A Few Words of THANKS from Danny

by Danny Foner

Last year we celebrated the THANKS Giving, a month of saying thanks to just a small number of the people who have gotten us to where we are today.  At the time, our then new intern Danny wrote an article that, with the insanity of the ending of the year, is just now seeing the light of day.  (Sorry, Danny!)  So, as we head into 2014, here are Danny's thoughts on thanks, music and collaboration.  -Nicole

p.s.  Congratulations, Danny, on getting into Emerson!  I'm glad you'll still be in the area next year!

As this month of THANKS Giving winds to a close, I’d like to take a moment to express my own gratitude for how Monkeyhouse has impacted me. Namely, I’d like to give thanks for my experiences as a co-leader of Natick High School’s a capella group, Seven’s Not Enough, and our collaboration with Monkeyhouse’s own Nicole Harris. We’ve had the opportunity to work with her on two separate projects, each of which have expanded my appreciation for the powerful relationship between music and dance.

Seven’s Not Enough’s connection to Monkeyhouse began around two years ago, in my sophomore year. I was a part of the fall show at Natick High School, which was to be a musical revue, celebrating the 50-year history of the old Natick High stage. Nicole asked me to arrange an a capella version of “Winter’s on the Wing,” a song from The Secret Garden, which would be set to body percussion. The finished product was an absolute joy to perform. The pure, acoustic nature of a capella combined with body percussion perfectly matched the theme of the song, winter thawing into spring. That experience was one of the most profound moments I’ve had on the Natick High School stage, and for that, I can’t thank Nicole and Monkeyhouse enough.

photo by

However, the story doesn’t end there. The next year, Nicole was back with another project. Combining with a local youth company, TAProject, Seven’s Not Enough sang James Taylor’s “Shed a Little Light,” as arranged by former intern David Makransky and choreographed by Nicole. After a few weeks of practice, we performed the piece at Chelsea High School for Against the Odds. The music, paired with the choreography, told a story of how the “ties between us” can create a community from complete strangers. As a matter of fact, I had never met some of the TAProject dancers in my life, but as the last chord faded, it was unmistakable that we had shared an extraordinary experience. Through that performance, I gained an immense respect for how music and dance, when combined, can send a tangible, powerful message. Thank you, Nicole, for giving me this understanding, and thank you, Monkeyhouse, for connecting us and providing the opportunity for all of this to happen.

So, what are you thankful for? Let us know on Facebook!

THANKS Giving Week 2!

Here's the summary of THANKS Giving Week 2!  Send these amazing folks your love and be sure to say hi next time you see them!  (If you want to keep up every day, take a minute to "like" us on Facebook for regular shows of gratitude!)

Denise Sao Pedro - When Denise loves you, you are always aware of it.  Her giant heart and bounding enthusiasm are a constant source of encouragement to all of us.  Since Nikki worked on her first project with Monkeyhouse over six years ago we have loved having her mom as part of the Monkeyhouse family.  She is an eager and articulate participant at SKORTs, an engaged audience member, and fabulous volunteer. Thank you for being such a rockstar, Denise!

Susan Warnick - I’m guessing Susan is asked to host or emcee more events than any one person could ever do, so Monkeyhouse was thrilled and honored when she agreed to be a judge for the Your Just Desserts Bake Off last year.  Hailing from Natick herself, Susan is constantly giving her support to causes, groups and organizations that are doing good in the Natick area.  She has a giant heart and we thank her for sharing some of it with Monkeyhouse!  Next time you see her around town send her some love from Monkeyhouse!

Seven's Not Enough - Nicole has been working for Natick High School almost as long as she has been part of Monkeyhouse.  She has loved watching her students grow and take on new challenges over the years.  When they started a student run a capella group a few years back she was excited to find ways that Monkeyhouse could help the group find new opportunities.  In the past few years they have performed at events and even collaborated with another youth company in town (TAProject) to create a whole new piece for Against the Odds.  Seven’s Not Enough has allowed for a whole new generation of young artists to create and show work and they never shied away from cross disciplinary challenges.  This exceptional group of performers has been an inspiration to Monkeyhouse and the other groups they’ve worked with.  Thanks for sharing your art with us!

