All Posts By

ecnorton

Movers & Shapers: Renée Jaworski

By Podcast No Comments

PODCAST 152: Renée Jaworski

Release Date: 3.10.23

TO DOWNLOAD PODCAST OR LISTEN:

    • Apple Music: Subscribe, Listen, Rate Us HERE

    • Stitcher: Subscribe and Listen HERE

    • Spotify: Follow and Listen HERE

    • Any Smartphone Podcast app: Subscribe and Listen

The Magic of Creativity with Renée Jaworski

Being a successful dance performer requires a combination of technical skills, artistry, professionalism, dedication, and networking.  In today’s episode, we sit down with Renée Jaworski, the Executive Director and Co-Artistic Director of the rebellious dance company, Pilobolus, as she shares her experience working there throughout her illustrious 20+ year career and unpacks the magic of creativity, risk, collaboration, artistic expression, and the value of hard work. Hear why she began pursuing dance and being a performer, the lessons she learned working for a company, the emotional struggles of learning the business end of dance, and how she forged ahead in her dance career while also a mother.  We discuss how she integrates her various passions into dance, how Pilobolus acts as a gateway to the art form, why you should not take dance too seriously, her upcoming projects, and much more. Tune in, and discover industry insights and the value of pursuing your dreams with Renée Jaworski.

Key Points From This Episode:

  • Background about Renée and how she became interested in dance.
  • The influence attending the University of the Arts had on her.
  • Why she chose to be a performer as opposed to continuing in academia.
  • Her experience transitioning from being a student to working for a company.
  • How she juggled pursuing a career with raising a family.
  • The motivation behind joining the Pilobolus team.
  • Find out why she has chosen to stay at Pilobolus for most of her career.
  • We discuss Pilobolus’s reputation and the collaboration with the rock band OKGo.
  • What it takes to make collaborations work and complete projects.
  • The biggest challenges and highlights of her career.
  • Learn about her past, current, and exciting upcoming projects.

“As I am getting older I am realizing that the more we can have those role models in place who have [raised a family while working] and want to support people who want to [have a family] the more the art form is going to thrive.” — Renée Jaworski

RENÉE JAWORSKI (Executive Director / Co-Artistic Director) has had an extensive creative career working with Pilobolus since 2000 and in 2011 was honored to have been chosen by the founding Artistic Directors to lead Pilobolus into and beyond it’s post succession evolution. She served as choreographer and creator for exciting projects and collaborations for stage, film and video such as the 79th Annual Academy Awards, the Grammy® nominated video for OKGo’s All is Not Lost, Radiolab Live: In the Dark, World Science Festival; Time and the Creative Cosmos and works with myriad outside artists through the International Collaborators Project, as well as overseeing the daily functioning and longterm planning for the company’s creative endeavors. As a teacher she facilitates workshops and group projects in diverse communities with dancers and non-dancers alike. In 2010, her alma mater honored her with the University of the Arts Silver Star Alumni Award for her work as an artist in the field of dance. She has performed and toured the world with Momix and Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company. Renée lives in Connecticut with her husband and a menagerie of animals.

Upcoming: March 12, 2023 NJPAC Performance + Ticketing

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Podcast produced by: The Moving Architects
Interviewer: Erin Carlisle Norton

The Monira Foundation Artist Residency (MANA Contemporary, Jersey City)

By Events No Comments

The Monira Foundation Artist Residency

April 17-April 30, 2023
MANA Contemporary, Jersey City, NJ
More info: HERE

The Moving Architects will return for artist residency at MANA Contemporary in Jersey City through the Monira Foundation.  The Monira Foundation Artist Residencies Program started in 2018 as a radical experimental laboratory, working in close collaboration with artists, curators, musicians, producers, and writers to conceive, realize, and present innovative projects in all media. Their aim is to spark, intensify, and promote an evolving cultural and social dialogue between creators, audiences, and institutions and focus on the unique potential of interdisciplinary work

The Shapes of Movement (Black Mountain College, NC)

By Events

{Re}HAPPENING 11
an annual arts event at the historic
Black Mountain College Campus at Lake Eden
April 8, 2023, 3-11pm

Black Mountain College at Lake Eden
375 Lake Eden Road
Black Mountain, NC 28711

Tickets: $15-$37

Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center developed a fundraising idea that grew into the {Re}HAPPENING, a dinner and performance event inspired by John Cage’s 1952 Theatre Piece No. 1, considered by many to be the first Happening. For the first six years, the Media Arts Project (MAP), an artist-run non-profit in Asheville, collaborated to organize and produce the event with BMCM+AC.

