Top 10 Professional Highlights of 2019

Each January, I pause and reflect on the previous year's key professional moments, as a reminder of the traction my company and I have made. As always, 2019 was a very active year, full of challenging, yet exhilarating, projects and fresh beginnings.

Top 10 Professional Highlights of 2019

Synchronic. Film Still. Merli V. Guerra, 2008.

1. FESTIVAL CINEMATICA: IMMAGINE IN MOVIMENTO  //  ANCONA, ITALY

A blast from the past, Synchronic was my very first film I created while a student at Mount Holyoke College. I still remember the rush of utter surprise when its title was announced as the winner of three different categories at the Five College Film Festival for "Best Dance-on-Camera," "Best of Mount Holyoke," and "Best of Festival." It feels fitting that exactly ten years later, I submitted Synchronic to another festival for the first time, feeling sentimental towards my first foray into screendance. I'm deeply honored that Festival Cinematica: Immagine in Movimento in Ancona, Italy, not only accepted it, but presented Synchronic as one of 14 award finalists in this international screendance festival.

Luminarium received funding from the Boston Cultural Council. Photo: Short photo co.

2. GRANT RECIPIENT  //  BOSTON CULTURAL COUNCIL

Luminarium was honored and grateful to once again receive one of this year's coveted grants from the Boston Cultural Council (BCC). Having received this grant for our ninth consecutive year, we know how much government support means—not only to our own organization, but to the Greater Boston arts scene as a whole. As always, this grant from the BCC went towards our annual outreach programming, including: the Arts in Action Project (bringing professional performing arts experience directly to local youth); the Cultural Community Outreach Project (using dance and art to highlight cultural and historic landmarks); and the return of Luminarium's 24-Hour ChoreoFest (an overnight choreographic incubator, culminating in new works and new artistic connections).

Merli V. Guerra speaks at the 2019 Awards Ceremony, Mount Holyoke College. Photo: Joanna Chattman.

3. MARY LYON AWARD  //  MOUNT HOLYOKE COLLEGE

Words cannot describe the surprise and jolt of reassurance I felt as I was gifted the Mary Lyon Award this spring by the Alumnae External Achievement Awards Committee. Given to young alumnae (15 years or less since graduation) who “demonstrate exceptional promise and sustained achievement in their life, profession, and community, and whose work embodies the humane values which Mary Lyon exemplified in her life and inspired in others,” this token of appreciation for my work in the arts was a revitalizing force this year as I continue to straddle two arts communities in Boston, MA, and Princeton, NJ. Thank you, Mount Holyoke, for recognizing my efforts in my field!

Merli V. Guerra's 8.7 million minus 1. Photo courtesy of Rider University.

4. RIDER DANCES COMMISSION  //  RIDER UNIVERSITY

In the spring, Rider University commissioned me to create a new work for its Dance & Sustainability Project, championing environmental issues through awareness, advocacy, and artistic expression. The ensuing work, 8.7 million minus 1, integrates classical Odissi Indian dance, contemporary, and shadow theatre to literally and metaphorically illuminate the effects of human waste and pollution on the planet’s ecosystems, while reminding us of our own contradictory habits. After its New Jersey debut, the piece was later restaged on Luminarium's professional company for performances at ArtBeat Festival (Somerville, MA) and Luminarium's 2019 feature production (Cambridge, MA).

Luminarium Dance Company performs in Global Water Dances 2019. Photo: Forever Young Photography of Howell.

5. LAKE MERCER PERFORMANCE  //  GLOBAL WATER DANCES 2019

On the heels of presenting 8.7 million minus 1, which prompts viewers to reconsider their own habits of pollution and human consumption, I was invited to participate in an international one-day event drawing awareness to water contamination and the role we play in keeping our greatest resource clean. On June 15th, Luminarium's Satellite Company presented my new site-specific work as part of Global Water Dances' 2019 worldwide event. This migratory performance installation took place along the edges of Lake Mercer (West Windsor, NJ) throughout the afternoon, with viewers pausing to enjoy and young children dancing in response.

Merli V. Guerra. Photo: Somerby Jones.

6. FEATURE ARTICLE  //  ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION OF MOUNT HOLYOKE COLLEGE

In July, I was excited to share this eloquent article by the Alumnae Association of Mount Holyoke College reflecting on my recent Mary Lyon Award and my decade of work in the arts field. Thank you to all who have participated in my work over the years—without you, none of this would be possible! Read the article.

Merli V. Guerra. Photo: John Evans.

7. MFA IN DANCE  //  MASON GROSS SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

This summer I leapt into a new program: the MFA in Dance at Rutgers University's Mason Gross School of the Arts, where I am additionally teaching undergraduates as a Part-Time Lecturer. It's been invigorating to return to the studio with an intimate cohort, delving into both theory and praxis. This program is intense—with summer, fall, winter, and spring semesters back-to-back for two years straight—but after a decade of professional work in the fields of dance and interdisciplinary art, I'm eager to make my credentials official. Here we go!

