Alumni Interview Laurel Moore Zahrobsky

Laurel with Julie Tice Photo by William Frederking

When did you dance with The Dance COLEctive? 

1995-2000

What was your transition from studying at Ohio University to dancing in Chicago, IL?

I took some classes at Hubbard Street Dance Company but it just didn't feel right so I found Columbia College and joined their classes because they would let community dancers take classes with students back then.

 


How did you first get involved with Margi/Dance COLEctive? 

I, obviously, met Margi at the Dance Center of Columbia College (it was her second home) and we hit it off right away.  I auditioned for a piece she was creating during her summer workshop.  From that point on I auditioned for anything she was producing.  When she wanted to start the company she began it as a contract per performance company only.  She would ask me if I was interested and when I said "yes" she would present me and other dancers with a contract containing rehearsal times, specific performance dates and monetary payment.  We did many performances both formal and site specific works before she formed the company as it exists now.  Margi was great about other auditions I went to and would tell anyone who would listen that they needed to work with me and give me a chance. 

Margi & Laurel 2016

What were some similarities and difference between Margi's work and the work you did at Ohio University?  

Working with Margi was so much like everyone I had worked with at Ohio University.  It was a natural fit.  She loves partnering, going in and out of the floor, moving from the center.  Working with her is as natural as breathing.  I really began to explore my love of Barteneiff Movement even more when I worked with her.  Even though her warm-up wasn't the one I was used to all of the sea elements were there.  She helped me to develop the technique and the way I teach it today.

The one thing that differed was Margi's intention of seeing the uniqueness in everyone's individual movement and capitalizing on that to make her choreography even better.  She also used the dancer's creative choices to create her choreography.  While I had done some of that in school, it wasn't as established in my various college choreographer's technique of creating.  So, it took some getting used to but in the end it helped me be a better dancer, choreographer and person.

What did you enjoy most about your time with the Dance COLEctive? 

I love that I was there in the beginning.  I loved being a part of the process of her figuring out what she wanted to do professionally and how she would stay true to her vision.  I loved seeing the company go from contract per performance style into a full company that held auditions.  I loved the friendship base that we built way back then because it has carried us through really hard times and she remains one of the people I could call on for anything, anywhere and she would be there for me.  For me, it was the relationships I loved.

Is there a specific work that stands out to you from the TDC days? There are two pieces but I don't recall their titles.  (Margi will know...  This dance was called From the Neck Up)  I think it was in the first piece I ever did for her.  We performed in girdles and it was so powerful to feel that exposed on stage and celebrating being a full figured woman.  I loved that even though I had clothes on her work made me feel vulnerable and naive.  I had so much to learn and I felt that the piece evoked that from all of us.

I also loved the duet she set on Edna Radnik and me.  It was about judging someone and how it feels when someone only likes you because of your material possessions.  We were in nude colored sports bras and bikers and we did the first part of the dance facing the back while we "finished getting dressed".  As the dance continued, with us reciting some of the poem the dance was based on, we then wiggled our way into clear dresses made from shower curtains that were hanging.  I loved the idea of the costume and the dance that happened because of it. (This dance was called Naked Truth)

What Margi-isms do you carry with you to this day?

Spray-on warm up
Let's make a pizza (when teaching young kids to stretch)
Pop up the toast (when teaching kids how to flex)
spackle (that is make up)
no decorations! (when girls do funky things with their arms when leaping)
wing ding dangle (the wing)
rock star (parking, dancing, and other areas of my life)
floppy fish (but this one might be mine and Margi inspired...I can't remember)

I know I say other things that were created in our time together but I can't differentiate them.  Ha.

Can you share something you value or learned from your experience working with the company or a reflection that you share as a teaching tool.  

I would say the thing I use absolutely the most is Margi's level of energy and sense of humor when she teaches.  I definitely remember to have fun when I teach and bring the level of education a fun place so they learn while having fun as well.  

