Upcoming Events!

by Aisha Cruise


Saturdays in April @ 10-11:30AM
DANCE+ Series
presented by Luminarium
Armory, Somerville MA
Monkeyhouse Loves Luminarium! Check them out at Arts Armory for their engaging, family-friendly class each Saturday in April exploring weekly themes of dance intersecting other fields: Technology, Science, Music, and Light. Free and open to all ages!

Fri, April 11 @ 7:30 pm  & Sat, April 12 @ 8:00 pm

Body Traffic

Presented by World Music/CRASHarts

Institute of Contemporary Art (100 Northern Ave Boston, MA)

Performing the Boston premieres of Beyond the Edge of the Frame by Sidra Bell Kollide by Kyle Abraham o2Joy by Richard Siegal From Los Angeles, this young contemporary dance company is known for dynamic theatricality and refreshing abandon. With free pre-performance talks with dance critic Debra Cash 30 minutes prior to curtain in the ICA lobby and a free post-performance Q&A with the company Friday, April 11, these performances promise to be lively and engaging!

Friday, April 11 @ 8:00pm
Dance with Me
presented by Paradise Lost
Blackstone Community Center, Boston MA
Friends of Luminarium Dance, Paradise Lost: A Movement Collective is putting on their newest piece titled "Dance with Me" choreographed by Collective member Emily Caroline. Emailparadisemoves@gmail.com to reserve a seat! Admission is free!

Fri, April 18 & Sat. April 19 @ 8:00 pm - 9:15 pm

On The Threshold of Beginning

Mariah Steele/Quicksilver Dance

Simmons Hall at MIT (229 Vassar Street Cambridge, MA)

Monkeyhouse Loves Quicksilver Dance! Mariah Steele's dance company will present an ever-moving poem that evokes the uncertainty of an ever-changing world and the eternal evolution of community in The Constant Effort of Beginning; explore the hazy space of our inner lives in On The Threshold of Memory; and entrance you with a new dance/film collaboration with New York City-based video artist Sarah Outhwaite; and more favorites from the Quicksilver repertoire.

Fri, April 18 @ 7:00 pm & 8:00 pm
Movement at the Mills
Featuring Jessie Jeanne & Dancers and Reject Dance Theatre
Mills Gallery (551 Tremont Street Boston, MA)
Free and open to the public, come see dancers performing in an informal, gallery setting. A showcase of sorts for less formal dancer/ audience dynamics, this series is a perennial delight.

Sat, April 19 @ 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Test Kitchen

Presented by Yuka Takahashi

Cambridge YMCA Theater, Cambridge, MA

Yuka Takahashi's Test Kitchen features several dancers and musicians that I've worked with in the past, including Sara June, Joe Burgio, Matt Samolis, and Steve Norton. Their particular brand of improvisational structures and collaborative dance theater ensures that there's never a dull moment in their performances. I can't wait to see what they've cooked up!

Sat, April 26 @ 8:00 pm & Sun, April 27 @ 5:30 pm
Memory
Prometheus Dance Elders Ensemble
The Dance Complex (536 Mass. Ave. Cambridge, MA)
Prometheus dance is a cornerstone of the Boston modern dance scene, and their work is consistently captivating. The Elders Ensemble makes their premier of Memory, a piece exploring the tricks, trials, and evolution of memory as we grow and age.

Fri, April 25 - Sun, May 11

New Eruptions

Jose Mateo Ballet Theater

Sanctuary Theater, Harvard Square

Jose Mateo's 2013-2014 Dance season draws to a close as the summer begins.

Catch their final program New Eruptions in the intimate Sanctuary theater for a truly unique ballet experience.

Thu May 1st - Sun May 4th
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Presented by Celebrity Series
Citi Wang Theatre (270 Boston, MA)
I love Ailey. They made me want to be a dancer when I was a little girl. Go bring some dance magic into your life and catch the Chroma program on Thursday and Saturday night, or the Ailey/Ellington program on Thursday, Saturday matinee and Sunday.

Sun, May 4

Dance'n Feet

Presented by MayFair

Harvard Square

Monkeyhouse loves the fearless women of Dance'n Feet and this season they are performing to a song by our favorite sock puppet rock band, Uncle Monsterface. Oh, and did we mention that this piece was choreographed by Monkeyhouse's Karen Krolak?

