Eight Artists Dig In & Take Root

This May, we were excited to present a special edition of TAKE ROOT at Green Space featuring work from our eight D.I.G. Residency Artists! What began as the first ideas and segments of movement in September 2025 came together through months of work and feedback to create two exciting programs of work!

Our D.I.G. Artists - DAY 1!

THE D.I.G. RESIDENCY provides choreographers an opportunity to develop and share new work together during work sessions moderated by members of the Green Space Artist Advisory board, including Valerie Green, Aviva Geismar, Selma Trevino, Nicole McClam, Chris Ferris, Jon Lehrer, and Hector Canonge.  The residency provides a space to deepen the creative process while building relationships with fellow New York City-based choreographers and dancers, and includes professional development opportunities.

Our Artists this season dove into an exploration of personal topics - from grief, idea of self, to the world around them. In these sessions, we were fortunate to witness the group taking risks and exploring ideas that were important to them, and see what was present in both their personal and artistic lives as part of the process.

 From our Artists:

“As a choreographer, sometimes you’re just so stuck in what you think it should look like that you don’t actually see what it looks like at all. So to have a consistent view of seven other people really helps to kind of bring in a sense of landing.” - Robert Mark Burke

“The D.I.G. program was a lovely support structure for going deep in my process without having to worry too much about the other aspects of producing a show. The structure, community, feedback, performances, and discounted rehearsal space really made it easier to take risks, take time, and enjoy the process.” - Caitlin Sikora

“Nothing like this exists in the city -- a space to grow your work in community with the opportunity to fully produce and perform your show over the weekend. The structure, the balanced selection of artists, the amazing mentors - all of this was so supportive of my process and the piece.” - Steph McIsaac

Photos by David Rauch

We are so proud of the work these Artists put together this season, thank you all for sharing your work with us at Green Space!

Keep an eye on our Opportunities page for the 2025-2026 D.I.G. Residency, applications open this Summer!

The Invitation Arts Collective's THE SEAGULLMACHINE

The Seagullmachine was an invitation to interrogate the value-systems that our society subscribes to, and the artistic and political machines that govern our lives and continue to yield severe consequences for everyone, but especially those who dissent. By disrupting the form, characters, and narrative of a well-known theatrical text (Anton Chehkov's The Seagull), The Seagullmachine asked the audience to let go of their previous ideas about theatrical  conventions, and to step into a new world of meaning-making with the cast. Along with the performances, TIAC held community events centered around mutual aid, independent art distribution, and holding conversations on what it means (and what it might look like) to effectively dismantle and destroy a system. 

Green Space helped us send this invitation in multiple ways. The space was a beautiful lab to hold design and choreography experiments in during the rehearsal process, and our audiences were excited to discover not only the work, but Green Space itself! The staff at Green Space was very supportive, from our first visit and meeting with Valerie, to our final performance and beyond. Any time we had questions, or had new elements come up in the rehearsal room, we felt empowered to ask questions and collaborate to find solutions that worked for both us and the Green Space team. It was such a privilege for us to collaborate with a venue and arts community that holds similar values and aspirations for what the performing arts are capable of, especially in a political climate where the government is stripping arts funding from organizations of all sizes

The Invitation Arts Collective (TIAC) is a multi-disciplinary arts collective that creates accessible work that centers activism and inspires direct action. Each piece that TIAC produces invites the audience to respond to the work in a way that generates momentum around the content and thesis of the piece.

Interested in renting Green Space for an independent production like this one?

Visit https://www.greenspacestudio.org/space for more information.

Move, Heal, Transform: A Retreat for Deep Emotional Release at Earthdance by Valerie Green

Have you ever felt like there’s something inside you—an emotion, a tension, an energy—that’s waiting to be released? I created the Skimming the Surface: Movement Healing Retreat as an invitation for you to step into that space, to move, feel, and heal. This 3-day retreat is for adults navigating stress, trauma, or simply the need to reconnect with themselves in a profound way. Through somatic-based expressive movement, we’ll work together to unlock and release what’s been held inside, allowing you to integrate movement, emotion, and transformation in a safe, supportive space.

A Journey into Movement Healing

Every movement journey in this retreat is intentionally crafted to support you in the way that feels right for you. As your guide, I will gently lead you into a space where you can open doors within yourself—doors that lead to a deeper understanding of your emotions, your energy, and your healing process.

