Life after college - what they DON'T teach you in school!

Photo by Eric Olson

I am forever grateful for my time in the dance department at Appalachian State University. I grew tremendously over my four years in the program. My passion for dance intensified and my creative vision matured. I made friends that will be my connections in the dance community for a lifetime and formed relationships with professors and mentors that I hope to continue to grow throughout my career.

          

What I failed to fully realize during my college experience, however, was that I was living in a tiny dance utopia. It was a world filled with like-minded friends who wanted to sit for hours and discuss our latest choreographic fantasies, with constant opportunities to take FREE master classes and workshops, and a space to perform and present work in the most open and accepting community. A perfect world! I didn’t realize just how spoiled I was.

          

My last two summers in Boone, I had an eye-opening and inspiring experience participating in a program called Now and Next Dance Mentoring Project, created by Ashley Thorndike-Youssef. The program is a tiered mentoring program including professional dance artists, college dancers, and middle school aged girls. Through refreshingly candid discussions with the professional dance artists, I gained a clearer understanding of how to make a life as a dancer. We discussed topics like how to pay the bills as a dancer and the variety of jobs that these successful dance artists had held throughout their careers. We talked about the importance of keeping connections and engaging in your community, as well as practical matters like health insurance for dancers, writing grants, and filing a dance company as a not-for-profit. This was all extremely valuable knowledge that I wouldn’t have gotten in my normal dance courses and am grateful to have had passed along from the seasoned pros. 

          

After almost three years in “the real world”, I have learned a lot about piecing together a life as a dancer. It’s not quite as peachy as it was in college, with everything laid out for me, but it’s an adventure. I value the time I had in college because it allowed me to grow into a mature artist in a safe and nurturing environment, but even more, I value the time I have right now to challenge myself, push myself out of my comfort zone, and find my individual voice as an artist and dancer. 

Submitted by TDC apprentice Molly Kirkpatrick on Monday, February 24, 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.  

Words From the Dancers on Performing at The Pritzker

In 2010 I interned with The American Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina. My
 job was to assist in documenting the different dance companies and speakers that
came to the festival. I had the opportunity to meet Artistic Directors Monica Bill Barnes
and Martha Clarke; assist in filming Pilobolus, RUBBERBANDance Group, and Paul
Taylor, among others. From my experience during the internship, I learned that every person has a role, both on stage and off. At the time, I did not know where I wanted my focus to be. However, after seeing a variety of companies perform on small stages to large theaters, by the end of the festival I knew that I wanted to perform. When I got back to Chicago, The Chicago Dance Festival was taking place on The Pritzker Stage in Millennium Park. I had just witnessed amazing dance in North Carolina and returned to amazing dance in Chicago. It was towards the end of the summer, I was sitting on the great lawn and the Joffrey Ballet was performing. Suddenly, questions started plaguing me: "Who picks what the viewer sees? What does it mean to dance here verses there? How does it feel to perform in this space over a different space?" I asked these questions to a few of my fellow TDC dancers as we took to the Pritzker Stage this past weekend for FlySpace. 

Photo by William Frederking

"I was in college at the time and had only performed on The Dance Center stage and a few small venues around the city. Having this opportunity this past weekend to perform on the same stage that critically acclaimed musicians, dance companies and other forms of art/entertainment have touched is inspiring and intimidating. The Pritzker Stage is a beautiful space and I am excited that the viewer not only gets to see the work up close but also gets to experience being a part of the space. During most shows, the viewer is on the outside, often far away. For the FlySpace programs, audience members have the opportunity to see the tiny details, view the city's southern skyline, take in the woodwork, hear the dancers breathe, and feel the energy of the works and the space."~Julie Boruff

"Performing on the Pritzker Stage is an experience like no other. There are so many
unique aspects of the space that make every gesture feel monumental. Seats on the
stage and in the loft force intimacy with the audience, yet at the same time the vast
backdrop of the pavilion creates a landscape and a tremendous sense of depth
behind the work. You are aware of the inside and outside at the same time, which
offers a very different experience, both as a performer and an audience member,
than that of a dark, enclosed black box theater. I am truly excited to have the
opportunity to dance on this stage, and I am proud to participate in this important,
initial undertaking of the FlySpace strategic partnership."~Maggie Koller


"FlySpace provides a broad platform for Chicago artists, further extending an
additional outlet to our community. Combining our voices and enhancing our
audience’s awareness will hopefully generate a wider interest in our individual
crafts. This is a great opportunity geared towards seeing the modern dance scene
boom. I’m glad that TDC is apart of this involvement. I’ve watched multiple acclaimed dance companies prance across the Pritzker Stage over the past 5 years and I always imagined how amazing it would be to do the same. I never thought I’d get the opportunity, ever. I can’t even fathom how alluring the theater is and how truly amazing the ability to step onto the stage, let alone dance my heart out. I’m honored to perform in such a beautiful space and to be sharing the structure with another dance company who idolizes it just the same. I keep taking everything in, making sure I see something new every time I perform –especially looking out the windows and beyond the buildings. Excited!"~Katie Petrunich


"Performing on the Pritzker Stage feels like such a privilege. The space is
unbelievably beautiful. The high ceilings, vast, open space with a large glass wall
overlooking the city is unlike any other space I have ever performed in. Although the
space seems large, using it as a dance venue turns it into a very intimate space. The
audience sits on the same level as the dancers as if they are part of the performance
themselves. After a certain time at night, you begin to see reflections of the dancers
in the glass, as well as shadows dancing around the entire space, adding layers to
the performance. It is a really exciting experience to have the honor to dance in this 
space!"~Molly Kirkpatrick

Submitted by TDC Apprentice Julie Boruff on Tuesday, April 16, 2013.   