Margi was just in Chattanooga working with your students.  Did that conjure up any thoughts for you? 

I loved that my students could be a part of the experience in working with Margi and that they were able to see the partnership we had live and in person.  It was nice for them to experience who I had worked with in my professional career and that I was part of something bigger that has lasted 20 years!  They really enjoyed the similarities in our movement style and I think the ones who have danced with me since 6th grade were really prepared for the partnering and connections they needed to make when asked to do so in this work. 

Alumni interview with Laurel Moore Zahrobsky conducted by TDC company member Liz Conway, December 2015

Reflections about the early years by a Founding Member

Dancer:  Ebony Lashay Bitner

 

I fell in love with and became serious about dance at the comparatively late age of 14.  When I had a dream of becoming a professional dancer, I stepped out on faith knowing that the odds were well-stacked against me.

Margi was the first and in many ways the only teacher I ever had who saw beneath the surface of me.  She took the time to nurture and mentor me as a dancer. She saw my potential.  She supported my strengths rather than remain honed in on my weaknesses. She made me believe that my dream could become real because she believed in me...

The early years of the TDC were a lot of things.  Creating our own vocabulary..."corn-fusing" to others but making perfect sense to us! Hours filled with laughter and sometimes frustration sprinkled with drama and tears.  State fairs and sweaty July afternoon rehearsals at the Broadway Armory preparing for another performance. Group therapy, over cocktails and P-funks.  Celebrations of birthdays and break-ups, weddings and first-borns.

Stated simply, those early years were all about growth.  Through the shedding of our individual layers and with a healthy dose of guidance and patience we all evolved.  Through the expression of dance we became one entity. We crossed the threshold of being young women to being women and with that crossing over came the unavoidable shift of dreams and priorities.

Above all for me, those days were about forging friendships and forming incredibly meaningful bonds with women I may have never gotten a chance to know at all in the "real world"  We became sisters in a very true sense.  Our kinship was born out of the most unlikely of people and circumstances.  The early days of TDC were about everyone doing their part and  coming together with a spirit of support and love, expressing it all onstage in the most beautiful,  unique and honest way imaginable.

What fun we had!   I think of those days often and they always make me smile. They were and will always be some of the happiest days of my life.

Congrats Margs!  Here's to another 20 and beyond...

Submitted by TDC Founding Member Ebony Lashay Bitner, October 17, 2015

Then I began to remember...

I've never really felt as old as I am, even when I was younger. 18 years old felt more like 15 and at 21 I DEFINITELY didn't feel legal. So when I was asked to write about what it feels like to be "the most senior member" of TDC, My first thought was "Well it feels just like the first year..."

Photo by William Frederking

Then I began to remember.

How scared I was. How nervous I had been about my technique EVERY rehearsal. How many jobs I worked just to be able to eek out a living so that I could spend another month in Chicago able to dance with TDC. How I could stroll into rehearsal after a full day and dance my butt of without thinking about it, then wake up the next morning feeling like a million bucks. How my feet didn't hurt, and my knees didn't crack with every plie or lunge I performed. How long I spent on the CTA, EVERYDAY. How the girls that I was dancing with were some of the funniest, smartest, most loving people I had met and how they made my transition to living in the city and joining the company smoother. What I remember and forget all at the same time is how quickly I have twirled my way through 7 seasons, all because time flies when you're with people you enjoy being around. Being the most senior member now I hope that my presence does for our newer members what the oldie goldie girls I danced with back in 2008, did for me. They created an inviting and accepting environment, full of creative energy and support, laughter and advice and they are still a HUGE part of my life today. When I look back on my time dancing with TDC and in the Chicago dance community I know I will remember the performances and projects I have been a part of but more than that, I will know the people I shared those experiences with helped shape who I am today both as a dancer and an "adult". No matter if I feel like one or not. 