The {Re}HAPPENING is a one-day event at the historic campus of Black Mountain College, 15 minutes from Asheville. It is part art event, part fundraiser, and part community instigator, providing a platform for contemporary artists to share their responses to the vital legacy of Black Mountain College by activating the buildings and grounds of the BMC campus with installations, new media, music, and performance projects.

General admission brings in hundreds of visitors annually. In addition to providing a forum for regional artists and an accessible, immersive, educational experience for attendees, every year the event is a community collaboration between local businesses and arts organizations.

FEATURING:

The Shapes of Movement will be the second collaboration between the Moving Architects, interdisciplinary artist and videographer gwen charles and sculptor Crystal Gregory. With this work we explore the parameters of woven textiles and architecture as they pertain to the body and to movement— movement described by and remembered through the outlining material landscape. The movement through a landscape, the pliability of a textile, as well as their gridded systems, are described and explored in relation to social structures of citizenship and intersecting parts of a whole. Ultimately, recognition of these systems as boundaries and edges helps in describing the life within.

photo: The Shapes of Movement workshopping process February 2023 (Lexington, KY) – photo gwen charles

Guest Teacher (Dance Local, NJ)

By Events

Strength, Sweat, & Dance at Dance Local
Guest Class with Erin Carlisle Norton
Wednesday, March 29, 7-8pm

Dance Local
2 Morristown Road
Bernardsville, NJ 07924

Sign-up!
Drop-in Class $24 HERE

Guest instructor, Erin Carlisle Norton of The Moving Architects will bring a one of kind movement experience. To warm up and strengthen the body, barre like exercises and Pilates movements will be used and then shift to cardio and dance, to the super fun rock songs of the 1990s. No prior dance experience necessary!  Please wear comfortable, moveable clothing and SOCKS.

photo: Erin Carlisle Norton

Opine Dance Festival (Bryn Mawr Film Institute, PA)

By Events

Opine Film Festival Emerging Program
March 25, 2023, 1pm

Bryn Mawr Film Institute
824 W. Lancaster Avenue
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

TICKETS
General Admission: $11-$13.50
Tickets HERE

Dance and cinema come together in this program of shorts, presented as part of the 8th annual Opine Dance Film Festival. This selection of short dance films showcases work from new artists exploring and experimenting with screendance. Program includes “O my soul” created/performed by Erin Carlisle Norton/The Moving Architects.

photo: Erin Carlisle Norton in “O my soul”

Movers & Shapers: Lynn Peterson and Kate Sutter

By Podcast

PODCAST 151: Lynn Peterson and Kate Sutter

Release Date: 2.27.23

TO DOWNLOAD PODCAST OR LISTEN:

    • Apple Music: Subscribe, Listen, Rate Us HERE

    • Stitcher: Subscribe and Listen HERE

    • Spotify: Follow and Listen HERE

    • Any Smartphone Podcast app: Subscribe and Listen

Sharing the Power of Dance with Lynn Peterson and Kate Sutter

The power of dance can be harnessed and shared with people from all walks of life. The connection facilitated by the art form is undeniable when witnessing the fortuitous friendship between Lynn Peterson and Kate Sutter. The two visionary leaders behind SYREN Modern Dance join us today to share their respective dance journeys, and the process of starting, sustaining, and now celebrating 20 years of SYREN. We learn about their roles in the organization and their principal source of inspiration, as well as their intention to share the value of modern dance as widely as they can. Lynn and Kate always have been and always will be dedicated to dance and, in this episode, we are reminded of the importance of placing creativity at the center of any art form, despite the distraction of building a business around it. Tune in for this inspirational conversation with two women who didn’t idly wait for opportunities to come their way, but rather seized the reins and did it their way!

Key Points From This Episode:

  • Kate and Lynn’s respective dance backgrounds, and what initially drew them to dance.
  • The process of starting SYREN Modern Dance together.
  • The various jobs they’ve done along the way to support their dance careers.
  • SYREN’s development over the years.
  • Kate’s role in the company and what gives her the most energy in her role.
  • Lynn’s college audition and selection process.
  • How Kate and Lynn connected and how it transferred to their work.
  • What caused them to make the intentional shift to stop auditioning and start Syren.
  • Their intention to share the value of modern dance.
  • The story behind the name, Syren.
  • Their growth strategies for the organization and the challenges they’ve encountered.
  • How they’ve merged dance and science.
  • SYREN’s current projects and plans for the future.
  • The power of dance and the source of Lynn and Kate’s inspiration.