If the city is making you crazy, go and see some Ballet Outside Boston!
Thu, April 10 -Sat, April 12 @ 7pm & Sun, April 13 @ 2pm
Spring Repertory
Presented by Walnut Hill School for the Arts
At Perrin Theater - Keiter Center for the Performing Arts (12 Highland Street Natick, Massachusetts)
Come support the next generation of dancers at the Walnut Hill School for the Arts! Enjoy excepts from classical ballets like Swan Lake, La Bayadere, and Coppelia as well as world premieres of contemporary ballet, modern, and jazz pieces.

Friday, Apr 11 @ 7:30p

The Magic Box

Presented by Providence Ballet Theater

The Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts, Providence, RI

Please join Providence Ballet Theater for an original production of "The Magic Box", featuring original story and choreography by founder, Eva Marie Pacheco, an original score by Roger Seitz, and set and costume design by the students in "The Magic Box" studio class at Rhode Island School of Design. It's always exciting to check out brand new ballet, so if you're looking for fresh choreography in a classic framework, I'd check this out!

Moscow Festival Ballet is coming to New England!
Leading dancers from across Russia have forged under Radchenko's direction an exciting new company staging new productions of timeless classics such as Giselle, Don Quixote, Paquita and Carmen. Fully staged, with stunning sets and costumes, the Moscow Festival Ballet productions of Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake are perfect for all ages, and present a wonderful opportunity to see Russian Ballet technique at its finest. Check out these shows in Worcester, MA and Portsmouth, NH!

Friday, Apr 18 @ 8:00pm
Sleeping Beauty
Hanover Theatre, Worcester, MA

Saturday, Apr 19 @ 7:30pm
Swan Lake
The Music Hall, Portsmouth, NH

Good Things from 2012!

It's that time of the year where we look back on the past year and begin planning for the future.  We thought we would share with you just a few of our good things for the year to get you in the spirit!

January:
Caitlin Meehan had work presented and Courtney Wagner performed for the first time as part of the Cool NY 2012 Dance Festival!  This was Monkeyhouse's fourth year at Cool NY and we have loved being able to participate!

February:
Sarah Friswell, Sarah Feinberg and Aisha Cruse, who had been joining us for Musings (a time before company rehearsal dedicated to improvisation and exploring new ideas) over the previous six months or so, began joining us for rehearsals and became Monkeyhouse Guest Artists!

March:
Mariah Steele began setting a new work on Monkeyhouse!  She used Musing time to develop new material based on input from dancers over series of weeks.

April:
Monkeyhouse partnered with the Cambridge Center for Adult Education and held the first of two Skorts (a showing of works in progress) at their wonderful space in Harvard Square.  This Skort showed the start of a new project (affectionately known around the company as "the palindrome piece") that is a collaboration with Master Palindromist, Barry Duncan and was filmed for a documentary of which Barry is the star!

May:
In continued collaboration with both Mariah Steele and the Cambridge Center for Adult Education, Monkeyhouse held another Skort which showed the beginning stages of the piece Mariah set on the company.  Karen Krolak, Nicole Harris and Mariah Steele also participated in a Gonson Lecture at CCAE.  These fascinating lectures cover a wide variety of topics and are always attended by even more fascinating people.  We have loved being part of them!

June:
Monkeyhouse had it's first art exhibit in collaboration with our Spring Barnes & Noble Bookfair!  Featuring photos of the company and the work of our favorite photobooth photographer, JK Photo!

July:
Nicole, almost a full year after suffering a series of strokes, was cleared to begin dancing again.  What more is there to say?

August:
Monkeyhouse had performances in two different states going on simultaneously one weekend in August.  Caitlin and Nicole were up at Cultivate! in Bethlehem, NH while Jason, Nikki and Sarah Feinberg were at 24 Hour Choreofest in Boston!  It was such an exciting weekend!

September:
Your Just Desserts brought together fans, friends and family of all ages to celebrate Monkeyhouse over cake, cookies, pies and many more tasty treats.  It was an exciting and encouraging night for all involved.

October:
Happy Birthday to us!  Monkeyhouse turned twelve!  That's a whole dozen, folks!

November:
Monkeyhouse learned about the impending closing of Springstep and the potential loss of our artistic home.  While we mourned a lot of loss this year, we are also filled with thanks.  We wouldn't have gotten to where we are without so many of you and the outpouring of love throughout the second half of this year was truly astonishing.  Thank you for always being there for us.

December:
Monkeyhouse looks to the future and begins planning the rescheduled Against the Odds Festival.  That's right!  It's official!