Submitted by TDC Dancer Olivia May on Wednesday, March 25, 2015.  

Swirling my Karma

Jamie flying with Shannon!  Photo by William Frederking

So, as one of the Social Media Divas this month I have been tasked with the writing of this blog post that reflects on my experiences thus far as an apprentice for TDC. The previous zillion attempts I’ve made at this first sentence, I have rapidly deleted out of horror at how cheesy, or cliché, or sentimental they were. But alas, after that many attempts I will just have to settle for being self-reflexively cheesy, cliché, and sentimental in hopes that I can convey my ruminations without grossing anyone out. Here we go: Oh yes, it starts with a flashback…

A year ago at this time, my brain was predominantly occupied with panic: panic about finishing that piece I was choreographing, panic about presenting my thesis in front of a crowd, and mostly, panic about what-the-heck-am-I-going-to-do-with-the-rest-of-my-life. Now, I can’t reassure you by saying that I don’t panic about what-the-heck-am-I-going-to-do-with-the-rest-of-my-life because I do, on a daily basis, but I can reassure you that I am absolutely loving the way that I’m spending the Tuesday and Thursday nights that are part of this rest-of-my-life. 

Warning: We’re entering mush territory. Firstly, the ladies of TDC are brilliant and I have a great admiration for the commitment they bring to the project that is TDC. I call TDC a project because it is so ongoing, so collaborative, so ever evolving. I’m honored that even as a newbie I feel welcome to share my thoughts and my movement. The collaborative atmosphere makes everything more fun, but it also brings an extra challenge. There is no, just showing up and learning the moves, the work actually requires me to, gasp, think and create! I’m so grateful to Margi and all the TDC women for providing an environment that challenges, but also validates my ideas even so early in my career. This sort of cooperative environment was one of the things I valued most about my dance studies in college and I’m so happy to have found a place where I can continue collaborating and learning: Learning about working with new bodies and new minds, about giving it my all even if it’s just a rehearsal, about making decisions and committing to them, about climbing walls, speaking onstage, and (to end as cheesy as possible with a quote) about “being sea kelp and swirling my karma.” Thanks TDC for an awesome first six months! 

Submitted by TDC Apprentice Jamie Corliss, Saturday, February 28, 2015. 

With Gratitude

Dear Dance COLEctive Enthusiasts,

The Dance COLEctive is wrapping up an excellent year of visible and diverse performance opportunities throughout the city of Chicago and beyond. We had the pleasure of performing at the Elgin Ties Dance Festival, the Pivot Arts Festival, and the Peep Show at Links Hall. Through our self produced concert Holding Ground, we produced dancer Madelyn Doyle's work for the first time, and we launched our very first Live Streaming Performance.  There were separate 209 devices, at least 400 TDC fans from around the country that hosted viewing parties and watched the show.

You can see our 2014 Year End Video here.

You can also see what the Chicago Tribune said here.
 
Almost 19 years ago I founded The Dance COLEctive as a means for my friends and I to produce and showcase our work. Today it is much more than that. Often seeking out new collaborations, we joined photographer Eric Olson in the studio with the idea of creating “piles” and intimate moving “portraits”.  You can see what a successful collaboration this was by viewing these images in our gallery.  

Photo by Eric Olson

 Artistically, I have been very fortunate this year. I mentored choreographers through the Thodos New Dances program, performed at the Going Dutch Festival, taught around the country, created work for Columbia College students, and studied dancemaking with master choreographer Joe Goode.  I continued to perform in a new dance/theater work with independent choreographer Peter Carpenter and was also acknowledged as a Woman of Inspiration by Today’s Chicago Woman.

Many good things are coming up for us this year, including my choreographic collaboration with Peter Carpenter, Rituals of Abundance for Lean Times #14: Curious Reinventions. We have every intention of sharing this with you through another live streaming performance. Fingers crossed!

