Tell us about yourself. Who are you and what do you do?

I am a choreographer, teacher and performer. My dance company, now in its 29th year, is in residence at the Northampton Center for the Arts and presents concerts, open rehearsals, workshops and educational programs. My choreographic interests are wide-ranging: compositional structure, abstract work for large groups, musical and poetic forms, uses of repetition and dances built on elaborate costume and visual design. Teaching, composing, rehearsing, performing, collaborating with artists in other fields and working with the wonderful dancers in the company are a tremendous joy and work well worth doing.

Tell us about some projects you have worked on. Which one was your favorite and why?

Well, Aria with Different Variations (music by J.S. Bach), created for the company dancers and their children. And the evening of pieces to music by Paul Hindemith featuring musicians and audience singing the opening of In Praise of Music. With music by Arvo Part, endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful celebrated Charles Darwin. Collaborating with Peter Blanchette on Evening Song (music by Philip Glass) was an extraordinary honor. But best of all, working with Musical Director Elizabeth Haymaker and Composer-in Residence Andrea Kwapien, exceptional artists whose enormous creativity, artistry and great-heartedness animate every project of our many years together.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

These days?

Wash your hands.

Tell us about some other jobs you have had other than being an artist.

On my first day of graduate school, I was astonished to discover that the university had not one, not two, but twenty-two libraries! There were libraries for everything. So, imagine the thrill of finding a job in the Book Acquisitions Department, receiving and cataloging books, journals and other materials for the Slavic Languages collections. It was a dream come true! The work also provided an unusual perspective on current Cold War politics, from the content of materials shipped to the libraries to how shifting U.S.-Soviet relations effected educational dialogue between nations.

Where can we find your work?

When we meet again, everyone is invited to come to our concerts at the Northampton Center for the Arts. And be sure to stay afterwards— there will be dinner for you! You can find the secret that bamboo guards (music by Andrea Kwapien) in a film made by Richard Wagner as part of his Inside the Box series for the Northampton Community Arts Trust. https://vimeo.com/219902975 And look for Unsquare Dance (music by Dave Brubeck) on the very first episode of Hawley Street TV! https://vimeo.com/409084241