Why? Green in the loveliest way

Real people dancing in real spaces - Karen Kaeja

As a dancer my body is my instrument and movement is the language of my voice. I am and I observe movement, gesture and physical effort. I am a shy but social animal. When I engage in dance art with non-dancers I am offered extraordinary connections to them and their worlds. They let me  into their memories, thoughts, habits, affinities and fears. They 'keep it real', allowing me to witness and engage in their viewpoints, offerings and vulnerabilities. As we move and make dances together I witness our human capacity, whoever we are, to become vessels of art. Creation with non-dancers captures my soul and makes my heart sing.

As a most basic human function, movement is an expression of our sensorial universe and how we feel the world around us. I work with people of all ages and abilities who bring who they are to the experience. Without training they are green in the loveliest way. I see our experience together as a social dance journey. In sharing a dance, we cross the bridge from alone to together, becoming a community that is alive. Animating dance and spaces with non-dancers allows a community of people and witnesses to become engaged respondants of art. I feel there is an artist inside each of us, awakened or resting. Meaningful connectivity to self and others can be experiences in community engaged art. As artists we are able to reimagine ourselves.