Why should you come to a Skort?

by Margaret Hagemeister

In the dictionary, a “skort” is a cross between shorts and a skirt, but in Monkeyhouse lingo a Skort is a presentation of their works in progress. I attended my first Monkeyhouse Skort last March and had no idea what to expect, so I’m about to give you some reasons why YOU should come to a Monkeyhouse Skort (or a bunch of them)!

1. The people are great. The choreographers and performers are very open to whatever you have to say and they really appreciate your feedback. You’ll have an opportunity to give feedback in writing if you don’t want to make your comments out loud. No one will put you on the spot or call you out (so you won’t have flashbacks to your high school math class). However, you’ll probably want to get involved in the discussion because you’ll find the give and take with the participants really stimulating. 
2. You get to be part of the creative process. Whether you know a lot about dance and choreography or know very little, you will get a chance to contribute to Monkeyhouse’s work. How exciting it is to see something that you had some input into come alive on stage in its finished form!
3. You’ll learn a lot. Most of us go to performances with little knowledge of what goes on in the minds of the creators while they make it happen. Through the give and take of the Skort, you’ll get to know what the choreographers and performers were thinking when they made the choices they made. 
4. You’ll have fun. You can never be sure what will happen at a Monkeyhouse skort, but you can be sure it will be fun. Kwaq, the Monkeyhouse resident canine choreographer, jumped into my arms, unsolicited, which was quite a treat. Kwaq also performed her own dance for the crowd (a piece of a Union Square donut was her motivation and her reward). 

Monkeyhouse will soon be scheduling a series of Skorts in preparation for their upcoming fall performances. Be sure that you join us!  Check out the Monkeyhouse blog for more information about last Skort.