In my year at Harvey School, I had the privilege of participating in multiple choreographic, creative and educational projects. One of my favorites, though, has been the Site Specific Digital Dance Concert. Students had the opportunity to create or dance in pieces that took place all over campus. We filmed the dances immersively and released them as a unified digital concert that folks could watch anytime, anywhere, or join us in the studio for a showing! Some of the students not only choreographed, but also chose to film and/or edit their own pieces, too! I loved watching kids have the autonomy to choose at what level to participate, and then really laugh alot and create some art.
New Dorp
I spent a whirlwind March weekend auditioning and then setting a new dance on students at The Studio School in New Orleans, LA. NOLA Dance Project, their performance company, will premiere the work in their June gala. This new piece feels flirtatious and fun, with lots of whacky partnering and acrobatic skills. The kids dove in full-heartedly into safety and principles of weight bearing and weight sharing. AND, we managed to make some time to do a little improvising on film in a field (as pictured!).
Mentoring
What a joy it’s been to work specifically with a student, Karina Mehta (KZChoreo), while I’m working at Harvey School in Katonah, NY. This is a kid with loads of talent, and we are getting to work on honing that talent into effective skills. She applied and was accepted into the MODarts Dance Collective showcase COLLECTIVE THREAD. She had to learn all about writing contracts and fundraising, and was able to hire 9 dancers to reset her work THE EXPERIENCE. I had the GREAT joy of mentoring her during the process, which included an intensive rehearsal period and a weekend performance!
Winter Dance Concert
In my work at Harvey School, I have the responsibility of producing the Winter Dance Concert. Given this is my first season with them after a 20-something year legacy, there was so much new for students to realize - new culture, new expectations, new normal. I did my best to show students what professional feels like in rehearsals, behind the scenes and at show time. The students presented 10 new dance works, largely contemporary and jazz, with guest material by Mickey Lonsdale, and student choreography by Karina Mehta. I set two adaptations of repertory works on the kids, Crystal Clear and Etude.
Drawing Down the Moon
I shot with Hem Borromeo for the first time this year (February) and we explored deeply intricate cross-contextual art concepts via each of our own mediums, and came out with some interesting images, to boot! I’ve been working with Hem for something like 6 years at this point, and find I walk away feeling full and whole each time.
"Antlers in all of my Decorating"
This fall I had the pleasure of working with the artistic team and students at Harvey School to produce Disney’s Beauty and the Beast! On such a short timeline, we managed to pull off a spirited, fun and creative presentation! I was responsible for the choreography and some direction, and had an especially fun experience learning these (new to me) students! Photo Credit: John D. Brooks
Grand Marshal
On Halloween this year, I had the distinct honor of choreographing a group of humans to carry Black Flags and Spirit Poles with the Grand Marshal float at the NYC Halloween Parade. The 50th Anniversary of the event, this year’s Grand Marshal was artist Laurie Anderson, who’s late husband, Lou Reed had a song “See you at the Halloween Parade” - which was meant to invite our lost loved ones to join us each year at the parade. The float featured names of New Yorkers who had passed in the last year, lyrics from the song, Lou’s guitars amplified and droning, a vocalist, and Laurie improvising along on a violin. We processed beside the float with Spirit Poles meant to invite spirits to join us, and waving 14 ft black poles with 9 ft black flags with lyrics written on them. HUUUUGE kudos to Jeanne Fleming, Martha Tobias, Ellie Brown and the many other humans who were part of this special experience.
The Legend Cirque Returns!
For the second year, the Westchester Circus Arts tent “Lucy” was assembled in Sleepy Hollow, NY, in collaboration with the Village of Sleepy Hollow to present The Legend Cirque. This year felt incredibly different than the inaugural year in ways that I didn’t quite predict! There were some amazing reminders throughout about professional standards, balance between personal and professional relationships, and prioritizing what matters the most. This was also the second of two back to back shows for me in this tent, and while I love it and the team at WCA, I’m totally ready for hibernation!
EPHEMERA (living dolls)
The last two iterations of Fern Katz’ EPHEMERA piece, I’ve actually been a dancer on the cast. This time, however, I was feeling a bit too overbooked to properly and physically commit to the project. Instead, Fern asked if I would come in to capture the project on film. This iteration, known as Living Dolls, was performed in The Adams Theater in Adams, MA - a work-in-progress theater being renovated under the care of Tina Moore, and the entire community. Katz’ vision is for each iteration ahead to be informed by the space in which it is being created, and having been a cast member in the past I can confirm - this was a whole different experience!