Rather than relying on words, movement allows us to bypass the thinking mind and dive straight into the raw, unfiltered truth of our experiences. In this process, emotions and memories may rise to the surface, but you won’t be alone in facing them. My approach is compassionate and intuitive, ensuring that every participant is held in a space of care and non-judgment so that true transformation can unfold.

A Holistic Experience

This retreat isn’t just about movement—it’s about embracing a full-bodied, heart-centered healing experience. Throughout the weekend, we’ll weave together:

· Breathwork & Expanded Consciousness Practices (to center and open the body-mind connection)

· Guided Movement Improvisation with Intention (to awaken embodied awareness)

· Body Reading & Energy Healing (to tune into energetic patterns and shifts)

· Somatic Experiencing, Inner Child, & Parts Work (to access deeper emotional layers)

· Core Energetics & Emotional Release (to express and move through blockages)

· Shamanic Journeying & Visioning (to connect with deeper wisdom and guidance)

· Voice Activation & Expressive Writing, Drawing (to integrate through sound, words, and pictures)

· Intuitive Exploration & Self-Discovery (to synthesize and embody the experience)

Beyond the structured sessions, there will be space for quiet reflection, journaling, time in the sauna, and walks in nature—moments to breathe, integrate, and connect with a community of fellow seekers on this journey with you.

A Retreat for All

No prior experience with movement healing is needed. Whether you’re brand new to this work or already have a practice, you are welcome here. This is a space for all bodies and abilities—a space where you can show up exactly as you are and be received with warmth and acceptance.

If this speaks to you—if you’re feeling the pull to move, release, and rediscover yourself—I invite you to join me.

This weekend is a gift to yourself, a time to let go and lean into healing. I can’t wait to welcome you.

May 2nd - 4th, 2025 at Earthdance, 252 Prospect Street, Plainfield, MA 01070

TEASER VIDEO: https://youtu.be/4KYzUYhATQs?si=pfy87mcw_cnSAp3I

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER HERE

VG/DE Teaching Artist Spotlight on Kenneth Herrera!

I have been working for Dance Entropy for over three years, and I can confidentially say that I am continuously encouraged as a dancer & artist to explore and teach the styles that I am passionate about. Dance Entropy has given me the opportunity to teach dancehall, afrobeat, hip hop and salsa at many different high schools and older adult centers and I have loved every single residency. Teaching at The Scholars Academy in Queens has been particularly special for me because the students are always so engaged, enthusiastic, and passionate about learning all the styles, even if it's for the first time. I feel like I have built a relationship with a lot of students, because we created an environment that is open-minded, judgment free, and fruitful.

Kenneth Herrera was born and raised in Brooklyn, and pursued acting for three years at Bronx Academy of Letters. He fell in love with dance when he was introduced to break dancing in Honduras. After college, Kenneth devoted himself to years of training at Broadway Dance Center. Kenneth has danced with many dance crews such as Heart Break Crew, Vintage Quality, Hip-Hop Theory, Lakai Dance Company, WRT, DPA, and Cora. Kenneth intends to continue training but has found great passion in teaching all ages throughout New York.

“We just finished up our first two residency performances and everyone is RAVING about Kenn and Dance Entropy. We love Kenn and what he does for our students. They also love him and he has great rapport with them.” 

- Christina Quintana, Scholars Academy

Dance Entropy provides Artist in Residence partnerships tailored specifically to each venue and educational institution’s needs. The company provides ongoing teaching programs, master classes, open rehearsals as well as commissions of new or existing repertory works for performance.

Voices from CROSS POLLINATION

“It was dark, cold, and piercingly windy outside on January 25th, but Green Space Studios was warm, welcoming, and exploding with synergy. The CROSS POLLINATION Jam kicked off with “15 Minutes of Fame” at 7 pm. This minimalist salon presentation consisted of 15 one-minute dances by 15 different choreographers to 15 one-minute pieces. Yumi Suehiro provided live accompaniment with a toy piano.

THEN — Random creativity broke loose, as dancers, musicians, visual artists, models, and a few people with talent – and no inhibitions – improvised together or individually. A saxophone player hit some blue notes, while a percussionist kept a beat, along with the guitar and flutist. Green Space Artistic Director Valerie Green swayed around next to a dancer who sheepishly shuffled his feet. Many participants caught the scene on paper with crayons as they sat cross legged on the floor.