Against the Odds Imperfect{ive} Experiments

March 21st-24th

at

Springstep

98 George P. Hassett Dr., Medford MA, 02155

Join us for this celebration that includes work from all sorts of amazing artists.  Keep an eye on the blog for more information soon and SAVE THE DATE TODAY!

Share with us your good things for the year here or on Facebook!

Against the Odds, Take Two!

photo by Jonathan Keith

We are thrilled, excited and generally delighted to announce that Against the Odds is BACK!  We want to thank you all for your patience and support as we rescheduled Against the Odds from the fall.  As the end of the year approaches we have kicked off a lot of our preparations for the festival which will be taking place:

March 21st-24th 

at 

Springstep

98 George P. Hassett Dr., Medford

We already have confirmation from Ryan Casey, Six One Seven Dance Collective, TAProject, Janelle Gilchrist, Audra Carabetta and Mariah Steele that they will be participating in the festival, and we're just getting started!  Within the company we are creating a whole slew of amazing new pieces from some of your favorite choreographers and some new ones too!

We have also kicked off our IndieGoGo campaign for the 2013 Against the Odds Festival.  Please take a minute to read a bit more about the festival and the artists, then tell your friends!  The biggest support you can give us is to be ambassadors for Monkeyhouse!  YOU know what we're about and what our organization aims to do - and THAT support and interest, more than anything else, is what has made us the group that we are today.  If you believe in what we're doing - please pass information about Against the Odds to anyone you know who might be interested in supporting the idea as well.  Talk us up at your holiday parties!  Tell the ladies you have lunch with about us!  Give us a shout out on Facebook!

Upcoming Events!

Mariah Steele
By Caitlin Meehan

This fall, I have been fortunate to work with Mariah Steele in part of her body of work for the Boston Center for the Arts Dance Residency. Mariah Steele/Quicksilver Dance will be presenting Epoch Tales, a new work combining dance and science to explore the process of evolution. Echoing the movement of early life-forms, the work will bring science to life by illuminating how the world may have moved in different evolutionary epochs. Other repertory featured will include a playful jaunt into the world of Frank Sinatra and an investigation into the cultural history of tea. I am included in the Frank Sinatra piece, a duet about two sisters which has been great fun to learn thus far. I'm looking forward to performing it!

The details: Epoch Tales will be performed at the Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont St., Boston MA 02116.  

Performances are Friday, November 16 at 8pm and Saturday, November 17 at 3pm and 8pm.

Tickets are $15 general admission and $12 for BDA members. 

They are available online at Boston Theatre Scene or by calling the box office at 617-933-8600.

Dance for PD
by Nicole Harris

Many of you have heard me talk about the Dance for PD Program run by David Leventhal and the Mark Morris Dance Group.  After my own medical adventures of the past year or so I am looking forward to beginning a dance class for students with Parkinson's here at Monkeyhouse.  If you don't know anything about the program, please take a minute to check them out.  There is a really wonderful video that I recommend you watch!

For those of you in the New York area, first, Monkeyhouse sends our love and support your way as you deal with the aftermath of Sandy.  I hope you are all safe and dry and able to begin putting your lives back together.  If you need a little something to make your day brighter, head over to check out Dance for PD in Performance!  I can't imagine anything more uplifting than watching these amazing people.  Tickets are free but you have to reserve your spot so do it today!

 

Sunday, November 11@3pm 

Mark Morris Dance Center  

3 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn

Happy September Birthdays!

By Courtney Wagner


 Happy Birthday, Mariah!
Mariah began working with Monkeyhouse last summer, creating a brand new piece for our upcoming Against The Odds Festival.  SInce then, we have had many fun musings with her new ideas and techniques and have nearly finished this new work!  How exciting to get to work with a different artist at our regular rehearsals.  In addition to working with Monkeyhouse Mariah has been plenty busy!  She spent a good deal of the summer traveling all around the country and is now teaching at Endicott with our own Nikki Sao Pedro-Welch.  Mariah is also preparing for her BCA Residency this fall where she will have a month long residency in the BCA studios before a performance of new work in November.  Congratulations Mariah!  We look forward to all of these upcoming performances as you continue to grow Quicksilver Dance!

Monkeyhouse also wishes Happy September Birthdays to:
Valerie Perrine, Beyonce Knowles, Mitzi Gaynor, Lola Falana, Sabrina Bryan, Frederick Ashton, Juliet Prowse, Lawrence Leritz, Deborah Kerr, Tony Waag, Anne Howarth, Tanya Rivard, Michelle Dorrance, Lewis Glass, Sarah Friswell, Olivia Scharff, Ashley Chandler, and Allie Fiske.