Photo by William Frederking

Currently the company is comprised of 7 thoughtful and sophisticated young women (you can read some of the writing about their experiences here) who are helping me to fulfill my desire to mentor while also actively creating new work. Their dedication and remarkable growth as artists inspires and energizes me to keep finding ways to create performance and mentorship opportunities and to continue adapting to an ever changing landscape. The current national and local economic and political environments continue to pose serious challenges to TDC's future. Disappearing resources on the the state and city level, as well as more limited support from local foundations, continues to impact TDC's ability to support itself and its artists. This is why we need you more than ever. Many of you have been collaborators, students and mentors. Many of you are family, friends, peers, acquaintances, board members and audience members. You have personally witnessed my passion for dance and the power of a positive experience!

Please consider making a year-end donation to TDC.  In supporting us, you are not only making a financial contribution, you are investing in the continued growth of our artists. In addition, you will help us to create new and innovative dance and find more ways to share it with you.

To make a donation, simply go to our website or you can send a check to our snail mail address below.
You can also support us while you are shopping on Amazon.

Thank you so much for your continued interest in the Company and have a safe and wonderful holiday!

Most Sincerely, 

The Dance COLEctive is graciously funded by The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The MacArthur Funds for Arts and Culture at The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation,  the Illinois Arts Council, the Arts Work Fund for Organizational Development and many generous individuals like you.  Special thanks to our season sponsors Lakeside Bank, Pacific Management Inc. and the Rivendell Foundation. 

 Submitted by TDC Artistic Director, Margi Cole, Monday, December 22, 2014

Thoughts on turning 18!

I was surfing the internet looking for its thoughts about turning 18 so that I could begin to shape my own ideas about it, and I ran across this:  18th Birthday Party Ideas: A Shared Wisdom Party. What a novel idea.

While the only real party will probably just be me having a quiet glass of wine I have been thinking a lot about TDC turning 18.  First, good god, where has all the time gone?  I can't even begin to calculate how many dancers, collaborators, dances, performances, hours in the studio or hours of administrative time devoted to maintaining the company.  Maybe this is an instance to implement a shared wisdom party. 

Time flies while you are having fun.  Enjoy every minute of what you love doing. 

While there are a great many successes prepare for failures and own them.

Relationships either be them brief or long lasting are ultimately tied to sustainability. 

Treat others the way that you want to be treated inside and outside of the creative process.  

Be proud but be humble. 

Honor the past and respect the present.

Look toward that future and be ready to adapt.  There is no other way to survive. 

It is virtually impossible to like every one of your peers fully and equally.  But, show them respect. In the end it creates a stronger community for everyone. 

Share your knowledge and resources generously with others.  It has the potential to circle back to you one way or another.

And, say thank you. 

I am truly grateful for all the dancers, choreographers, mentors, board members, funders, sponsors, donors, family members, friends, peers and audience members who have shared this journey with me and the company. I am humbled by this life I have been able to l carve out for myself in field of dance and in the city of Chicago. 

Thank you!

Submitted by Margi Cole, TDC Artistic Director on March 8, 2014. 

Life after college - following your dreams but paying your bills too!

Photo by Eric Olson

After graduating from Appalachian State University with degrees in Dance Studies and Psychology, I moved back home with my parents to figure out my next step and save some money to make that step possible.  After a couple months of working and living rent-free (thanks, Mom and Dad!), I decided I had saved enough to make a leap of faith and move to “The Big (second) City”. I knew I wanted to be in a place where I could be a part of a thriving and innovative dance community and hoped Chicago could be that place for me.

I was lucky to find a job working in a dance store fairly quicklyt after moving, which made it possible for me to enjoy my free time exploring the city and especially the vast dance scene. At the end of that first summer, I auditioned for the Dance COLEctive and was so pleased to accept an apprentice position with the company. I felt as though I had achieved my dream! I was living in an incredible city and had landed a real-life dancing job! I was over the moon.

