MSP 183: Heidi Henderson

PODCAST 183: Heidi Henderson

Release Date: 1.20.25

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Something About the Way She Moves with Heidi Henderson

Episode 183: Show Notes.

Heidi Henderson teaches Modern Technique, Composition, Improvisation, Anatomy, and Dance Writing at Connecticut College. She’s also the artistic director of elephant JANE dance, where she brings her unique vision and creativity to the stage. Heidi grew up in Maine, spent some time in New York City, and now lives in Rhode Island. Heidi is a four-time recipient of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts Choreography Fellowship. Her work has been performed internationally in London and Korea, as well as at renowned venues like Jacob’s Pillow, The Flynn Space, and the Bates Dance Festival. She has danced with acclaimed companies and artists, including Bebe Miller, Nina Weiner, Paula Josa-Jones, Colleen Thomas, Peter Schmitz, and Sondra Loring, and was a contributing editor at Contact Quarterly, a vehicle for moving ideas. Join the conversation to hear what inspired her dance journey, what her experience was like in New York, what it was like to figure out the intricate logistics of performing in a roller-skating rink, and what inspired the name of her company. We highlight some of the challenges, benefits, and peaks of her journey, what’s next for her, and much more! Don’t miss out, tune in now.

Key Points From This Episode:

Heidi shares her dance journey throughout the years.
What ultimately sucked her into the world of dance.
She details her experience getting her M.F.A. at Smith.
Her plan after graduate school.
Heidi talks about her experience in New York with Bebe Miller, Nina Weiner, and more.
What Heidi did as a “job” during her time in New York (and how those skills are still in use!)
The logistics behind her recent show, Untitled Sad Piece, performed in a roller-skating rink.
Heidi’s journey as she started making her own work.
The story behind the name of her company, elephant JANE dance.
How her teaching career came together and evolved over the years.
She breaks down some of the challenges she’s faced over the span of her dance journey.
We discuss some of the benefits of starting a dance career later on.
Looking back, we highlight some of the peaks of her dance career.
What’s next for Heidi.
How Heidi finds artists to work with.

ABOUT Heidi

Heidi Henderson (she/her) lives and makes work in RI, is a Professor at Connecticut College, and danced in NYC (in the companies of Bebe Miller, Nina Wiener, Peter Schmitz, Sondra Loring, Colleen Thomas, Paula Josa-Jones, etc.) Her pickup company, elephant JANE dance, performs mostly in New England. She has received, five times, the Fellowship in Choreography from the Rhode Island State Council for the Arts. She was a frequent contributing editor for Contact Quarterly. Her process is made slightly more clear in a gracious interview by Sara Smith for Kinebago, republished in Critical Correspondence by Movement Research. She is most grateful for the folks at Motion State Arts and United Skates for allowing her to dance in a roller rink.

photo: courtesy Heidi Henderson