Add Some Dance to Your Summer!

Here are a couple places you might run into us or some of the other great performers we know in the near future!  This is just a small selection of performances available this summer.  Visit Jacob's Pillow & Summer Stages for even more Massachusetts performances!

07/09-08/04 -- FELA on Broadway
If you asked us to list our favorite choreographers almost all of us would likely have Bill T. Jones in the top five.  Don't miss his amazing show, FELA, as it returns to Broadway for 32 performances only!

07/12-07/14 -- TapTheYard
Join David Parker & Michelle Dorrance as they bring together some of their favorite rhythm makers (including Blogger in Residence Ryan Casey!) during the first tap and rhythm festival at The Yard on Martha's Vineyard.
 
07/16-07/19 -- Boomtown Festival
Monkeyhouse loves everyone over the the Multicultural Arts Center in Cambridge and we're thrilled that this year Princess Pamplemousse will be dancing it up with the one and only Marty Allen (of Uncle Monsterface AND Sock Puppet Portait fame)

07/25-07/29 -- Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company
Speaking of Bill T., don't miss his company at Jacob's Pillow!

Friday 07/27 @ 9pm -- Tyranny of Dave in Brooklyn!

Join Monkeyhouse supporter, collaborator and long time friend David Wechsler as he performs at Freddy's Bar and Backroom in Brooklyn!  You might even hear a few songs you recognize!

Saturday 07/28 @ 12pm -- David Parker & the Bang Group! 
FREE!!
Check out David and all your favorite Bang Group dancers for FREE!  Bring the family!

Saturday 07/28 @ 3:30 -- Summer Stages Choreographer's Project Showcase

While you're at the ICA checking out David Parker stick around and see works by Sean Curran, Mariah Steele, Teresa Fellion, and Annie Kloppenberg!

Sunday 07/29 @ 10pm -- Pinataland in Brooklyn!

While you're in Brooklyn, check out Dave's band and fellow Monkeyhouse supporters at Barbes!  You don't want to miss this!

Friday 08/10 @ 4pm -- Physical Poetry from Imperfect Bodies w/Karen Krolak

Join Karen at the Cultivate Festival in Bethlehem, NH for this exciting movement workshop!

Sat 08/11 @ 2 & 4pm -- 24 Hour Choreo-Fest

Jason Ries, Nikki Sao Pedro-Welch and a few Monkeyhouse guests will be locked in the Dance Complex overnight to create a new piece as part of Luminarium Dance's new project, 24 Hour Choreo-Fest.  Check out what they come up with!

Saturday 08/11 @ 7:30 -- Cultivate
Head on up to Bethlehem, NH to see the premier of Caitlin's new solo, Disarmed, performed by Nicole as part of the Cultivate Festival!

08/22-08/26 -- Doug Elkins' Fraulein Maria!

If you like David Parker you're LOVE Doug Elkins.  You don't want to miss this fabulous show at Jacob's Pillow!

Rehearsing with Mariah

by karen Krolak

There's a Bar Mitzvah kicking into high gear across the hall and in an odd way it fits the mood of today's rehearsal. Like many young adolescents, Monkeyhouse is opening to new influences and looking to outside voices to guide us through the inevitable awkwardness of our second decade. In front of me, Mariah Steele is rapidly sketching out movement sequences involving Caitlin Meehan, Courtney Wagner, and Sarah Feinberg. It feels similar to watching an episode of Iron Chef. Although I am very familiar with all of her ingredients, I mean dancers, I am regularly surprised by how her she mixes them together. Her improvisations are similar to ones we have used a thousand times but they tease unexpected textures and flavors out of this ensemble. I love to watch her intuit her way from one idea to another.

My gut knew that Mariah would be a good fit for us but I could sense some hesitation and giddy edginess in all of us during her first Musing. She began by asking us to write about something. I can not recall anything I scribbled, but it reminded me of building pieces with Baubo Performance Project in Chicago. By the time I filled the page,

Sorry, I just got distracted - as Caitlin started coaxing Sarah and Courtney into action, the trees outside the window started swaying in unison. Caitlin really appeared to have supernatural powers for a second. (I am actually dancing in this section but Sarah Friswell, who is also learning my part, is filling in this time.)

Speaking of Ms Friswell, she just said "Imagine if I were wearing a water balloon jumpsuit, how would you jump up on me?" That must be my cue to turn my focus back to moving.

I am so eager to hear how people respond to this piece in progress at the SKORT tonight. Feel free to join us from 7-9 at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education.

