Featured Member Profile

Beth Rodriguez’s choreography has been shown in NYC at Brooklyn Arts Exchange, chashama, Dixon Place, and Merce Cunningham Studio, among others. She is also living, moving (!) proof that vibrant modern dance exists not just on one coast or the other, but in communities all across the United States. Now based in the Louisville/Evansville (Indiana) area, Beth dances, choreographs and teaches, collaborating with local artists and creating vibrant improvisational installations in various “Kentuckiana” public venues.

Beth, please describe your company’s repertoire – is there a common thread between the works?

Each new work I choreograph attempts to satisfy three main goals: to risk failure by striving for innovation, to challenge the performers by asking them to rethink their capabilities, and to find new ways of communicating with the audience by editing our use of space, theme, or content. I choreograph every work performed by the company, at times involving the performers in the creative process. The company employs different movers for each project to suit the specific needs of the work and the autonomy of each dancer is respected.

Who or what are your biggest influences?

As a choreographer, I have been influenced by Bill Evans, who was the first I saw demonstrate how to create work with purpose, illustrating the craft of dance making. I learned the importance of making deliberate choices by working with him. Later in life this was refreshed while studying Twyla Tharp’s methods.

In terms of being excited and inspired, my friend Kimberly Hope Jewart (Orquidea Dance) painted the most unusual, unexpected visuals. It’s what I love about Terre O’Connor’s work, as well. These kinds of artists, who abandon the same choreographic formulas, push me to be courageous as an artist.

Tell us about your most recent work, Point of Contact…

I wanted to make something mobile, something that could be performed in different kinds of venues in Louisville and southern Indiana. The goal was to engage those who didn’t frequent dance concerts. So we performed in a plant nursery/sculpture garden, an old renovated meatpacking plant, and with a comedic improv troupe in the first floor of a home made into a makeshift music venue. Our performances were free to attend and invited viewers to come near, engaging the movers in conversation.

Although the concept of public performance is not a new one, this community is not accustomed to seeing dance on the street, around the corner, etc. We were able to speak with the “audience”, using the performance as a jumping-off point, about our art. One attendee of the nursery performance, who is a percussionist, was so excited by the unexpected show that he gave me his tambourine to use in future performances! So I’d like to think that on some level we were successful.

Please describe the dance scene in the Louisville/Evansville area, in and of itself or as part of the area’s larger art scene.

When I first left NYC, friends joked that the move would mean my retirement. But I am not the first artist to choose a city between the coasts, and many have already laid the groundwork for a budding arts community in their area. There are pockets of artists making great work in Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and in Louisville. When I moved back to the area (I grew up near Louisville), I was welcomed and encouraged by those already making work here. It was refreshing and exciting, and made the transition painless.

Louisville’s arts community is a vital part of the city. It is home to renowned visual and performing artists. And over the last few years, dancers have made their presence known amongst this impressive group. There are five modern dance companies and a group of independent choreographers that make work for a growing number of performers. Artists in the city support each other, dancers work happily for pennies, and there are countless promising venues in which to show work.

The work being made in Louisville is also diverse. There are traditionalists, performing artists, and post-modernists. Louisville’s Kentucky Center for the Arts brings important companies to the city, as well — Bill T. Jones and Mark Morris were two of the most recent. This helps to further inform the community and inspire them to support their local artists.

Evansville is a different story! There are two universities in the city, which helps to feed a small but talented population of visual artists. But dance is limited to training schools. Modern dance is seen as odd and without merit by many dance educators, although I am teaching for a nonprofit school that values the expression of individuality it affords the young students. I have recently begun meeting others like me who believed they were all alone in a small city. And so perhaps Evansville has potential!

Where are some of your preferred places to perform?

I look forward to performing in new or unusual spaces, wherever they may be. I once was invited to perform in a gourmet food market in downtown Louisville. The idea of nearly smashing shelves of expensive olive oil was intriguing.

What motivated you to become a member of Fractured Atlas?

I had started receiving grants and donations and wanted to make certain I had clear records for my donors and accountant. I was drawn to Fractured Atlas, specifically, because of the services and support it offered its members. Even now that I have moved out of New York, I feel a part of a community of artists and know the staff of FA is always quick to respond to any request for assistance.

How do you use your Fractured Atlas membership?

It’s a great way to begin a conversation with a potential donor or supporter. My fiscal sponsorship lends legitimacy to what I do, especially when advocating for the arts in a community that hasn’t historically valued dance. But in addition to using FA to manage funds, I take advantage of resources offered. I have taken some time off after having a baby and have not brought in new revenue in the last year. Instead I’ve used the time to catch up on what other artists are doing through the FA blog while staying on top of news and trends through the advocacy link.

What has been your greatest success to date?

I think I’m most proud of the fact that I’m still making work. It hasn’t been easy and I’ve watched a lot of very talented friends leave dance in response to the stress of competing for work or support. A mentor once told me that 99% of what I make will be mediocre, at best. But that 1% will be brilliant as a result of all the practice. That process can be exhausting and discouraging. But I’m most proud of myself for continuing, for pushing myself to grow, and for getting back in the studio after I’ve bombed!

Is there any advice that you would give to a dancer at the start of their career?

Lynn Garafola (Barnard College) once told me that I’d be doing myself a disservice if I avoiding learning more than one aspect of the field. At the time I was studying to receive my masters in dance education and was performing. I had a very rigid picture of what my future in dance would look like. Lynn advised me to study more, think about other options in dance, and to prepare for life after performing. I was resistant at the time, but she was right.

Although I couldn’t imagine the challenges I’d face a decade after college, I’m glad I followed the advice of Lynn and other mentors by honing additional skills. I worked as an admin for various nonprofits, wrote for newsletters and blogs, learned to write grants, and obtained a teaching degree, all in an effort to ensure I could work in my field if/after I stopped performing. It was great advice that has allowed me to earn money and gain experience working in ways I’d never imagined. At a time when many are losing their jobs and fewer funding opportunities exist, it has been helpful to be able to wear different hats.

Factors like injury, relocation, and job loss can interrupt our plans and it is important to be ready. I’d advise young dancers to be well-rounded, to take advantage of all opportunities, and to remain flexible.

Do you have a pipe-dream performance?

I’d love to take some of my girlfriends, my favorite performers, on a European street-performance tour!

What’s next on your professional horizon?

We’ll be spending 2010 introducing ourselves to the Evansville community. Public improvisational performances are planned for the spring and summer.

I’ve also been working with dances made for video, utilizing the growing community of artists sharing work online. This has been a satisfying experiment so far, in part born out of necessity, since I’ve been limited somewhat by my location and pregnancy!
The mission of the company is changing somewhat this year to reflect a philanthropic interest: our performances will benefit nonprofit organizations in the area whose programs we support. I’m most excited about this new endeavor and look forward to engaging a new group of collaborating artists for this purpose.

How can we experience your work and learn more about your company?

You can find us on Vimeo and read about what we’re doing at louisvilledancenews.blogspot.com. Link to these pages, along with our Twitter page, at www.bethrodriguez.com. Or come on down! I’d be happy to show my fellow dance artists around my cities!