New Hampshire Dance Collaborative to Present ‘Are You Okay’

New Hampshire Dance Collaborative to Present ‘Are You Okay’

by | Nov 7, 2022 | Upcoming Performances

On Tuesday, November 17, at 5:30 p.m., New Hampshire Dance Collaborative (NHDC) will present ‘Are You Okay’ at The Factory On Willow in Manchester.

Created by Anthony Bounphakhom of The Block Collaborative in Portsmouth, ‘Are You Okay’ sheds light on the subject of mental health and the value of self care through hip-hop dance/street styles and dance movement. The free performance on November 17 will present 4 short excerpts from ‘Are You Okay,’ which premiers in its entirety on Wednesday, December 7 at The Factory.

“The show will take the audience on an adventure through fantasy, imagination, dance, and storytelling and is told through the eyes of three main characters,” explained Bounphakhom. “Through their struggles, these characters have created inner demons that must be faced.”

Regarding the role of dance to help tell complex stories like ‘Are You Okay,’ Bounphakhom referred to it as “a natural language.” “I discovered dance at the age of 13 – it helped me to create my cultural identity.”

Learning dance on the street and through workshops, Bounphakhom has found widespread success, as his choreography has been shown throughout New England, most notably at The Institute for Contemporary Art in Boston. He is also a featured dancer in the recently released film, Hocus Pocus 2, now streaming on Disney Plus.

“It was a lot of fun and very exciting, but I’m just as excited about ‘Are You Okay,’ he added.

In addition to presenting 4 excerpts from ‘Are You Okay,’ the performance on November 17 will feature a moderated discussion with Najee Brown, founder of Theater For The People, a BIPOC produced touring theater in Eliot, ME.

“We are thrilled to have Najee with us for this very special evening,” said NHDC Founder Joan Brodsky, who noted ‘Are You Okay’ is part of Excerpts and Investigation (E&I).

Launched this summer, E&I is a communication initiative developed by NHDC to present dance as an useful, inspiring art form that is relevant in broader contexts. E&I also provides free brief previews followed by moderated discussions as a way to help educate audiences about dance before full performances.

“Incorporating more dance into our human experience would be a powerful tool in further developing human understanding and tolerance for each-other,” said Brodsky. “Dance framed and presented as a form of connection and human understanding is impactful because the primary instrument of communication is the body.”

In launching Excerpts and Investigation, Brodsky said her intent was to create a platform for dance companies in New Hampshire “to better promote their work and value.” “Dance is a form of human expression that can encourage a more nuanced understanding of the human condition,” she said.

Bounphakhom agreed and added, “Dance has always been in human life. It is an expression of the soul. Watch someone move. What dance does is pluck at the person’s soul.”

The hope for Brodsky is that Bounphakhom ‘s ‘Are You Okay’ can “pluck at the souls of people unfamiliar with dance.” This is a performance that presents dance in an approachable, understandable way with real metaphorical significance in these uncertain times,” she said.

‘Are You Okay’ takes place on Tuesday, November 17, at 5:30 p.m. at The Factory On Willow in Manchester. Appetizers will be served at 5:30 p.m. followed by the performance from 6:00 p.m. to 6:20 p.m. and then moderated discussion. Attendance is free. Click here to register for free.

The Shire

The Shire

by | Oct 13, 2022 | Past Performances

The Shire.
The Shire.
The Shire.

The Shire — a celebration of New Hampshire’s seven distinct regions through dance. It was created by Zackary Betty, Artistic Director of NSquared Dance

Location: The Rex Theater, Manchester, New Hampshire

Date: 10/13/2022

While many contemporary dances often delve into somewhat esoteric and philosophical themes, The Shire is a sharp departure from that model. Choreographer Zackery Betty traveled through the state of New Hampshire and took his physical cues uniquely from a sense of place. New Hampshire is diverse in almost all ways, and our regional differences reveal cultural, geographical and environmental elements that set each region apart. The Shire pulls all of this information together into a one powerful, mysterious and joyful dance while also capturing the essence of region.

When a place is experienced physically, the sensory stimuli provides bareboned, transparent inspiration. Betty choreographed in fields, on the seashore, in the mountains and in the mills that characterize New Hampshire. While he did “learn” about the regions through reading, he reflected the regions through the “felt sense” and sent videos of himself back to his dancers for them to interpret. Through the universal language of dance, the audience tours the state via their own sympathetic ability to feel the movement as much as watch exquisite dance.