SKORT @ CCAE featuring Mariah Steele

Mariah Steele

by karen Krolak

My word, our first SKORT at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education lead to a rousing discussion about methods for integrating text and movement, how to savor a palindrome, and finding pivot points. I am so thankful for everyone who attended and shared constructive feedback with us. Your ideas are already nestling their way into our work.

As you know, SKORTS allow Monkeyhouse choreographers to show slices of our freshest creations and ask for suggestions or advice from the audience. Show up and you could influence the future of a dance piece! This month's SKORT will feature our collaboration with one of my favorite local choreographers, Mariah Steele. I was once again struck by her ability to transform performers at her concert, Tempest in a Teacup, at MIT last weekend. While I have seen her dancers perform with other companies, I learned something new about their expressive range through Mariah's choreography. I am so eager to see how this translates to Monkeyhouse.  We are still in the early stages of developing this project so this is a fabulous opportunity to witness how Mariah sketches out her ideas. 


You can buy tickets and get more info here.

Tickets $5
May 12, 2012

42 Brattle Street, Cambridge MA

7-9PM

Psst...you can also see new works by both Mariah and I tonight at Endicott College for only $5.

2 commissions 1 performance

by karen Krolak

Hot dog, I can not wait for this weekend. If you are in the area, I strongly suggest that you hustle up to Beverly, Beverly, Beverly for Endicott College's Repertory Dance Ensemble's  Guest Choreographer Series II concert. It features modern and contemporary works by Shawn Martini, entertainment director

Kimberly Miller, Senior Education Major
Member of the Repertory Dance Ensemble

of the upcoming cruise line, “Legends International;” Nikki Sao Pedro, Coordinator of Dance at Endicott College; and Mariah Steele, artistic director of Quicksilver Dance Company, Cambridge, MA, and me.

As an added bonus, Dance'N Feet will premiere another piece choreographed by me as part of the Friday night and Saturday matinee. Dance’N Feet is a senior women's dance group (age range 61-74), who learn and perform short jazz/modern/acrobatic dances to keep fit (mentally AND physically), have fun, entertain and inspire others. Their mission is to reach a wide audience and show them that dance is great fun for people of all ages and backgrounds.

I have never had commissions from two radically different companies premiere alongside each other like this before. Thanks Nikki for creating this wonderful opportunity.
 

 Guest Choreographer Series II dance concert

Tia’s Theater at the Center for the Arts, 

 Endicott College, 

376 Hale Street, 

Beverly MA 

Thursday, April 26 through Saturday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m

Saturday, April 28 at 1:00 p.m. 

Admission is $5.00 for the general public and free to Endicott College ID holders. 

 To reserve your tickets, please call (978) 998-7700 or go to our website at www.endicott.edu/centerforthearts and “click” Buy Tickets.

Outside Voices

by Courtney Wagner Eva Dean Dance joins us for Against the Odds! Photo by Jonathan Keith Remember how I mentioned how important musings are and how so many great ideas come out of them?  This has included the chance to work with other artists during guest-led musings like Eva Dean, Risher Reddick, and Lynn Schwab  as part of last year's Against the Odds.  Since it was such a success, Karen decided to make Season 11 about including Outside Voices, citing that it would be good for the company to work with other established artists and broaden our horizons and repertoire.   Nicole performing a piece choreographed for Against the Odds by Lynn Schwab Photo by Jonathan Keith What an exiting opportunity to have new works set on us!  For the upcoming season we already have several works in mind with some Outside Voices.  This includes Mariah Steele, who met with Karen after the January 2010 installment of Movement at the Mills and subsequently performed with us for with her company Quicksilver Dance in Against The Odds.  While she's been secretive with the details of what she has in store for use, she will be setting a new work on the company and it may or may not be based on some of the work she was creating for her thesis project.  Risher Reddick opened our eyes to the world of choreographed combat which proved to be a fun an enlightening study in body language, tone, and communication with the audience.  Who knew that the same simple movement performed in two distinct ways could have such a different read within the audience.  We look forward to delving deeper into this.  Happily cleared for dancing again, Nicole is excited to start working with Josh Hilberman on a new solo.  Meanwhile Karen and Nikki have been working on a piece dedicated to reversibility and a movement palindrome to be set to Master Palindromist Barry Duncan will even be featured in a documentary! Karen's and Monkeyhouse's support for Outside Voices can be seen not only in bringing in guest artists for new work, but also the C2C positions and residencies and mentoring programs.  We are happy to announce we are looking for new interns for the C2C internship for 2012 and Nicole and Karen are excited to continue to develop this program.  As you can see we have lots of exciting things in store for Season 11 and Outside Voices will definitely be playing a key role.  However, all of these extra influences will require some extra support. If you are interested in seeing more collaborations with area choreographers and opportunities for us to develop and expand, then think about supporting Outside Voices as part of our new Yearly Campaign Program.  This program is designed to allow supporters to have their donations funneled toward a certain part of the organization.  This can include infrastructure and keeping us in our beautiful Springstep home, individual company members, special projects like Nicole's work with PD, or fostering creativity and blossoming with musings and visiting artists.   For less than a dollar a day ($25/month to be precise) your donation could help directly support and fund future projects with fabulous people.  Although the Yearly Campaign is designed for recurring monthly donations, the recur option is not required and information about personalizing your donation is available on our website.   Click HERE to be redirected to our website for further information about the Yearly Campaign.  You'll find descriptions about the other facets of Monkeyhouse to sponsor as well as links and instructions.  And keep an eye out for future posts about more facets of Monkeyhouse!