I can honestly say that I still feel this same way. I am still in love with this city (more so when the temperature is in the positive range!) and haven’t stopped exploring all that it has to offer. I am currently working two jobs to make ends meet. One as a clinic coordinator at an acupuncture and massage clinic and the other serving at a local bar. I love my jobs. I work with amazing people and feel appreciated for what I do. But most importantly, working these jobs makes it possible for me to pay my bills and allows me to dance with the unbelievable women I spend every Tuesday and Thursday with. I feel lucky to be able to pursue my passion in such an incredible place with the inspirational support and friendship from the TDC team. 

Submitted by TDC Apprentice Molly Kirkpatrick on Tuesday, February 11, 2014.  

The Path I Traveled

Photo by Eric Olson

Years ago, I thought long and hard on the big decision of where I wanted to go to college and what I'd be doing for the rest of my life. The only thing I knew and kept reverting back to, the place where I felt most comfortable and like myself, was when I was dancing. I am truly thankful my parents supported my ultimate dream, no matter the cost. (Trust me, I’m definitely paying for it.) Sometimes I wonder why they didn’t avert my ambitious 17-year-old-self from attending a school in which I could sustain a job that allowed me to support myself financially. What did I know? And then again, would I listen anyway? But, in writing this blog, I’m really glad they didn’t. I fully enjoyed my college experience once I stopped being a homesick baby. I wore sweatpants to class, I went to dance performances and dinners, I danced every day for four years while learning to stand on my own. Sometimes it was brutal and exhausting, but well worth the exploration. Not to mention, I met a lot of great people who are a huge part of the Chicago dance scene, and my life.

I worked part-time through college at a dancewear store a few blocks from my dorm in the city. After graduation, that job turned into a full-time opportunity, so I stayed. The first year after graduation, I went to numerous auditions- the pickings were slim and like all auditions, competition was intense. I am not a highfalutin dancer, probably the least flexible dancer in the history of the universe, but I found where my quirks and creativity were acceptable. This occurred a year later when I was asked to be an apprentice with The Dance COLEctive. Though the apprenticeship was an unpaid position, I was able to put my BA in dance to good use, and luckily I had a job that supported me and two roommates to help share the costs of living.

Along my way, I strangely stumbled into the field of law. I think I got lucky considering the fact that I now work full-time as a legal assistant downtown. I never dreamed of this when I was younger, ever. Dancer? Yes. Teacher? Maybe. Legal assistant??? No. Never even a question. But I feel really grateful that I understand and am pretty good at what I do, as it pays the bills. It’s one of those things that definitely happened for a reason. Working a 9:00am to 5:00pm is convenient and sometimes redundant. And redundancy is well, redundant. I'd like to know what job isn't. I’m glad that my schedule allows "me" time to even have a source – an outlet granting me the opportunity to take an uppercut to my routine – rehearsing, teaching, creating work, performing, and taking class year round.

I have come to find that it is tough to find a dance career that pays the bills, even now as a company member, and in this teetering economy. I am happy that I get to do what I love on nights and weekends and have the monetary support I need working during the day. Grant it, most of my days are technically 12 hour workdays and on occasion there is sacrifice for fun, family, and time, I get to do what I love which definitely keeps me sane. Most people can't say that and maybe some people don’t even get the chance.

Dance and TDC has been a major constant during the most important time of my life while finding myself and evolving as an adult. It’s always been the one thing I can rely on. It’s hard to count on and trust people, but every Tuesday and Thursday night, I know my team is there, and I know I can find myself there too.

Submitted by TDC dancer Katie Petrunich on January 26, 2014.

Lemons into Lemonade

Well as we wrap up this 17th season, we look back on our successes, and assess ourselves for next year. The field of modern dance is definitely changing across the board, and if youʼve noticed, TDC isnʼt the only company following suit. The most prominent change, or rather adaptation we have been exploring is the world of social media. The entire reason I am speaking to you now is a part of our Social Media Diva efforts to keep you interested, and access people we might not be able to through program surveys, public performances and press releases. Something that most companies in the Chicago dance community have been wrestling with these past few years. 