HELIX
Rachel Barringer and Caroline Wright who perform together as DuoShadow are the 2022-2023 Artist First Residents with the Contemporary Circus and Immersive Arts Center. The only one in the nation, this 12-month mentorship residency supports the artists in take the seed of an idea for a show and bringing to a complete evening-length production. I’ve had the privilege of being the “mentor” in support of these artists, and they were able to present an In-Progress showing at the Roslindale Substation (in collaboration with Circus 617 and under the direction of Sophia Herscu) ahead of their Premiere at the CCIAC Circus in the Park event.
PUSHED
Laura Ward is a long-time Hudson Valley force to be reckoned with. She runs Octavia Cup Dance Theater and is, in general, a builder of community. So, naturally, when she asked me at the last moment if I could help her shoot her latest work PUSHED, recently presented at the Arts Society of Kingston for the Choreography on the Edge July 2023 edition, we found a way to make it happen! Laura and I are also working on an all-inclusive one-stop source for classes, performances and opportunities for dancers and movement artists in the Hudson Valley that we’re calling HV Dance Map! Stay Tuned!
Rocks
In the continued theme of “Small Art”, I also happened to find myself in Castiglioncello with Nita Little and Maria Novella Tattanelli, wading into the Mediterranean Sea amongst wild and jagged rocks. Nita had just been telling me about a “Rocks” score she had set for a mountain climber, and I inquired if it seemed transferrable, in some way, to Maria Novella and the rocks in the sea. I’ll make a short video from it that I’m sure I’ll share somewhere, but I’m appreciating these small, emergent opportunities to make a little bit of art with some folks I care alot about, with no strings attached and absolutely no pressure.
Small Art
I had the incredible privilege to be responsible for the introduction between my dear friend Mandy Hackman, and my favorite country, Ireland. We took the opportunity to find some forest and make some art in the form of photo/video improvised movement - but it’s aligned with what I’m noticing is a sort of “small art” offerings or experiences I’m making/having. Since going through the MFA process, the artist in me is hurting, and these “small art” bites are healing. I wonder what they’ll become, but I don’t wonder that too hard - for now I’m just enjoying it.
Pontadera
I commonly support dance artist Nita Little behind the scenes, but this July I had the chance to be very much front and center with her at a Contact Improv intensive in Pontadera, Italy with the WONDERFUL folks at Spazio Nu. To my surprise, I got to dance far more than I thought I would have, so three cheers for working on CI skills with one of the founders of CI! But also, what I took away from these three days was so much more than that - it was relationships with new friends from across the globe, experiences in play and exploration that I’ll cherish, and a delightful new example of what Work / Life balance can feel like! Heeeee!
Big Easy
I count myself so lucky to get “called back” time and time again by the same clients. In the case of Diana Madrigal Barnitz and Peter Barnitz of The Studio Nola and Nola Dance Project, they’ve brought me in so many times I’ve stopped referring to them as my client, because now they’re just friends - family even. And what a joy is that?! To have the kind of community you can work, play, and take care of each other in? Yes please! In the very last week of June this year, I returned to New Orleans (in a heat wave!) and taught aerial silks and contemporary dance to a big group of eager kiddos. We had FUN, and I can’t wait to be back! I’m so lucky to get to have a relationship with these kiddos that is expansive and has longevity - despite the distance!
Troy Night Out - Pride Edition
As part of an alternative marketing strategy, the Contemporary Circus and Immersive Arts Center (I’m in charge of some stuff there) brought in Caroline Wright, Ernesto Lea Place, as well as Mickey Lonsdale and Jesse Cody (of Circus Splendiferous) for a very special performance at a very special series! The city of Troy produces “Troy Night Out” regularly as a way to build art-centric community, and the June “Troy Night Out” was pride-themed! Bonus-fun!!
Lost Boys
New York Academy of Ballet put on a unique production of Peter Pan for their annual recital this year. I captured the performance from behind the video camera, but naturally managed to grab some behind the scenes footage because - hey - I just can’t help myself! It’s too easy!
Tiny Dancers
I only work with one recreational studio on a regular weekly basis - and that’s a very special studio that celebrated its 10th Anniversary this year. Dutchess School of Performing Arts opened under the direction of Denyse Looney for the 2012-2013 school year, and I remain responsible for the Irish and Contemporary curriculum after all this time. I love these kids, I love the process of bringing their progress to light at each recital, and I love being able to capture it a bit on the side!
Clowning around
As part of my role with Contemporary Circus and Immersive Arts Center, I produced Karen Gersch (one of the co-counders of the Big Apple Circus and) a phenomenal visual artist, giving a talk on Circus in Art through time. I picked up an embarrassingly large number of her works for my own collection and laughed a whole lot more than I usually do than something titled “lecture” !
Mountain House
Sharon Penz is a local Hudson Valley based choreographer, dancer and artist with a profound interest in the local and regional history. We did a film shoot at the Empire Railway Museum in Phoenicia, NY and the site of the former Catskill Mountain House in Kaaterskill, NY to create a dance on film project. I look forward to sharing the final draft with you!