Mariah Steele/Quicksilver at MIT

by karen Krolak

One of my favorite parts of curating Against the Odds is introducing people to other exciting artists in the Boston area. If you attended Friday Night Out #1, you know how much Monkeyhouse adores Mariah Steele/Quicksilver's emotionally evocative partnering.

While I know conventional wisdom suggests that it is unwise to promote another performance occurring on April 15th, I can't resist supporting Mariah and Hans. Sadly, between performing on the 15th and scooting out to Tiznit on the 16th, I will not be able to attend. So please, tell me all about it when I return.

Mariah Steele/Quicksilver Dance Presents:
A Residential Scholar Event @ MIT’s Simmons Hall

Choreography & Performance by Mariah Steele/Quicksilver Dance
With a special guest performance by Contrapose Dance

Friday, April 15 & Saturday, April 16, 2011
8:00 pm

Simmons Hall @ MIT
229 Vassar Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
A 15 minute walk from Central Square or Kendall Square T stops
Street parking available

FREE of charge, thanks to the sponsorship of Simmons Hall
Reservations Requested: quicksilverdance@gmail.com


This 75 minute show will contain several diverse pieces exploring cross-cultural interactions, relationships with technology, the engineer's creative spirit, Greek myths, arranged marriages and more! Come join us for this eclectic evening of humor, passion and exploration and then return home inspired! 

For more information: www.quicksilverdance.com and www.contraposedance.com

The Against the Odds Rockstar of the Day - Quicksilver Dance

Mariah Steele performing at Movement at the Mill

by karen Krolak

Monkeyhouse thrives on introducing audiences to artists and vice verse. During our very first conversation about Against the Odds: Stories of Adaptation, Translation, and Survival, we committed to presenting opening acts. I knew exactly who I wanted to invite first, Mariah Steele of Quicksilver Dance. Her work had startled me at Movement at the Mills' January 2010 performance. Her duet with Hans Rinderknecht overflowed with fluid partnering that exuded a confident chemistry charged with comfortable balances and combustible bursts. Hopping on Megabus moments after the show ended, I mulled over the piece for much of the trip down to New York. I am so eager to hear how others respond to her work during the Spork after this Friday night's performance.

Both Nicole and I were charmed by Mariah's description of her piece:
German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer describes a human dilemma with a metaphor: two hedgehogs wish to become close to one another, for comfort and understanding; however the closer they become, the more vulnerable each is to hurt by the other's spines. This intimate duet explores a budding romantic relationship and the conflicting urges that draw us to one another and push us apart. Dynamic partnering results as the two dancers struggle with these forces while never losing touch with each other.

Aren't you rather curious to witness how this enigma unfolds?

Against the Odds: 

Stories of Adaptation, Translation & Survival

March 18th-April 15th

Springstep, 98 George P. Hassett Drive, Medford, MA

For more information and to purchase tickets please visit our website!

 

Against the Odds is supported in part by the Medford Arts Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Thank you to Springstep for its support of this event.

 

Against the Odds - Popping Up on 3/18

Greetings!

Recently, Monkeyhouse has been inspired by pop up stores and gourmet food trucks (Did you know that you can get escargot pops at  Spencer On The Go's French food truck in San Francisco? Yum!). So, on March 18th we are launching a pop up, mashup of dance, visual art, and conversation entitled, Against the Odds: Stories of Adaptation, Translation and Survival. That's right, you and all of your friends, family, and lovers are invited to this four week long celebration at our artistic home, Springstep (98 George P Hassett Drive) in Medford, MA .