And on and on they went until about 10 pm, when it was time to brace the outside elements and head home.”

— Rob MacKay, Queens Economic Development Corporation

*Cross Pollination was an ongoing program from 2009-2012, resurrected for this collaborative event*

“What a lovely performance!  I truly thought this set of 15 came together quite beautifully and masterfully.  The variety and expertise of your artistry wove together perfectly for the each of the works. This was a great event to just hang out and "be".  It brought a warm feeling to the whole night, Green Space was a perfect venue for the event.

Yumi brought a lovely poetry to these 15 little pieces for Toy Piano.  On the music side we both know the trials and tribulations of getting the 15 composers and creating a set of 15.  And then to perform the live with other artists is another talent of accompaniment that isn't easily achieved. Thank you so much!”

— Rob Voisey, Vox Novous Founder and Director of Fifteen Minutes of Fame

“I just watched the video. Fantastic!!! I hadn't seen some of the dances. We all have such different styles! - Divergent points of view! The thought and work was evident. I love that each choreographer, musician, videographer put so much serious work into this. Rob as producer, Valerie as host...Could we have a better group? I think not.”

— Rachael Kosch, FOF Dance Director

“It was lovely seeing all, returning and newcomers alike. Lovely seeing everybody's dances on Yumi's incredible playing. The Jam party that followed was a lot of fun too. Thank you Valérie for hosting us in your great space. And thank you Rachael and Rob for this fun 15-minutes-of-fame initiative.”

— Virginie Mecene

“Thank you all so much for making Saturday’s show such a fun experience!  I really enjoyed seeing and hearing your wonderful talents (choreographic and musical and organizational and otherwise) - plus, what a truly collaborative spirit all-around.”

 — Kendall Rileigh

Local LIC artist Banks Clayton

In a Safe Place with Safe People by Lillian Wyld

Taking part in the Somatic Healing Group has been more transformational and safer than any other modality of therapy I’ve tried before. I have extensive experience with traditional talk therapy and while that’s been great for many people, it hasn’t been for me.

This group has shown me how to actively work through trauma and get to the other side, with support, kindness, and direction. Valerie herself is a highly intuitive and kind presence that makes you feel comfortable enough to dig deep.

There are many amazing parts of this group including a community of people all wanting to do “the work”. For me the biggest helpful aspect has been how safe I’ve felt. Through regular talk therapy my intellectualization of pain was heightened and actual healing got farther away. In the presence of 10+ other people in this group listening to you with kindness, I felt scared and put on the spot at first, but with Valerie’s direction, that changed to feeling held. By moving my body or acting out scenarios that held trauma within them, in a safe place with safe people, it’s like I could feel my brain rewiring. After the session I walk out into the world feeling safer and more comfortable in my body and mind. It’s elicited drastic changes for me, from how I walk and dress and talk and live my life.

Valerie told us at the beginning of this process that participants would be able to heal by holding space when other people share their stories and work through things. I wasn’t sure how that would work. But then I personally had breakthroughs and emotional releases while bearing witness to others, and then had the experience of getting support while also giving it to the person having their healing experience. I think that singular aspect has been the most healing, trauma getting triggered and breaking me down, and then through words, similar experiences, or literally being held by the others in the room, getting support and no longer feeling alone in all of this.

The space Valerie has created feels magical, it is serious, and intense work that can be very dark and scary, but somehow after every group meeting, I walk away feeling lighter and like I have more life I’m able to live. Anyone curious, I would encourage to give this form of therapy a try, it has completely changed my life.

The Next Session Is Open For Enrollment: February 25, 2025 - July 1, 2025

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER HERE!

Questioning the Dance Form

Attending the CINARS Biennale in Montreal, Canada was an exciting immersion into the Montreal and European dance market.  The Biennale was comprised of exhibitors, presenters, and observers attending a host of panels, discussions, pitches, performances, parties and more, including a trade show floor with hundreds of booths.  The offerings varied from circus, to theater, some music, and mostly dance.  The venues ranged from small studios, to theaters of all sizes, old and new, modern and classical, even skating rinks, circus warehouses and opera houses.  Traversing the city by shuttles, taxi, and foot was an adventure - I am thankful for google maps!