David Makransky - David joined NHS Drama his freshman year as an eager, excited young actor, ready to take on the world.  As he progressed through the program his enthusiasm only grew and he was always willing to take on any challenge Nicole threw his way.  When she came up with the idea of creating a work/study internship for young actors looking to expand their dance education, David was one of the first students she thought of.  During his time as an intern David was an active contributor to the newsletters and blog, volunteered at events and took the lead on collaborations with Seven’s Not Enough, the student run a cappella group at his school, and TAProject for Against the Odds.  Thank you, David, for being a part of Monkeyhouse!  We love you!

Gail Fine (by JK Photo)

Gail Fine - Better known as “Auntie Gail”, Gail has been a cheerleader for the members of Monkeyhouse (and her favorite niece (Don’t tell my cousins!), Nicole) since the early days.  She has shared her Thanksgiving table with Amelia, was on the committee for Your Just Desserts both years and helped arrange the reception after services for the Krolak family last summer.  She’s a great example of how Monkeyhouse helps to build community.  Her investment goes beyond the organization to support the individual members she has gotten to know over the past decade.  Thank you, Gail!  Monkeyhouse Loves You!

Mara Blumenfeld - Mara once transformed Karen into a killer chicken using only a few silk rags, a sports bra, and a kickass mask. (Oh, yes, somewhere there are incriminating photos.) Admit it, that alone is a great reason for Monkeyhouse to love her. As it turns out, though, she is also the reason that Karen purchased the iconic Princess Pamplemousse hat. It was originally intended for a Lookingglass Production called The Zoo King when Karen was Mara’s assistant costume designer. Oddly enough, Mara is also responsible for getting Karen hired at Impulse Dance Center. When LuAnn Pagella noticed a crushed lilac chapeau meandering around in the hallway, she stepped out of class and introduced herself to Karen. Without that birthday gift from Mara, LuAnn would never have offered the crazy lady a job. Mara is a member of the Tony Award winning Lookingglass Theater Company and somehow still finds time to bounce around designing for productions in Chicago, Portland, Boston, Princeton, Berkeley, New York, Italy, England, and Japan (I think that is just where she is going this year!).  We  love you Mara,  wherever you are!

Courtney Wagner (by Al Cripps)

Courtney Wagner- I first saw Courtney at the Boston Dance Alliance’s Open Call Auditions but I didn’t know she belonged at Monkeyhouse until 86 seconds in to her first Musing with the company in the courtyard outside the Multicultural Arts Center. That is when the convicts in the Cambridge jail started shouting colorful advice about how she could make the improvisation more exciting for them. (Ask Nikki Sao Pedro for some of the specific suggestions those men shouted.) Even though Courtney could have dropped that bottle off of her head, easily darted over to Lechmere station, and avoided ever seeing us again, she did not break her concentration. She didn’t start laughing or dissolve into a puddle of tears. She just kept dancing. In that moment, I realized that she was uniquely qualified to pick up glass shards with tweezers while being tied to Nikki for the inaugural Dance in the Fells festival. Witnessing her resolve under pressure, I know she will be a fabulous Physician’s Assistant when she finishes her degree this spring. We are so fortunate that she is part of Monkeyhouse and our lives! Thanks, Courtney!

THANKS Giving Week 1!

Have you been keeping up with Monkeyhouse's THANKS Giving on Facebook?  Every day from November 1st through the end of the year Monkeyhouse is thanking one person (or group!) who has helped through our first thirteen years.  There are a wide variety of people who have intentionally or inadvertently pushed, lifted, poked or gently nudged us into the organization you see today.   Here's your chance to meet just a few of those folks!  If you come across someone you know, be sure so say thanks!  And keep an eye out for them at the next Monkeyhouse event!  Here is a summary of week one!  (If you want to keep up every day, take a minute to "like" us on Facebook for regular shows of gratitude!)

Jon Keith (self portrait)

JK Photo - Jon has been capturing choreography for Monkeyhouse for the past few years. It’s been great fun to watch his non-Monkeyhouse photographs begin to capture choreography too! JK Photo has a shiny new website that includes info on how you can hire him to capture your next big event! Thank you, Jon, for all that you do for Monkeyhouse!

LuAnn Pagella - Where to begin? LuAnn opened her doors to Monkeyhouse on day one when we were rehearsing for the Philadelphia Fringe Festival and has been a rock for many of us personally and professionally ever since. LuAnn is the director of Impulse Dance Center in Natick where Karen and Nicole first met seventeen years ago, where Sarah Friswell, Sarah Feinberg, Nicole and many of our interns over the years (including Rosie, Laila, Elyssa, Ashley, Leah, Gaby and Remy) were once students and where Karen, Nicole and Sarah Friswell were/are members of the faculty. Without the support of this amazing woman many of us never would have had the chance to work together at all. From the bottom of our hearts, Monkeyhouse Loves You, Lu!