Against the Odds is a moving smorgasbord with a rotating array of opening acts, master classes, and guest artists alongside a smattering of Monkeyhouse pieces (including premieres choreographed by Eva Dean and Lynn Schwab). Each week holds a different adventure for audience members through Friday Nights Out and  Sassy Saturday Classes.

No two performances will feature the same Monkeyhouse pieces or dancers so feel free to attend as many weeks as you like. Oh, and during the course of the festival, we will change venues within the building (The first two weeks are in the Medium studio and the last two weeks are held in Hawkins Hall.) giving repeat audience members a chance to see how the rooms shape our perspective on individual pieces. And did we mention that  Hannah Verlin, who just received a Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellowship for sculpture, is creating an installation for us? Get your tickets now as seating is limited and be sure to follow us on twitter or the blog to gather up more insider details.

Friday, March 18th: Friday Night Out #1
with performances by Karen Krolak & Nicole Harris
Opening Act: Mariah Steele
Guest Artist: Ashley Chandler
Short Contact Jam led by Karen Krolak
Spork (Post Show Talk- Forking out questions & stirring up conversation) led by Jason Ries

Friday, March 25th, 7:30pm: Friday Night Out #2
with performances by Karen Krolak, Nicole Harris, Nikki Sao Pedro & Caitlin Meehan
Opening Act: TAProject
Spork (Post Show Talk- Forking out questions & stirring up conversation) led by Roxanna Myhrum

Friday, April 8th, 7:30pm: Friday Night Out #3
with performances by Karen Krolak, Nicole Harris, Courtney Wagner & Caitlin Meehan
Opening Act: A puppetry performance curated by Roxanna Myrhum, Artistic Director of Puppet Showplace Theatre
Guest Artists: Anne Howarth & Bari Rosenberg
Spork (Post Show Talk - Forking out questions & stirring up conversation) led by Allison Fiske

Friday, April 15th, 7:30pm: Friday Night Out #4
with performances by Karen Krolak, Nicole Harris, Courtney Wagner, Nikki Sao Pedro & Caitlin Meehan
Opening Act:  Eva Dean Dance
Guest Artist:  Eva Dean
Spork (Post Show Talk- Forking out questions & stirring up conversation) with Hannah Verlin
And be sure to join us after the show on Friday, April 15th for our CLOSING NIGHT PARTY! (9:00-10:30 in the Springstep Atrium)

The Saturday after each performance we will be holding classes  so please join us for anything and everything!

All Against the Odds events take place at

Springstep, 98 George P. Hassett Drive, Medford, MA 02155. 

Tickets for Friday, March 18th & Friday, March 25th:

$15/$10 Students/Seniors/BDA & Springstep Members/Medford Residents

Tickets for Friday, April 8th & Friday, April 15th:

$20/$15 Students/Seniors/BDA & Springstep Members/Medford Residents

Classes:

$18/$12 Students/Seniors/BDA & Springstep Members/Medford Residents

To purchase tickets or get more information please visit our website!

Against the Odds is supported in part by the Medford Arts Council, a local agency supported by the Mass Cultural Council.

Thank you to Springstep for its support of this event.

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!

Even More on Mariah Steele (part 3)

Photo Credit: Jim Coleman

by karen Krolak

In the final post of our three part interview with Mariah Steele, we delve into the intersection of anthropology and choreography.

kK: Ok, so when did you start choreographing?

MS: December of fifth grade.  My first dance was to Judy Collins' version of “Tis a Gift to be Simple.”  Every year, Steffi Nossen had a Holiday Party where parents watched the class and celebrated with the students afterwards.  Any student who wanted to was invited to choreograph a short dance and perform it at the party.  I did this every year.  I would move the furniture out of my room, shut the door and choreograph on my pink wall-to-wall carpet, with very limited space.  I scoured my parents' music collection, coming up with Sweet Honey in the Rock, the Indigo Girls, Mariam Makebo, and Maurice Ravel among others. Soon, one performance a year wasn't enough, and I would move the furniture quite frequently, make a dance, and then perform the piece for my parents in the living room or in middle school talent shows.  In high school, I had some wonderful academic teachers who periodically encouraged me to choreograph and perform dances instead of writing papers; for example, I made  pieces about the Crusades, Othello and environmental activism/the writings of Annie Dillard.  To this day, many of my dances have begun in the cramped space of my bedroom or living room – when the choreographing spirit calls, you have to follow it!

kK: Again, I am totally envious. I love that your teachers encouraged you to combine your academics with dance at such an early age. How do you feel your background in anthropology influences your choreography?