Naturally for me what was most striking was the dance performances, and the extent to which the performative dance form was questioned and pushed.  Repetition, duration, explorations of physicality, exhaustion, nudity, and sexuality were most present.  Multiple themes rolled into one show that kept going and going - not sure what some of them amounted to in the end!  I noticed this trend while attending a conference in Bulgaria last June.  There was definitely not much dancey dance - if any at all!  And it was very different stylistically from dance in NYC and the US in many respects.

Performance by Toronto Dance Theater

Seventeen plus performances were viewed, it was hard to keep track of them all!  It was inspiring to see such varied work, and discuss the performances with colleagues in the field.  The attendees were very friendly and warm, which was a welcomed experience.  I made new friends and contacts, and look forward to continuing conversations and potential collaborations and exchanges in the years to come.

— Valerie

Witnessing The Process Behind the Curtain by Natalia Sanchez

Photo by Dew Rattanas

When I first arrived to New York at 20 years of age I was so eager to find community and learn all things dance related, I aspired to one day put my skills into action. Three years later after my arrival to the US and after graduating from the Certificate Program at Peridance Center I found Green Space. 

I had my first encounter with Green Space by participating in their Fertile Ground Series in October 2023, where I showcased a solo performed by a friend of mine. Later that evening I meet Valerie Green. 

Since then I’ve worked alongside Valerie as Programs Manager at her studio. I got to take on and to learn various roles such as; Box Office, House Manager, facilitated communications amongst artists, Social Media management, Photographer and Videographer. And even a guest dancer in Splash! All of which, have gifted me a new perspective as an artist. 

Helping artists to bring their vision into the stage is a magical act often overlooked by the spectators, with Green Space I was lucky enough to witness the process behind the curtain. 

Valerie has been a mentor and an indispensable figure in my dance career not only as a dancer and choreographer but also as an arts administrator. The knowledge that I’ve received and the artists I’ve exchanged conversations with since working at Green Space is something that I will always carry with me. The willingness that Valerie Green has to help artists to further develop their craft is beyond limits. She is the perfect example of excellence and perseverance that women in the arts hold, especially in New York City. 

As I exit my position as Programs Manager at Green Space I want to thank not only Valerie, but the Valerie Green/ Dance Entropy dancers, the artists at our Take Root and Fertile Ground series for trusting me with your creative vision. 

Thanks to Green Space for opening their doors and for being a home to many in the creative field.

Summer Intensive Immersion!

Intensive Class & Performance Photos

Our 15th Annual VG/DE 2024 Summer Intensive at Green Space has come to a close and we’re currently reflecting on the moments that made a week as special.

Our exciting 7-day program consisted of a variety of classes, from Contemporary Technique, Improvisation and Yoga-Lates, to Valerie Green's Skimming the Surface, to our companies' Repertory/Performance Lab class that culminated in a studio performance where our participants presented an excerpt of our newest piece RITE to an enthusiastic and supportive audience of friends and family.

“I was honored to teach repertory in this year's intensive. The participants worked their butts off. It was very rewarding to see them improve day to day, over the course of the week. By the end, they not only had 21 minutes of choreography that they performed (with vigor!), but gelled as a group of movers and friends." 
- VG/DE Company Member / Repertory Faculty Aidan Feldman

The student’s willingness to try new forms of moving, transformed the room info a safe movement space where curiosity was sparked and the discovery for various pathways of dance ignited.

“Teaching improvisation in VG/DE’s summer intensive put me in my favorite intersection to inhabit - an exploratory space in which I can challenge, question, and deepen my own pedagogical/artistic practice, as well as a space of service and collaboration, specifically with helping the students access more ease in inhabiting the repertory’s improvisatory moments. I felt a clear sense of personal development as much as I felt appropriately integral to the program as a whole, and the students’ receptiveness was a breath of fresh air amid the city summer heat.”  - VG/DE Company Member, Improvisation Faculty Jonathan Matthews-Guzmán 

This long running program is open to the public and in collaboration with local CUNY Schools in offering scholarships to developing dancers in need of support. Each year offers different educational offerings and instructors to keep it fresh! We are delighted to have served so many local students over the years in such a valuable summer program.