Besides Blogs, Facebook updates, and Instagram photos, there are a dozen free applications to which we are allowed to share our upcoming events, exciting news, personal stories, and even fundraise. There have been companies across the US video blogging their rehearsals to generate interest in their communities, others have “meet the dancers” video interviews to bring these communities closer to the dancers themselves. These companies are taking the typical separation of stage and audience and eliminating it with these innovations. And people like it. Small towns have even adopted their dancers with “specialty drinks” in the local bars! The best part about all of these highways for marketing transportation is that itʼs free, for the most part. 

Because of our economical situation, dance companies have found that they do not have the budget to perform the same way they used to. They are cutting their performance series, they are reworking old repertory, and even eliminating the need for a proscenium stage space. We are being innovative, creative, and resourceful...because we have to. We are dancing in places unlike the usual stage vs.audience situation because it makes people watch us in hopes of following the company and itʼs future endeavors. The most important outcome of this whole media effort are the eyes, not the bodies in the seats. The eyes are the things that get the people to start a conversation about the art, and then, presence in the performance space will follow. 

This is what The Dance COLEctive is working towards, and doing a pretty damn good job of it if you ask me. We want to start the conversation, and keep it rolling for as long as we can. We have taken the current times and used them to plan something exciting and creative; we have brought the audience into our rehearsals, performances, and experiences and eliminated the barrier between us. We want your opinions, your thoughts, and comments on the instagrams/facebook uploads! The one thing that I have appreciated the most about being a member of The Dance COLEctive is the opportunity to share my thoughts, comments, and experiences with the company because it always had an impact on our choices together. With that said, you are now being given this opportunity, and I suggest you take it. 

So as we break for the summer, keep in mind our plans to keep you a part of our efforts to become a well seen, technological, social media conquering throne of Divas! We appreciate you as a follower, and know that you will not fail to help us include all of those who might consider keeping track of TDC and itʼs upcoming events!  I am passing the Social Media Diva position over to Margi for the summer!  Stay tuned for reposts, musings about teaching and plans for next season!

Thank you! 

Submitted by TDC dancer Madelyn Doyle, Wednesday, May 29, 2013. 

Evolution of a fall leaf...

Looking at TDC before delving in, the dancers consisted of a strong bunch of women. Molly Grimm-Leasure, Maggie Koller, Alaina Murray, Summer Breal, Olivia May, Molly Perez, Kaitlin Bishop, and Jessica Post stood out to me. When I thought of TDC, I thought of these girls. They were my inspiration as they maneuvered bodies through space, leaped, shifted, and made the stage breathe. I never imagined I’d have a chance in the world to be a part of such a talented group who work so well together. And little did I know that I'd have the opportunity, and honor, to dance with them for years to come.

Photo by William Frederking

Shannon McGuire-Edwards and I came in as apprentices in 2009. Shannon and I took a few classes during our college years and became friends, so it was nice to have a familiar face to experience a dynamic change with. We stuck together, created phrases, wore similar outfits to rehearsal (and still do) and redeemed our dual nickname - the fall leaves.  I still can’t believe it’s our fourth season together.

Since then, TDC has been a perpetual constant in my life. There have been so many changes in my personal life, as others in the company, we’ve become a support system as well as an outlet. No matter how bad my day was and sometimes when motivation is lacking in my body, these girls always make me smile. And dancing… well, it’s always just a great reminder of what truly makes me happy, and there’s never a day that goes by that I’m not thankful that I’ve been given the opportunity to be able to do what I love.