“The past five years have really started to feel like we have this organization that is being supported by many different prongs of programming, and the cycles of inspiration and work continue to feed each other and grow.” — Kate Sutter

SYREN Modern Dance is a New York City based company Co-founded by Lynn Peterson and Kate Sutter. Now celebrating its 20th year of sharing dance, SYREN exists to embrace dance as a conduit of connection, communication, curiosity, and collaboration.

In February 2022, SYREN performed on behalf of the U.S. State Department as a U.S. Cultural Ambassador at Expo 2020 Dubai (the first “World’s Fair” ever held in the Middle East).

SYREN has shared dance where people gather in classrooms, theaters, churches, temples, over Zoom, in the grass, in art galleries, libraries, and museums in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, Washington D.C., Texas, Rhode Island, Ohio, and Paris, France.

In addition to hundreds of individuals, SYREN has received support from Mid Atlantic Arts through USArtists International, a program in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Trust of Mutual Understanding, Aleph Fund, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Dance/NYC, Jewish Community Fund, and Queens Council on the Arts, Particle Fever, Harkness Space Grants (92nd Street Y), The Chelsea Art Museum, and by residencies at DanceNOW/NYC’s Silo and DTW’s Outer/Space.

SYREN has been exploring the intersection of science and art since 2015, which led to the premiere of “Red and Blue, Bitter and Sweet” in 2017. This dance was inspired by quantum mechanics, specifically entanglement, uncertainty principle, super position, and duality. SYREN’s most recent work “Ticktock” is performed in collaboration with Astrophysicist Paul Sutter, and is an exploration of time using dance and narrative sequences, “Ticktock” has been presented at Expo 2020 Dubai, Bryant Park, Museum of Science-Boston, Houston Museum of Natural Science, and New England Biolabs. In an effort to share the process of this intersection of science and art, SYREN created “Science in Motion”, and has since shared it with The American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington D.C., Society of Physics Students at NYU, Women in Physics at Yale, Children’s Museum of Manhattan, American Physical Society’s New England Conference, IONA College, The Chapin School, St. Paul’s School for Girls, Cambridge Science Festival, High Tech High School, OSU Dance Department, The Young Women’s Leadership School of Astoria, and Girl’s Inc. of NY.

In New York City, SYREN has been presented by Gibney Dance Center, Bach Vespers at Holy Trinity, Green Space, Arts on Site, Children’s Museum of Manhattan, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Riverside Theatre, Symphony Space, 92ND Street Y, Dance Theater Workshop, Dixon Place, Queens Theatre in the Park, d.u.m.b.o. Arts Under the Bridge Festival, and St. Mark’s Church.

SYREN has self-produced performances at Baryshnikov Arts Center, The Ailey Citigroup Theater, University Settlement, John Jay Theater, and St. Francis Xavier. SYREN’s visual arts partnership with The Art Students League of New York was exhibited at The Office of the Manhattan Borough President.

SYREN’s commissioned work by composer Galeet Dardashti was presented by JCC of Manhattan, 92Y Tribeca, and Le Poisson Rouge.

SYREN has worked with students in NYC at P.S. 123, Ballet Tech, Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School, and Mark Morris Dance Center.

Outside of New York City, SYREN’s has also been presented by Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Cité Universitaire in Paris, Purchase College, Bach Society of Houston, Sacred Music at the Red Door, Midwest Regional Alternative Dance Festival, White Plains Performing Arts Center, Educational Center for the Arts, New Haven Ballet, and Grounds for Sculpture, among others.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

SYREN Modern Dance

SYREN on Instagram

Lynn Peterson on Instagram

Kate Sutter on LinkedIn

Podcast produced by: The Moving Architects
Interviewer: Erin Carlisle Norton

Visiting Artist and Creative Residency at University of Kentucky

By Events

2020 Collaboration “Event of a Thread”

Visiting Artist and Creative Residency at University of Kentucky
February 19-25, 2023

Erin Carlisle Norton will teach dance courses alongside the company developing its second collaborative performance project “Shapes of Movement” with sculptor Crystal Gregory, interdisciplinary artist gwen charles, Imlay Gallery, and TMA dancers Emily Cicio and Kelly Guerrero.