“I am feeling thankful that I got to be a part of a wonderful opportunity to become stronger and learning to be more present and aware of my weaknesses, physicality, and emotions. I feel like I have a lot more skills to work with to be the best version of myself.”
- Student Testimonial

Burning In & Burning Out in Bulgaria!

Hello VG/DE Blog Readers as I report on my latest overseas dance adventure...

I am writing on the plane, returning from representing Dance Entropy in Eastern Europe, where I enthusiastically joined over 400 international arts leaders in the 2024 IETM Plenary meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria!

The journey kicked off with an intimate 30 person, pre-conference excursion to Veliko Turnovo and Gabrovo with an immersion into grassroots cultural performance spaces. We then joined the other attendees in Sofia, which included performing artists, producers, managers, and presenters from across the globe. This important meeting is held in a different European country annually and focuses on the hosts arts scene while highlighting the local performers. 

This year's event was headquartered at one of Sofia's newest and most exciting multi-stage arts center Toplocentrala. The Bulgarian talent presented included an exciting mix of dance, drama and physical theater, puppetry, circus, interactive, and multi-disciplinary performing arts. Besides the main venue the performances were taking place in diverse venues throughout the city and outside, it was exciting to traverse Sofia on the hunt for these obscure spaces, while breathing in the city streets and atmosphere (thank god for google maps:).

In addition to an offering of 6 one of kind performances per day, I think I saw a total of 12 on this trip. There were panels, meetings, and talks on a variety of subjects relevant to the field.  This year's focus/theme was BURN IN, BURN OUT.  What is it we burn for? What is it we are burned out from? Generally, we found that everyone is burned out from something, alongside being "burned in" or excited about something else in the meantime. There was a lot of connection and understanding as we all resonated with each other and the sentiments shared.

All in all, it was a great experience, meeting local arts makers, their unique venues, the work, and how it differs from what is presented in NYC and the US. It was exciting and refreshing for me to witness so much diverse art making, and return to the Balkans, where I have spent much time in the past.  Besides picking what shows I wanted to see, or talks, as many overlapped, was the ongoing meeting and connecting with the other attendees from around the world. There was much to talk about, network and connect on, as we shared food, drinks and local sites together.

It was a jammed packed week, I leave feeling inspired by the work I witnessed, by the people I met, conversations, and hopefully potential future collaborations!

Introducing Sophia Diehl, VG/DE’s newest Company Member!

The nourishing space that Valerie Green/Dance Entropy cultivates for emerging artists became the springboard to my professional dance career in New York City. In Spring 2023, I participated as a choreographer in the DIG program. Through the mentorship of moderators and feedback from peers, I developed a 10-minute solo that helped me to hone my artistic voice and sink into new ways of generating movement. Performing my solo, Sullen Roots, at Green Space expanded my confidence as a dance-maker and inspired me to continue finding ways to create and share work. 

The connections I formed with wonderful choreographers throughout the DIG process opened opportunities for work as a dancer. I began performing with Clymene Aldinger, a DIG cohort member, and Chris Ferris, one of our moderators. Valerie Green invited me to dance as a guest artist in her new site-specific work, Clepsydra, a physical investigation into water, time and environment. Valerie originally choreographed Clepsydra around a water sculpture at Socrates Sculpture Park. I loved taking part in this dynamic process of transferring choreography to an outdoor environment and working with live musicians. The day of the performance was joyful and community-filled. 

We have since had two more opportunities to reset and perform Clepsydra at Gantry Plaza State Park and at the New York Hall of Science. Each rendition has challenged me as an artist to find new connections with the natural environment through our movement. I’ve also enjoyed seeing how audience members warmly receive the piece. The audience of our most recent performance was filled with kids who were enchanted by the interactive animation projected on the walls! 

Becoming a cast member of Clepsydra has folded me into a beautiful community of other dancers who I admire for both their artistry and their character. This piece is performed by a diverse cast in which every dancer is able to express their authenticity. This artistic individuality is another reason I have come to love Green Space and feel that it is an essential asset to our NYC dance community.

VG/DE Teaching Artist Spotlight on Lawson Pinder

Working as a Teaching Artist, and Dancer with VG/DE has helped me tremendously in growing as an Artist. In helping me keep with my motto, “in learning you will teach, in teaching you will learn”.

