Do You Know Sarah Friswell?

by Nicole Harris & Caitlin Meehan 

Photo Credit Meagan Tucker

Sarah has been a part of my life for almost as long as I can remember.  First as my little sisters best friend's little sister, then as a student at Impulse Dance Center and a founding member of TAProject.  Now I am honored to call her one of my dear friends and I am glad I get to dance with her every week.  On top of her dancing, Sarah has been a C2C Intern and recently an invaluable assistant in getting these newsletters together every month.  While many of you have met Sarah in her various capacities over the years, Caitlin Meehan sat down and asked Sarah a few questions you might not already know the answer to.  Enjoy! 

C: How long have you been dancing with the company?

S: I have been dancing with the company consistently since the fall of 2011, however I went to some of the first ever musings when Karen was working on a project at Green Street Studios.

C: Musing since the beginning! How did you meet Karen?

S: I met Karen when I began taking modern at Impulse Dance Center. I think I fell in love with her passion and spirit and really looked to her as a role model for how I hoped to live my life with dance in it.

C: How long have you been dancing in general?

S: I have been dancing since I was six years old. So 24-6 is 18 years! Hard to believe.

C: Most of your life! Have you always wanted to work with a company?

S: I have always loved performing dance and performing in general, so I don't know that I needed a company or just the opportunity to share my love of dance. I am so happy to be working with Monkeyhouse though because I feel like I have so much artistic freedom and I love spending my Saturdays dancing and laughing with everyone.

C: I have to agree with you about Monkeyhouse! What other jobs have you experienced in addition to teaching and running TAProject?

S: In addition to teaching dance and working with TAProject, I work in Natick as an aid in the fifth grade while I get my Masters of Education. I think my favorite past job was working at Crazy Jayne's Ice Cream though as an expert scooper/birthday party rockstar/assistant store manager.

C: Wow! Do you have a favorite style of dance? 

I think my favorite style is tap. 

C: Why is that?

S: I have always been really fascinated by rhythms and working with sounds. But then again, modern and lyrical are some of my favorites to just let loose on days when you just need a release. And I love ballet and jazz. I'm not great at hip hop but I like doing it and pretending to be gangster. So I guess I really don't have a favorite!

C: Choosing a favorite style is a lot of pressure... Do you have any favorite choreographers?

S: I don't think I have any specific favorites. I like choreographers who try new things but don't try too hard. Just do what you love and others will love it too.

 

C: Might be tough to choose, but what has been your favorite piece to work on with Monkeyhouse?

S: I think my favorite piece to work on was Pygalgia, the hand to head piece with Sarah Feinberg. I have always enjoyed watching that piece and it's been so much fun to learn and rehearse it with Sarah. We move really well together and the rehearsals have been really productive and usually end with us on the floor laughing.

C: What else should the world know about Sarah Friswell? 

S: If my dreams of teaching someday go awry, then I want to work in the education program at an aquarium. Also, I'm lactose intolerant, but I still love dairy! 

 

And there you have it, folks. Monkeyhouse company member Sarah Friswell in a nutshell!