find out that someone who you knew as being immensely talented a long time ago has indeed gone on to do amazing things!).



Bill T.'s vision of the story of Fela Kuti is beautiful, intoxicating, expansive and inspiring.  His use of projections and video give the theatre a never-ending, otherworldly feel.  The line between actor, dancer and musician is constantly blurred, often beyond recognition.  As for the dancing...  Someone told me that there was "no real dancing" in the show.  Maybe not in the traditional musical theatre sense of "musical numbers", but the performers never stop moving and it is breathtaking.  There's even a point where the audience gets up to dance!



Why are you telling us this about a show that just closed, you ask?  Why because Brookline's Coolidge Corner Theatre will be showing the National Theatre (London) production LIVE on January 13th with an encore on January 17th!

Not in Boston but want to see FELA and other National Theatre Live productions?  Find a venue near you here!

Monkeyhouse's Major Events and Milestones (Part 2)

 Continued from our post on Tuesday...


July

* Monkeyhouse becomes Organization in Residence at Springstep in Medford, MA. We now have an artistic home where we work, rehearse, teach and perform!

* Courtney Wagner, Monkeyhouse’s newest dancer, joins us just in time to perform at the BoomTown Festival in Cambridge. Our water themed performances at this festival feature music by David Wechsler of the Tyranny of Dave and attract a diverse range of families.

* When Monkeyhouse returns to ArtBeat in Somerville, MA, Nicole Harris premieres Fidelius and Caitlin Meehan, who began dancing with Monkeyhouse in 2007, premieres a solo, entitled A.,B.,C.,D. All of the Above.

August

* Monkeyhouse premieres Odds, a quartet set to music by Rudy Trubitt and Aaron Ximm, at the Massachusetts Dance Festival in Amherst, MA.

* Karen Krolak leads several exciting and rewarding modern dance workshops for students during both weekends of the Massachusetts Dance Festival.

* Connect 2 Choreography develops a series of posts about the efforts to save the Inside/Out stage at Jacob's Pillow. The blog is recognized for being an important digital ambassador.

September

* Nicole Harris organizes Your Just Desserts to celebrate Monkeyhouse’s 10th Anniversary. This community-building event attracts a slew of new corporate sponsors, engages new and established supporters, and features a fabulous bake-off.

October

* Monkeyhouse premieres Æ, a site-specific piece at Wright’s Tower for Dance in the Fells, a new festival that has been nominated for a Gold Star from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Æ features music composed by Ralph Farris and David Pavkovic.

* Nicole Harris is selected to develop a new group piece as part of the Emerging Artist Program at Green Street Studios in Cambridge, MA.

* Karen Krolak and Monkeyhouse’s dancers lead a partnering workshop at Endicott College as part of the Cambridge Connections: Urban Dance at Endicott College Project. After that, Monkeyhouse holds an open Musing for choreography students to watch.

November

* Nikki Sao Pedro became the first person other than Karen Krolak to perform Ululation/Mourning After ( aka the Nail Shirt piece), when Monkeyhouse is presented at Cambridge Connections: Urban Dance at Endicott College. Caitlin Meehan, Nicole Harris, Karen Krolak, and kwaq7aj’, Monkeyhouse’s first canine choreographer, create a new version of Firk (Firk 1.2) for this concert as well.

* Monkeyhouse is invited to build new work for Movement at the Mills at the Boston Center for the Arts. We perform a new improvisation and an adapted version of Anti-ossification, which now includes real-time video and adds dancer Courtney Wagner to the piece to make it a trio.

December

* Monkeyhouse prepares with new and newly adapted pieces for a 5th return engagement (over 10 years) to Boston's First Night. As part of the celebratory concert, Karen Krolak sets a new piece on Eva Dean, Artistic Director of Eva Dean Dance in Brooklyn, NY and French Horn player, Anne Howarth collaborates on another premiere.

* Monkeyhouse accepted again to the Cool New York Dance Festival in Brooklyn in January. Fidelius and Ululation/Mourning After will be performed.

Thanks again to everyone who made this year so fun and successful. Remember "Without You, we would just be Monkeyhose!" Happy New Year!