Imparting all the knowledge that I’ve acquired through my experience as a Performing Artist and a Teaching Artist, is one of the great joys I get out of doing what I love. Which is bringing an experience to children, and adults alike that may not have had the opportunity to explore. 

The Home residency, this year has been pretty eventful! The kids were excited, some of them remembered me from last year! A few of the students, were very eager to share some of their dance experiences with me. Seeing their little eyes, light up when I came on stage was so heart-warming, we had a journey together, moving from being in the classroom with them to being on stage in front of them.

This year I also worked with High Schoolers at Scholars Academy in Far Rockaway. My experience with teaching high school is usually almost like pulling teeth, we all know how high school students are... “cause we’re cool”  But This high school - they are ready and so eager to learn and dance they’re so involved it sometimes seems unreal. The energy that I receive for these students just heightens my passion as a Teaching Artist.

I want to say in the past 14 years I have created a mission and refined it, which is to be the voice of encouragement and guidance, for the youth.

I like to sometimes see myself as a “initiator of passion”. Majority of the humans that cross my path love my stories of where I’ve been, or what I’ve been through to get to where I am today. It just really inspires them to not be afraid of taking a risk, take a chance they really never know what will happen.

There are so many examples, but just happened recently at one of the schools I’m doing a residency at.

Story time:-

There’s this little girl no more than 11/12 I want to say she wasn’t even in my dance class but just hanging out, and I noticed she was playing around.

​A lot of interesting voices just flowed from her. After “kikiing” with her for a bit I suggested she should look into becoming a voice over actor, of course she has no clue what I was talking about. Fast forward a few weeks, maybe a month of getting to know her and answering her questions about voiceover and acting, she came to me just last week and said her mom is looking to enroll her in a voice over acting class to try it out.

So, yeah that one example, of what I get out of what I do and why I love being a Teaching Artist. I’m just grateful that VG/DE took that chance on me to continue my mission, and to enhance VG/DE community outreach program.

Lawson

HOME - Neighborhood School Series - Celebrate the beauty of diversity

HOME takes young audiences on a journey around the world to explore the concept of home. Through a combination of colorful costumes, lively music, and participation, children are transported to different countries and cultures, gaining a deeper understanding of what home means to people from diverse backgrounds and giving them time to reflect on what home means to them.

The show features dances from Sweden, India, Burkina Faso West Africa, and the USA, showcasing the rich traditions and unique movements of each culture. From the energetic rhythms of Colombia to the graceful movements of India, the children were captivated by the variety of styles and expressions on display and delighted to try the movements on their own bodies.

One of the highlights of the performance is the opportunity for audience participation, allowing children to join in the fun and learn some basic dance steps themselves. This interactive element not only keeps kids engaged but also encourages them to appreciate the art form of dance and its ability to bring people together.

HOME is not just a dance performance – it is a celebration of diversity, unity, and the universal desire for belonging. By exposing children to different cultures and perspectives, the show promotes empathy, understanding, and a sense of global citizenship.

As part of our neighborhood school series, HOME is offered free of charge to schools in the community, making it accessible to all students regardless of their background or financial circumstances. Dance Entropy is committed to providing high-quality arts experiences for young audiences, and HOME is a shining example of our dedication to promoting cultural exchange and artistic expression.

 Let's celebrate the beauty of diversity and the power of dance to connect us all, no matter where we call home.

Take Root Spotlight: Jeeno Joseph Nadanam Collective

“Your support and commitment to showcasing diverse talents make a significant impact on the arts community. The experience has been invaluable, and we are grateful for the exposure and connections it has brought our way.”

— Jeeno Joseph

Take Root is a monthly curated series that supports dance makers by providing an opportunity to present a paired evening of work. The impact Jeeno Joseph Nadanam Collective made on audiences last week was profound.

Today we are shining a spotlight on Jeeno and his experience at Take Root.

Jeeno Joseph Nadanam Collective’s work explores Bharatanatyam. An Indian classical dance from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. “As a first generation Malayali - American born to parents who emigrated from Kerala to New York, I’ve often felt a lack of representation for the Malayalam language within the Bharatanatyam repertoire. Through this work I hope to explore the beauty of Malayalam musical compositions, poetry, culture and rhythms through the traditional Indian dance form of Bharatanatyam.”

“It was an honor to be a part of such a beautiful event, and I am truly appreciative of the platform you provided for our performance.”