In celebration of TDC’s 17th season!

This March, we celebrated TDC’s birthday – 17 seasons! That’s a nice run and TDC continues to grow. Margi’s set of skills go beyond choreography, she knows the ins and outs of running a business. She’s a grant writer, budget maker, deadline queen, collaborator, director, teacher, coordinator of all; the list never ends.

In celebration of TDC’s 17th season, I’ve gathered some quotes from past and present dancers regarding their experience with Margi and the dancers, and people who are involved in the dance community who are aware of Margi’s work and methods, and how she’s impacted Chicago’s dance community.

Working with Margi Cole is refreshing! She is the consummate professional and I think her general "equality vibe" infiltrates the organization. It is clear that she is the director but at no point did I feel inferior, quite the opposite, I felt that she was very empowering. If a dancer had a talent or inkling then she was a huge supporter. She is also one of the few artists I have ever seen really and earnestly partake in collaboration. She is really good at it. I understand why people work with her for a long time, because it is not the kind of work that breaks you down (physically or spirit). She is invested in her dancers and allows them to continue to grow. -Molly Schneider Perez, Former TDC company member

TDC offered a safe environment to grow as an artist. I was given the freedom to think about dance in new ways and be challenged. I also got to watch Margi grow as a choreographer over the years. She continually challenges herself. Her work today is more complex and layered than her earlier work. That's part of what makes TDC an exciting company to watch. -Alaina Murray, Former TDC company member

I first recognized Margi’s awesome talent in the mid-80s, in a Beginning Modern class at the old Dance Center. She wouldn’t remember me being there, but I sure remember her—I was totally intimidated by her strength and finesse. She’s still strong. It’s no mean feat to have kept a company going for 17 years, which she’s done partly by coming up with ingenious ways to fuel her creativity: by continuing to dance challenging solos herself, and by opening TDC to collaboration—a goal of hers from the get-go. Watching TDC in rehearsal and performance, I get the feeling of a true, loyal, very female family working together. Happy anniversary! -Laura Molzahn, Dance critic and writer for the Chicago Reader

Working with Margi is an all-encompassing dance experience. The work itself is physically demanding, and also calls for rapt attention to the nuances of human experience. The body cannot lie when performing Ms. Cole’s work…as dancers, we are challenged to draw from the experiences that make us unique, real, and connected to those around us. Margi’s methods for molding these ideas into relatable, engaging dance composition are both artful and ever changing. - Erin Jaffe, Former TDC company member

Margi is one of the most talented and skilled choreographers and teachers in Chicago. I have known Margi since she was a student at the Dance Center of Columbia College. Over the years I have found her to be generous and supportive in her relationships with fellow artists and to demonstrate outstanding managerial skills. Margi makes an important contribution to Chicago's dance community. - Shirley Mordine, Artistic Director of Mordine and Company, and founder of The Dance Center at Columbia College Chicago

TDC is more than a dance company it is a group of artists collaborating, exploring and pushing boundaries together. In my experience thus far I have enjoyed that every voice matters. Margi is a director and teacher that is clear, organized, open, explorative, and knows how to challenge her dancers. The piece that we are currently working on recently shifted for me, for the movement I perform now feels like my own. -Julie Boruff, current TDC apprentice

Margi Cole has proven to be an integral part of the Chicago dance community. To say it has been a pleasure to evolve and grow with her the past 7 years would be an understatement. Her roles as dancer, choreographer, artistic director, business administrator, mentor, and friend have had an incredible impact on my life, both personally and professionally. -Maggie Koller, current TDC member

My experience in my first season with TDC has been eye opening. Having the joy of working with such amazingly talented and inspiringly strong women has giving me a new confidence in myself that I am only beginning to understand. Margi is always surprising me with her choreographic challenges and ability to shake and alter an image, an idea, a movement phrase and make it fresh and thought provoking. I am being challenged constantly and feel myself growing as an artist, a dancer, and a young woman. -Molly Kirkpatrick, current TDC apprentice