The Shire will have its place in the cultural and educational offerings of New Hampshire. If someone wants to understand the complexity and beauty of the state, witnessing The Shire in-person or even through video will be transformative.

New Hampshire Dance Collaborative to Present ‘The Shire’

by | Oct 2, 2022 | Press Releases

On Thursday, October 13 at 7:00 p.m. at The Rex Theatre in Manchester, New Hampshire Dance Collaborative (NHDC) will present ‘The Shire,’ a performance by NSquared Dance. ‘The Shire’ is a bioregional exploration of the state of New Hampshire through the lenses of location, economics, historical references, agriculture, nature, and the region’s culture.

“I developed the concept through my graduate studies while working on my MFA at Wilson College,” said NSquared Dance Co-Founder Zackery Betty, who cited a deeper purpose behind his work. “If the community can see the caliber of local dance talent that is in their backyard of New Hampshire, I think there would be a different appreciation for the art itself.”

Joan Brodsky, founder of NHDC, agrees and said dance talent like Betty led to her selection of NSquared Dance as the first recipient of their Accelerator program. Launched in June, Accelerator was designed “to support dance professionals as they seek to further enhance their artistic content and professional abilities.”

“Dance has the transformational power to further develop human understanding and tolerance for one another,” explained Brodsky. “Accelerator is an initiative whose primary goal is to make the case that dance is an important and relevant part of human experience. Dance can bring people together.”

Regarding the performance, ‘The Shire’ is a mixture of contemporary dance occasionally juxtaposed with contradance, while the choreography is inspired by the history, culture, geography, and economics of New Hampshire. Honoring its distinctive character, the costume design, compositional qualities, filming locations, and dancers all hail from New Hampshire.

‘The Shire’ takes place on Thursday, October 13 at 7:00 p.m. at The Rex Theatre. Admission is free.

Founded in 2014, NSquared Dance strives to energize audiences through movement and enhance creativity, artistry, passion, and drive of youth and aspiring dancers. To learn more about NSquared Dance, visit nsquareddance.com.

Founded in 2017, NHDC’s mission is “to make dance a more well understood, accessible and utilized art form.”

Excerpts and Investigation: The Shire

Excerpts and Investigation: The Shire

by | Sep 14, 2022 | Past Performances

E&I from The Factory of The Shire
E&I from The Factory of The Shire

Excerpts and Investigation of The Shire – a dance/ theater piece in Hip Hop/street style dance created by Anthony Bounphakhom

Location: The Factory on Willow in Manchester, NH

Date: 9/14/2022

This event was created in order to preview the performance of The Shire in an intimate environment where the audience was situated on the same level and just feet away from the dancers. The dance portion was kept to 20-30 minutes so as to whet the appetite for more. It was moderated by Matt Cahoon, Artistic Director of theater KAPOW who asked dance maker Zackary Beatty and the NSquared dancers compelling questions which provided context and an explanation to the audience.

Because dance can baffle the general audience, Excerpts and Investigation was designed to provide a learning experience for the viewer and also to provide them an opportunity to ask their own questions. Dance creates waves of energy. The audience was able to hear footfalls and breathing and witness the hard, physical work involved in this craft. The goal of New Hampshire Dance Collaborative was to better prepare the audience for the full performance on the proscenium stage a week later.

New Hampshire Dance Accelerator Announces First Fellows

by | Aug 23, 2022 | Blog

Our first two artists have already built dance organizations which have name recognition and a clear, creative mission. They simply need a welcoming and supportive environment in which to thrive and the opportunities to share their craft.

We chose to use the term Fellow at the risk of sounding self-important, because our candidates were selected because their accomplishments, focus and singular vision make them ready for a rigorous process of training.

  • NHDC will provide artistic coaching though a mentorship relationship with seasoned choreographers and theater professionals
  • Strong support for articulating both the case for dance in general and the individual stories of these particular artists through Exponential Squared, a business development firm that focuses on ideas and the written word.
  • Both a media and social media campaign that will culminate in performances at The Rex Theatre in October
  • Coaching in grant writing and the art of a good press release

Zackery Betty and Anthony Bounphakkom have the potential to make a transformative impact on the culture of New Hampshire Because dance hasn’t yet taken flight in New Hampshire like the visual arts, NHDC’s vision is to create an appreciation and utilization for dance that reflects our state and that is used with greater imagination and scope than simply as something to be watched.