Downtown Dance Scene in NYC/Ballerina is a lonely animal.

I have lived in NYC for over 15 years but I have to say that I didn’t know much about the downtown dance scene in NYC until I met Yoshiko Chuma. And I am still not sure if I am a part of it. I think there are several levels of how you think about "Downtown Dance" and still so much that I don’t know yet. But for sure It’s been a discovery for me in the last 5-6 years and I like this world and these people.

"Mecca" for the NY Downtown Dance community / Movement Research - Judson Memorial Church 55 Washington Square S, New York, NY

One thing that occurs to me: the community of artists & collaborative work are very helpful for the artist who is hungry and wants to create and express something.

Going to see others work and supporting each other etc.. basically cultivating artist friends around you that use the same grammar and vocabulary is so important.

Growing up in the ballet world my intention was always to be a better dancer and to keep practicing on my own and figure out how to rise from the competitive world and then how to be an artist from there. So, this deeply collaborative idea was not something in my mind.

Yoshiko has been pushing me, not just to be a better dancer, but to be an artist.

She is the first person that discovered my talent as a film maker by using and collaborating with me. If you look at the years that I have been dancing, the days of being a filmmaker are still short and I haven’t really developed confidence yet. But since I was a little girl I always loved films and seeing the world with a camera's eye.

However I am transitioning more in that direction now as much as I love performing and of course I am not done yet dancing.

I am in my 40s and in the traditional dance world I am a veteran and almost retired. But around Yoshiko I am still a baby and have so much to learn.

The picture above is from the Movement Research 2018 GALA. We honored these 3 ladies, Yoshiko Chuma, Dona Ann McAdams, and Lori E. Seid!

I made this film in 2017 and this “Dead End Hey! women “ was a part of the Gala evening presentation.