Throughout the years, there have been several shifts in the company. Things change, people’s lives change, and we’ve had to say goodbye to several members along the way, a few of whom have danced the longevity of the company. Last season, we had to hold back tears as Molly Grimm-Leasure and Alaina Murray retired their bare feet off the dance floor. Current senior members consist of Maggie Koller and Olivia May. Shannon and I are next in line. Sometimes I can’t believe it because of my initial idea of the company consisting of the strong group of women I had mentioned earlier. To be honest, I still consider them as part of the group. They’ll always be TDC in my eyes, no matter how it shifts and changes. We have an amazing group of women right now and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Margi always says she’s so upset that we don’t get along. :-)   It’s pretty impressive that a group of 8 women can actually get along so well. She always says that she has to create a pallet for TDC, and I’m glad she sees me fitting into the mix.

Margi’s dancers typically dedicate several years at a time, which allows for the partnering and the movement vocabulary to be rich and full. It’s great to build and keep that trust, permitting us to rely on each other. We put in 6.5 to 10.5 hours in each week, I’d say 9 months out of the year (not including show weeks). We work hard, but we also enjoy ourselves. We’re all here solely for our love of dance, to be creative, to perform, and we’re grateful to have Margi Cole as our fearless leader.

TDC is like my second family and I don’t know how I could ever live without these girls in my life, continuously creating friendships and bonds that I couldn’t have found anywhere else. I truly think it keeps me sane during my work week. I embrace it every time I stand in front of the mirror during floor exercises or warm up. I’m not sure where my life will take me, so I’m embracing every dreadful développé, soaking up every swish, and embodying movement that becomes part of history, and turns into memories.

Submitted by TDC Dancer Katie Petrunich on Monday, March 18, 2013

From Stage to Stage

Blinding stage lights, an old wooden floor with crumbled rosin in the corner, thick black billowy curtains, and red plush seats gazing back at me.  There, as a five year old I stood, a gloomy little rain cloud, in The Phantom of the Opera recital. I wonder how my thoughts, feelings, and views compare back then to being on stage now. I never had a care in the world, but I remember being so happy in my tutu, tights, leather ballet slippers, and make up with a high bun. That feeling stuck with me growing up, and even though I never danced consistently throughout my childhood, it later emerged in my life and now I couldn’t imagine myself without it.

Photo by William Frederking

There are many great images and sayings I have learned, which now have become engraved in my head from teachers along the way. Some of my favorites include, “Pretend your feet are sinking in mud – Feel a warm sunburst on your face – Just be in the position, do not move, hold – The only person who’s going to push you is yourself.” Another inspiring teacher wanted to make sure we asked ourselves these questions:

What are we doing? Why are we here doing this? What do we want to do? Who are our heroes?  


These things that stick with us make us dancers who we are. Dancing isn’t just about technique, it’s about passion, creativity, and awareness. Along with those teachers, Margi Cole is also a voice of reason in my head, “Keep your ribs knitted together, drop your shoulders, keep your head-tail connection, don’t hold your breath.” I was drawn into the way Margi taught, moved, and the way her movement invention felt right in my body.

Throughout college, I monitored TDC, like all of the modern dance companies in Chicago. I went to auditions, got cut from them, and didn’t give up. Margi’s movement made me feel alive, so I continued to attend company class. I assisted TDC backstage in the January concert is its 13th season. I got to know the girls and was able to see how the company worked. One of the pieces I helped tech was “13”; little to my knowledge would I reconstruct the dance 4 years later…

I had the pleasure of being an apprentice for my first 2 seasons, and after working my way up and challenging myself, I’m now in my fourth season. One of the things I love the most is that Margi allows us to create our own movement and perform it. There is always a new way to generate movement and she gives us the guidance and spice to construct, disassemble, mash, and layer our work. Working weekly, year round, allows us to create intimate, yet dynamic movement. I have had to pleasure to work with wonderful women throughout the creative process and I only feel like I’m just getting warmed up.

Submitted by TDC Dancer Katie Petrunich on Wednesday, March 13, 2013