Movers & Shapers: Alessandra Corona

By Podcast No Comments

PODCAST 150: Alessandra Corona


Release Date: 2.6.23

TO DOWNLOAD PODCAST OR LISTEN:

    • Apple Music: Subscribe, Listen, Rate Us HERE

    • Stitcher: Subscribe and Listen HERE

    • Spotify: Follow and Listen HERE

    • Any Smartphone Podcast app: Subscribe and Listen

A Legacy of Dance with Alessandra Corona

Today’s episode is sure to inspire you! Joining us in conversation today, we have a joyful spirit, Alessandra Corona. Tuning in, you’ll hear about her time as a principal dancer for Ballet Hispánico, overcoming a language barrier, and falling in love with modern dance. Alessandra shares how Ann Reinking was a revolutionary influence on her, and invited her to join the international Fosse tour. Alessandra’s life took an unexpected twist when she started her own dance company, Alessandra Corona Performing Works; hear the story of what motivated her to take the plunge, how her dancers made it possible, and so much more during this motivational episode. Thanks for listening!

“Fosse was something I never expected would happen in my career. All I wanted to be was a concert dancer, that’s it! In the modern company I was obsessed with contemporary work and modern work, but I was not thinking about Broadway!”

Key Points From This Episode:

  • The story of how Alessandra first became interested in dance.
  • Going to Rome alone to pursue her dream after attempting to study to be a dance teacher.
  • Why modern dance is her number one favorite way to perform.
  • Auditioning for Ballet Hispánico.
  • Moving to New York, learning English, and how dance saved Alessandra.
  • Why Ballet Hispánico was so challenging and why she loved it.
  • The influence that Ann Reinking had on Alessandra and joining the international Fosse Tour.
  • What motivated Alessandra to start a company.
  • Dancing at the age of 60 and the many different ways you can be on stage.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Alessandra Corona

Alessandra Corona Performing Works on Instagram

Alessandra Corona Performing Works on Facebook

Ballet Hispanico

Ann Reinking

BIO: Alessandra Corona is from Cagliari Italy (Sardinia) and was trained in ballet at the national Ballet Academy in Rome.She toured internationally for 5 years as a principal dancer with Renato Greco Dance Company at prestigious theaters such as Brooklyn Academy of music in New York.  After moving to New York, Alessandra was a principal dancer with Ballet Hispanico for 15 years, originating roles in ballets by renowned European and American choreographers.  Ann Reinking selected Alessandra as a principal dancer for 2 years in the international tour company of the musical “Fosse” which was performed in Europe and Asia, including 7 weeks of touring performances in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka (Japan). She has performed as a guest artist at various international dance festivals, including “Notte di Stelle” at the historical Amphitheatre in Cagliari (Italy), Villa Pamphili summer festival in Rome, Seattle international dance festival, Jacob’s Pillow festival, kick-off festival at the Lincoln Center Theater, City Center “Encore” season with the production of the Richard Rogers musical “No Strings”.  In 2012 Ms. Corona founded “Alessandra Corona Performing Works LTD” where she directs and performs in her own productions.

 

Podcast produced by: The Moving Architects
Interviewer: Erin Carlisle Norton

#MYDANCEFILM, Dance on Camera Festival (NYC)

By Events

#10 – #MYDANCEFILM, Dance on Camera Festival (NYC)
Sunday, February 12 at 5.30pm

Film at Lincoln Center
Ampitheather at Eleanor Bunin Monroe Film Center
144 W.65th Street
New York, NY
Dance on Camera Festival is co-presented annually
by Dance Film Association and Film at Lincoln Center

TICKETS
General Admission: Free at the door
Tickets HERE

Dance filmmakers, fresh and seasoned alike, engaged the public by posting their films to social media. A selection of these bold new dance films from around the globe make up the festival’s #MyDanceFilm Program including “O my soul” created/performed by Erin Carlisle Norton/The Moving Architects.

photo: Erin Carlisle Norton in “O my soul”

 

Movers & Shapers: Dante Puleio and Michelle Preston

By Podcast

PODCAST 149: Dante Puleio and Michelle Preston 

Release Date: 1.23.23

TO DOWNLOAD PODCAST OR LISTEN:

    • Apple Music: Subscribe, Listen, Rate Us HERE

    • Stitcher: Subscribe and Listen HERE

    • Spotify: Follow and Listen HERE

    • Any Smartphone Podcast app: Subscribe and Listen

Sustaining the Legacy of the Limón Dance Company with Dante Puleio and Michelle Preston

The Limón Dance Company is approaching its 75th anniversary and in today’s episode, we are joined by its Artistic Director, Dante Puleio, and Executive Director, Michelle Preston. Dante and Michelle’s passion for their work is palpable and over the next few years they plan to inject new energy into Limón while also preserving the company’s rich heritage. Tune in today to hear how dance changed the lives of these two guests, the journeys that led them to their current positions at Limón, and how, through marrying their different skill sets, they hope to enhance and empower the legacy of this institution. 