— Jeeno Joseph

Photos by David Rauch

Come to Take Root and support our March artists Grant Jacoby & Dancers and Althea Dance Company.

Purchase tickets here

Stepping into Rikers Island, and Out

Mask drawings from Skimming the Surface participants

Stepping into Rikers Island, and Out

By Valerie Green

On my many journeys throughout NYC offering my signature workshop Skimming the Surface since 2013 I have worked in halfway houses, homeless shelters, substance abuse centers, work release programs, Queens Public Library, NYC Correctional facilities among many others. Each opportunity is its own adventure that can be beautiful, challenging, and/or profound. My latest visit to Rikers Island on January 24th, came after a several year hiatus, due to the pandemic. I was pleased to receive an email from Rose M. Singer's House Programs Manager asking for my return to share this valuable workshop with the inmates of this all-female house. After many visits to Rikers I think I finally got down almost all the rules of getting in and getting out of Rikers as vendor, how does no one teach you this? The first time back in 2017 was an intense and intimidating free fall learning curve. I was relieved all went smoothly, as I was received and guided through many detectors, gates, and check points to the prison’s gymnasium. I was greeted by 10 inmates who thought they were going to make a dance performance! They soon learned they were really going to be entering a journey into themselves to move and process emotions. While there was most certainly the strong defenses and ego masks to attempt to penetrate of this diverse group, the impact was real. We explored our bodies in movement, breath, our boundaries, letting go, seeing and being seen, while finding our voices. We explored what the inmates wanted to moving forward to, identified our resources to feel better, AND the limitations and gifts of our mask. This unique and very different experience for the innates was a journey they didn't quite expect, but were welcomed to receive by class end. The most meaningful exercise for all was finding "what to move forward to" when you are stuck inside a prison. Through our time together there were tears, small and large, flowing releasing, and shedding, and the eventual moments of showing a glimpse of the real self. This deep exploration all among an unusual flow of correctional facility staff as spectators, as I led the inmates to explore their very personal fears and sorrows. As we sat in our final circle sharing, what was most real was some amount of connection that finally landed, and the gratitude the inmates had for my presence and generosity in offering this experience inside the infamous wall of Rikers. For a couple of innates I was their first visitor. They all felt better and more relaxed, had a flicker of hope to look for inside themselves, and new tools to work with for the hard moments, that undoubtedly will continue to come.

As I drove off, and felt my own body and breath, I took stock of the successful experience, and once again felt honored to do this healing work. I am inspired by the power of movement, the capacity of the human mind and spirit, and the opportunity to keep connecting to myself.

“It really helped, today I was in my feelings”

“It feels good to think about my struggles and how I can work to achieve past them”

This program is supported by The NYC Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

“RITE” and Reflection

The healing ceremony and meditative ritual, “RITE,” made an impact on audience members gathered at the Queens Public Library, Hunters Point on Monday December 11th. 

 This physical dance work, performed by 6 men, invites the audience to not only witness the performers on a journey through their internal struggles but also to participate in their own ritual of letting go. The vulnerability of the performers was palatable creating a visceral experience for the audience and drawing them deeply into the piece. Viewing the work, along with participating in this ritual, had a profound effect on audience members in attendance.  

 At the talkback, led directly after the performance, by Artistic Director, Valerie Green, our lively conversation allowed audience members and performers alike to reflect on their experience. The dancers shared their thoughts on the opportunity to perform in a company of men in a piece in which they are asked to be unguarded, to let down what is expected of them as men in society. This rare circumstance was noted by the audience as well ‘It’s not often we see men without their mask’. One audience member was moved when invited to participate in the work. ‘All our lives we hold on to pain and hurt. What if we could consciously let it go?’.  

 Hear about RITE, the work and process from each dancer in a sneak-peak below! 

Aidan Feldman: “This piece is physically demanding, and it's an interesting challenge to try and pace myself as we go through it. At the climax of the piece, we are meant to reach a point of peak exhaustion and collapse - the trick is not collapsing too early, while also not being too precious in conserving energy and holding back.   That balance within the piece is a regular reminder of a larger theme of the work, which is struggle with the self. 