MS: That's a great question.  Anthropology was my actual major at Princeton (though for all intents and purposes I doubled majored in dance, except that they only offer a minor) and is at the very heart of how I see the world and how I approach a choreographic problem.  I am fascinated by different cultures and how people can be both so alike and so different.  Anthropology as a field is also interested in revealing the connections between aspects of life or culture that may not at first seem connected – it is a truly cross-disciplinary field, which is an intellectual experience and worldview that I love. Many of my dances have started with anthropological questions such as “What happens when two cultures meet?”  “What is the experience of female immigrants who come to America because of arranged marriages?” “What is the essence of humans' creative drive to build things that has produced the Egyptian pyramids, the great cathedrals and today's skyscrapers?” There is a wonderful overlap between dance and anthropology because they both deal often in metaphors, experience and feeling.  And at its heart, anthropology is all about people: what they think and dream and how they make meaning out of the world.  That is exactly what my dances try to explore and convey as well. 

kK: Can you give an example of how your anthropological studies were affected by your dance training?

MS:  Indeed, I studied traditional Kandyan dance in Sri Lanka for two months in order to write my anthropology thesis at Princeton. The experience of analyzing the cultural context in which a dance tradition is embedded gave me a whole new frame of reference for thinking about modern dance in our own society, too.  Besides which, learning a technique that is so different from any I had studied before was a first-rate physical challenge!

kK: So what brought you to Boston?

MS: My husband. He started a PhD program in plasma physics at MIT...so we will be here for awhile....but actually, I was born at Mt. Auburn hospital and lived in Lexington until I was 5 years old before moving to New York, so in some sense the move was “coming home.”  Only, I didn't realize until I got here how different the culture is from New York! And I must admit that now when people ask me where I am from, I say New York. 

kK: Well, I am just delighted that you have landed in Boston again and I am really looking forward to seeing more of your work.

More on Mariah Steele (part 2)

Photo Credit: Eli Akerstein

by karen Krolak

Things are a bit crazy this week as we prep for both the Movement and the Mills performance and Cambridge Connections Concert at Endicott College so I have decided to spread Mariah Steele's interview out over a few days. Today's section covers her early dance training...which reminds me that I was going to put up a post about the Boston Performing & Visual Arts College Fair. Ergg...let's see if I can sneak that in before I leave to vote.

karen Krolak: Can you tell me a little bit about your dance training?

Mariah Steele: Throughout my life, I have been blessed with incredible teachers who have been both at the top of the field and dedicated to the art of teaching. I had the unique good fortune to grow up in a dance school that focused on modern dance: the Steffi Nossen School of Dance in White Plains, NY. In elementary school, the program consisted of creative movement classes with lots of imagination.  In second grade, my mother put me into ballet classes instead, and I cried after every class; she put me right back into the Steffi Nossen program.  In fourth grade, I joined the “master class” track and began learning May O'Donnell technique; I would go on to study this technique with teacher Nancy Lushington every single Saturday until I graduated from high school, in addition to other modern classes during the week. I did not take ballet again consistently until 9^th grade, when I joined the pre-professional Steffi Nossen Dance Company.  

kK: I am so impressed by the variety of pre-professional companies open to high school students now. How was the Steffi Nossen Dance Company structured?

MS: “Company,” as we called it, involved working with a different NYC choreographer every semester, in addition to at least three dance classes during the week.  Among other exciting choreographers, we had former Paul Taylor, Limon and Mark Morris dancers make pieces on us.  In this way, I was trained to be a truly versatile dancer and performer because each choreographer brought a different movement quality, technique and choreographic theory to his/her piece. 


kK: My word, that is a very unique program. I am quite jealous. College dance programs might even feel  a bit anti-climatic by comparison.

MS: Well, I then went on to train with Ze'eva Cohen and Rebecca Lazier at Princeton University, two of the most transformative teachers I have encountered in any discipline.  Ze'eva was instrumental in teaching me about breath and intention, and she helped me uncover my own unique choreographic voice. From Rebecca, I gained new insights into how thinking about imagery and anatomy can change how we move, making our movement more efficient and expansive.  Beyond dance, these lessons proved to me the power of our imaginations to create physical changes in our bodies and our worlds. 

Tomorrow we will conclude with a chat about how academics and dance can influence each other...