Joan Panek - Without Joan it would not have been possible to create Monkeyhouse. Long before there were any dancers in the studio, Joan enthusiastically brainstormed ways to build this organization with Rita and Karen Krolak. She was the very first donor and on our initial Board of Directors. Drawing from her experiences developing programs at the Dover Public Library and teaching in the Ashland school system, Joan guided us through our first outreach programs and helped us to establish a genuine community at Monkeyhouse. She is an outstanding ambassador for Monkeyhouse who has introduced friends to our projects, coaxed her son into videotaping early First Night shows, travelled hundreds of miles to see performances, and devoted thousands of hours volunteering. Monkeyhouse loves you dearly, Joan.
JP Licks - For more the later ¾ of Monkeyhouse’s existence we’ve had the great fortune of having a relationship with JP Licks. They have been our longest corporate sponsor and we are forever indebted to them. Whether donating ice cream for a closing night party, cross promoting events through their FB page or sending their head ice cream maker to judge the Your Just Desserts Bake Off, JP Licks has always been there for us. You’ve had the chance to grab a sundae at many Monkeyhouse events over the years. Take some time today to say a quick THANK YOU on their Facebook page for all that they do for arts in the greater Boston area today! Monkeyhouse Loves You!

Isabel Fine- Have you ever wondering how Monkeyhouse became an organization in residence at Springstep? It was all Isabel’s brilliant idea. She recognized that Springstep had some underused resources and approached us about how to combine forces. Thanks to her, Monkeyhouse was able to have regular rehearsal times, which expanded the number of dancers and choreographers presented in our concerts. We were able to develop pieces with prop elements and costume designs that would have been unwieldy if we had had to transport them each week. Our artists were inspired by the remarkable architecture of the building and have found bold ways to incorporate this into their creations. In addition, she is also the person who encouraged us to apply for the first Dance in the Fells concert. Best of all, she has gone on to join our Board of Directors where she shares her expertise on everything from administration management to curating concerts. Did you know that she currently curates the performances series for the Music Department at Wellesley College and that she use to be the Artistic Director of the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival? We are so honored by her support.

Zach Galvin - I’m not sure it possible to count the number of ways Zach has ties into

Zach Galvin (by JK Photo)

Monkeyhouse. He is a former classmate of Karen’s. Nicole was a student his first year as an English teacher at Natick High School, where he is now Vice Principal to many of our recent interns… The list goes on and on. And on top of that, Zach has been an active cheerleader for Monkeyhouse since day one. His encouragement and support are overwhelmingly appreciated! If you’re looking for another reason to love Zach, check out all the work he’s doing for the Jimmy Fund! Thank you, Zach!

Kelly Long - For close to the first decade of the 21st century Karen was choreographing musicals for Dover-Sherborn High School. It was there that she first met Kelly, a perky and outspoken young dancer. Kelly quickly began studying with Karen and Nicole at Impulse Dance Center and became a regular at Monkeyhouse company class. She volunteered at Monkeyhouse events (I have a vivid memory of Kelly, Ashley Chandler and Joanna Macone getting themselves horribly lost on their way to a fundraiser in JP then eagerly donning wigs and talking to donors without blinking an eye) and was always eager to engage in conversation about all sorts of big ideas. Since leaving high school Kelly has gone on to study dance therapy and is helping people find the very important meaning in their own movement. She has always been a huge ambassador for Monkeyhouse and because of her word of mouth we were given over $500 in donations last spring! Thank you, Kelly, for always having Monkeyhouse in your heart! We love you dearly!Pam & Steve Harris - Monkeyhouse is an all encompassing lifestyle for those of us at its heart. Many of our families and close friends have taken up the torch too, each in their own way. Nicole’s parents, Pam & Steve, are no exception. You may remember them from their gracious hosting of both Your Just Desserts and the ATO Thank You Luncheon at their beautiful home. (Did you know that Steve completely renovated that lovely house himself?) Pam’s homemade apple pie has been an often fought over auction item at fundraisers and they are both always on hand to lend us anything from a lemonade dispenser for post show events to drop cloths for a site specific performance. A heartfelt thank you to both of you from your daughter and all her Monkeyhouse friends.