Key Points From This Episode:

  • Dante shares an overview of his journey to becoming a professional dancer.
  • Factors that make the Limón technique unique.
  • How dancing (and moving to London) changed Dante’s life. 
  • How Dante became part of the Limón Dance Company.
  • Some of Dante’s favorite side hustles. 
  • The topic of Dante’s master’s thesis. 
  • The new role that Dante took on in 2020. 
  • Dante shares the biggest challenges and biggest joys of his dancing career.
  • Michelle’s introduction to dancing.
  • The realization that Michelle came to after four years of intensive artistic study.
  • Why Michelle moved to New York, and her feelings about this decision.
  • Michelle’s first job out of Brooklyn College, and the jobs she held subsequently. 
  • Dante’s approach to fulfilling his role as Artistic Director of the Limón Dance Company. 
  • What Michelle’s position as Executive Director of the Limón Dance Company entails. 
  • How Michelle and Dante work together to realize the vision of the Limón Dance Company.
  • Exciting plans for the Limón Dance Company in 2023.
  • How Michelle wants to see the non-profit space evolve.
  • The vision behind Dante’s 7-year artistic plan. 

“I wasn’t really taking good care of myself emotionally or physically and when I started dancing, that’s when I woke up and started to find that I had a purpose.” — Dante Puleio

“In many ways, if you look at the legacy companies, I think that [the Limón Dance Company] showed dance companies how to move past that original founder in a smart, stable way. Sometimes I think that this organization doesn’t get enough credit for that.” — Michelle Preston 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Limón Dance Company

Limón Dance on Instagram

Dante Puleio Website

Dante Puleio on Instagram

Michelle Preston on LinkedIn

BIO

Dante Puleio, A widely respected former member of the Limón Dance Company for more than a decade, Puleio was appointed the sixth Artistic Director in the Company’s 75-year history, a position that originated with Doris Humphrey. Puleio, a Medici Scholar, began professional dance training in London, UK at the Laban Centre and the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds, UK. He graduated with a BFA from University of the Arts in Philadelphia and an MFA from University of California, Irvine. Puleio had a diverse performing career as a soloist and principal with the Limón Dance Company, touring the United States, Europe, Asia, and Africa. He worked with choreographic leaders in the field such as Donald McKayle and Murray Louis and has performed and restaged masterpieces created by the founders of modern dance. His career also spanned national and international tours of Broadway shows, film and television. He was featured in the “The Who’s Tommy”,  LifetimeTV’s “Your Mama Don’t Dance” and most recently in Noah Baumbach’s award winning “White Noise” on Netflix. Before moving into leadership with the Limón Dance Company, Puleio held professorship positions at a variety of prestigious research-one universities throughout the United States. As Director his research focuses on contextualizing mid 20th century dance for the contemporary artist and audience. He is committed to implementing his research by celebrating José Limón’s historical legacy and reimagining his intention and vision to reflect the rapidly shifting 21st century landscape.

BIO

Michelle Preston began her career in arts administration at the Columbus Symphony Orchestra before coming to New York City where she has worked with Urban Bush Women, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company and the School of American Ballet. She began at SITI Company in 2012 as the Deputy Director and served as Executive Director from 2014-2022.  While at SITI, Michelle produced 9 world premieres, 17 domestic and international tours, and 5 New York City seasons. She also led the multi-year strategic planning process that resulted in the SITI Legacy Plan, a comprehensive set of activities meant to celebrate the accomplishments and preserve the legacy of the ensemble before the organized and intentional sunset at the end of 2022.

She holds an M.F.A. in Performing Arts Management from Brooklyn College and a B.F.A. in Dance Performance from Northern Illinois University. Michelle spent six years as an adjunct faculty member for the Brooklyn College Performing Arts Management MFA program teaching fundraising and 18-months serving as the Interim Program Head.  Additionally, she has guest lectured at Bard College, Columbia University, Columbia University Teachers College, Marymount Manhattan, NYU, Playwrights Horizons Theater School, and St. Lawrence University. She has also served as a panelist for the Brooklyn Arts Council Regrant Program, the TCG Global Connections Grant, the ART/NY Nancy Quinn Fund, and the NAMT Innovation & Exploration Fund.

 

Podcast produced by: The Moving Architects
Interviewer: Erin Carlisle Norton