Johnny Matthews III:  “I have found this work to be a physical and mental representation of pushing through difficulty to find shared humanity and unity between us performers. As a performer, Rite asks me to dissolve my facades and go through a journey of discovery into my essential, animal self. Riding the waves of this work as we show it to new audiences allows me to discover more depth within the choreography.”    

 Tsubasa Nishioka: “In the process of creating this piece, I learned that immersion in the piece and the dancer become one, it's a feeling I always feel when working with this company. By thinking more deeply, you can improve your understanding of the work and make your expressions more concrete.  I felt how interesting it was that when the dancers unified their sense of purpose, their respective paths of life intersected through the work and they were moving in the same direction.” 

 Lawson Pinder: “I related to one moment in RITE "the take downs", more than anything else.  And I know life really "do be throwing curve balls" but it's up to us what we do with those detours, either stay down or get back up. “ 

Richard Scandola: “Working on Rite had been challenging for me on multiple levels, physically, mentally and emotionally. It is a 45-minute-long work that doesn’t really stop, and you need to be in it so deeply at all times, in connection with the movement and the intentions while being interconnected with your own story.  I am getting into it so deeply that it is triggering part of me that needs healing. So strongly that I would start crying on stage or backstage after ending it, releasing the scars of the traumas. I believe that dance, like any other art form, has the power to heal. To heal the one performing it and the one watching it” 

 Ethan Schweitzer-Gaslin: “RITE is truly a journey. It is both physically demanding to dance and has the power to elicit emotional reactions from those dancing it and those watching it. But at the end, we are left with a unique sense of peace in our own bodies and a unique sense of understanding of the experiences of those who danced with us.” 

 “RITE” will continue to make an impact on audiences across New York this year. Please join us in this ritual of Letting Go at The Center @ West Park, on Feb. 29-March 2! Save the Date! 

December Take Root presents Marie Lloyd Paspe and Almasphere, this season's Late Stage Mertz Gilmore Grantee!

“The story is older than my body, my mother’s, my grandmother’s. For years we have been passing it on so that it may live, shift, and circulate. So that it may become larger than its proper measure, always larger than its own in-significance.” - Trinh T. Minh-ha

'bumalik,' the Tagalog word for 'return,’ is a performance installation series of dynamic bamboo that centers the profound power of imagined memories as the gateway to returning home. The co-creators share that the work, revolving around the sculpture ‘sirkulo,' "... re-imagines the relationship between the brown Asian body and environment as sites of trauma, reorientation, then liberating transmutation. Our transformation of ‘sirkulo’ explores the disorientation and reorientation of the peripheral Filipina, shaped by geographical migrant stories of our mothers and our psychological migrations out of and into ourselves."

Marie Lloyd Paspe is a Filipina-American dance/vocal performer, choreographer, director, writer and educator. She is interested in collaborative Filipinx-American diasporic identity work within spaces of memory, fascia and time, igniting 'kapwa' (Tagalog for “shared one-ness”). Her work to re-root the small, brown body through movement/vocal forms juxtaposes patrionormative white-dominated spaces. She is Bessie-awarded for choreographic contributions to Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, 2024 Target Margin Theatre Institute Fellow, 2023 Gallim Moving Artist Resident, and 2022 Jadin Wong Fellow. Recent features include film in Taikang Space (Beijing), MASS MoCA, TOPAZ Arts, and press in The New York Times and Fjord Review.

The performance will utilize designs created alongside Almasphere. Almasphere creates atmospheres through large-scale sculpture and installation, inviting individuals to commune with inner worlds, ritualize with community, and embark with the cosmos. Sabrina Herbosa Reyes, Filipina-American architect, sculptor and movement artist, draws from Filipinx cosmology and memory to conjure extensions of environments into and out of bodies. Antonio Giovanni Rivera, the son of a Puerto Rican, ignites architectural experiences as modes of universal language. Their cross-cultural collaboration encourages the exploration of building spaces that evoke intuition and curiosity. Their work was shown in Mexico City, Brooklyn and Queens.

Paspe, Reyes and Rivera come together to build highly imaginative environments that transform and ignite each discipline into transcendence and potentiality. Sculpture and architecture imprint on the skin of those moving and making sound, cyclically impacting the skin of their diasporic landscapes.

Click here to watch a trailer of bumalik!

Performances take place December 8th and 9th at 8:00pm. Advance sale tickets are $20 online purchased here. Tickets purchased at door will be $25 cash or card."