I can't imagine where I'd be as a dancer and person if I didn't have my experience with Margi and the girls! I have made the most wonderful, caring and unique group of friends any person could ask for while dancing with TDC. Sweat, tears, confrontations, laughter and the usual joke during planks are just a few things I looked forward to in every rehearsal for ten years. Ten years my life was TDC, swooshes, contraction series and the dreaded developpe along to Margi's top ten playlist on her "I-thing". I learned respect, professionalism and how to find my head tail connection while also finding my two-way energy all at the same time! If you've ever had the pleasure of working with Margi and TDC you understand. If not, go and take a class with the company. You'll always be welcomed like a friend. -Molly Grimm-Leasure, Former TDC company member

TDC has been an experience that has helped me grow as an individual, but also as a collaborator. Margi has helped me become a better dancer/creator/witness to my own work and has shown me the importance of working hard and being involved in as many ways as possible. I have applied this method to many areas of my life and see myself and our work as a company progress because of it. -Madelyn Doyle, current TDC company member

I’d like to thank everyone for their quotes and thoughts.

So, surprise and congratulations, Margi! You’re an inspiration and you’ve done, and still do, so much for people inside our dance community. I’m lucky to be surrounded by such a great bunch. I know you’ve endured many struggles throughout the years, but with struggle comes success, and that success continues to grow with each season, enriching the movement and I like to think, making dance history. 


Submitted by TDC Dancer Katie Petrunich on Monday, April 1, 2013. 

Trust The Process

 

Every choreographer has her own creative process. The variety of approaches fascinates me. I have worked with choreographers who come into the rehearsal space with a definite plan, with diagrams and extensive notes, and with choreographers who like to come into the space with only a feeling and see where that takes them. The Dance COLEctive’s Margi Cole is somewhere in between.  She always has a plan, whether she makes it known to the dancers or not, and she allows that plan to evolve and unfold in an organic way. Margi’s process often involves writing assignments, word lists for movement invention, and lots of rubbing material together, stripping it down and then piecing it back together again. 

Currently in rehearsal, we are reconstructing a piece the company did last year. We are creating some new material as well as relearning -- or in my case as a new member, learning --  old material. This is a new layer to the process for me, having never worked with a company that has a repertory of work to pull from. 

As a newbie, I’m relying heavily on the veteran dancers who know the material, and they are very helpful. They remember the material quickly and are able to help teach sections of the work that Margi wants to salvage from the original piece.  

We’re also using video to learn the piece. What a challenge! I get all turned around directionally when taking the movement from video and transferring it into the space. Which way are things facing? Which foot is doing what? Where are they in space?

Having been a dancer all my life, mimicking movement is like second nature. All this would come so naturally to me that I wouldn’t even think about it. But video is different: I have to keep rewinding the tape over and over and watching and re-watching even the most simple movements. And subtle things like where a movement initiated from remain a mystery.  

Just like learning movement from a dancer is a learned skill, so is learning from video. I have to keep reminding myself of that instead of putting myself down by thinking, “This shouldn’t be so hard!  What is wrong with me?!”. I need to put the movement perfectionist in me to rest.

It’s also important for me to remember that although we are re-staging an existing work, the work we are creating is new. There is a new cast of dancers, new stories and experiences influencing the work, and the finished product will be different.   I’m working on trusting the process, and on trusting myself. 

Submitted by TDC Apprentice Molly Kirkpatrick on Thursday, February 21, 2013.

The Big Leagues

After graduating from Appalachian State University in the mountains of North Carolina with degrees in Dance Studies and Psychology in May 2011, I knew that I wanted to continue dancing. I didn’t exactly know how I was going to do that, but I knew that I wanted to find a dance community in which I wouldn’t lose myself. A place where I could be challenged creatively and fulfill my desire to be a part of making and presenting interesting and meaningful work. Somewhere I could be part of the process and part of a team. I feel so blessed to have found all of these things as an apprentice this season with The Dance COLEctive! 

Photo by Eric Olson

I visited Chicago only a handful of times before I decided to move here this past June. I loved the city. It felt like a big city with a small neighborhood feel and extremely friendly people. I was up for a new adventure. I took dance classes at a number of dance studios whenever I was in Chicago. Then, during one of my visits, TDC company member Olivia May invited me to  an open company class. I knew Olivia from our hometown of Raleigh, NC. I am so grateful to her for allowing me to tag along and get a taste of the the Dance COLEctive. The class was wonderful! All the dancers were welcoming and Margi’s class was challenging and fun.

When I finally built up enough courage (and money) to make the move to the big windy city, I made the leap. With a good friend from home, in a Penske truck filled with all of our belongings, we steered north – and a little west.  Once in Chicago, I tried to take advantage of as many dance classes and opportunities as I could. I was overwhelmed (and still am) by how much is going on here. I attended The Dance COLEctive audition in August, immensely intimidated to be at my first ever professional audition. After auditions and call backs, I was so pleased to be offered an apprentice position with the company. I literally jumped up and down when I received the email from Margi. And now, after our first performance together this season, I really feel a part of it all. Surrounded by inspiring and powerful women, dancing to my heart’s content, I can officially say I’m livin’ the dream.

Submitted by TDC Apprentice Molly Kirkpatrick on Sunday, February 10, 2013.