Women in Dance Leadership Conference 2019.

8. WOMEN IN DANCE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE  //  PHILADELPHIA PA

In October, I presented my work and spoke on the screendance panel at the Women in Dance Leadership Conference in Philadelphia, PA, to an over-packed (and deeply appreciative) audience. I was thrilled to be selected as one of 16 filmmakers worldwide, and grateful to show not one, but two of my screendance films at this prestigious event, including The One I Keep (2013) and What seems so is transition (2009). Fellow presenters at this year's conference included Keynote Speaker Brenda Dixon Gottschild, choreographer Helen Pickett (regularly commissioned by Boston Ballet), and NYC legend Janis Brenner, all of whom commented on the "beauty" and "intriguingly layered memories" of my two films. Needless to say, I was starstruck by this incredibly accomplished audience!

l. to r. Victoria Kreutzer and Karina McKenna perform Merli V. Guerra's like mercury in the palm of my hand. Photo: Olivia Moon Photography.

9. LUMINARIUM IN CONCERT  //  MULTICULTURAL ARTS CENTER

This year's feature production, Luminarium in Concert, was met with sold-out audiences and celebrated the first-ever integration of Luminarium's home-base Boston company with its more recent Princeton-based satellite company. Not only was I eager to present the restaging of my Rider University commission, 8.7 million minus 1, and to debut For you, to mentor me, my first screendance film in five years, but the production also debuted a duet I am proud to have crafted with my satellite performers Victoria Kreutzer and Karina McKenna. Titled like mercury in the palm of my hand, this duet began as an artistic abstraction of the “Janus molecule,” whose rare properties make it both medicinal and lethal. It has since grown to encompass the Panopticonic nature of the microscope, observ-ing versus being observ-ed, and the implications of exposure.

Imajitari International Film Festival.

10. IMAJITARI INTERNATIONAL DANCE FILM FESTIVAL  //  JAKARTA, INDONESIA

Since late-2018, I've been working on my first new screendance in five years. For you, to mentor me made its world premiere at Luminarium in Concert in December 2019 and features performers Kristen Antonio, Jessica Lawson, Wendy Lawson, Violet Lawson-Ball, Elias Pacheco, and Kylie Pacheco, as well as a stirring cello score by composer Akshaya Avril Tucker. The film follows a mother-daughter relationship shifting over time, featuring a multigenerational cast ages 11 days to 60 years, as it highlights a growing young woman’s thirst for independence, and a mother’s desire to nurture, guide, and mentor. I am thrilled that just one week after its debut, For you, to mentor me was selected out of 600+ films from 77 countries to be presented at the Imajitari International Dance Film Festival in Jakarta, Indonesia!

Those are the highlights of 2019... Welcome, 2020!

2017: Off and Running!

As a reviewer for the Fjord Review, my weekends often involve press releases, packed theaters, and notes scribbled in the dark.

Here we are—just four brisk weeks into the new year and already my plate is full with new projects, culminating events, and guest invitations now through April (and then some, but let’s focus on the next three months for now).

First, a recap of what these projects are:

Voices From the Future: I’ll be participating in Voices From the Future with a voice from the past. Luminarium company member Alison McHorney will perform the one-minute solo from my 2016 work The Grass Never Grows, set to a score of spoken poetry, at this event celebrating the LGBTQ community.

Concert at Longy Hall: Friend and colleague Mel Fitzhugh—a composer whose personal story and professional work are equally intriguing—has invited me to once again perform an improvisationally-inspired choreographic solo alongside cellist Christien Beeuwkes, this time for an afternoon performance of Mel’s musical works at Longy Hall. The concert will take place February 26, 2017.

Mad World: Aurora Borealis has selected Luminarium to be its Guest Artist for its Spring concert Mad World on March 11th, and has specifically asked us to bring my Phoenixial Cycle duet, last presented at the State House in Boston.

Five College Dance Department Careers Panel: I’m thrilled to be representing Mount Holyoke College’s impressive array of Dance Department alumnae at this event. On March 31st, one alum from each of the Five Colleges (Amherst, Mount Holyoke, Smith, UMass, and Hampshire) in the five-college consortium will speak about their careers, advising current students studying in the field. I feel honored to represent my alma mater, and look forward to connecting with future choreographers (hopefully coming to Boston)!

We Create Festival: I’ve been a part of the 2016-17 cohort since September and have been developing new work with the guidance of my project mentor (and longtime friend) Jenny Zuk, developing an art installation exploring the theme of “hidden stories,” as it pertains to those with physical and/or mental disabilities. The culminating performance and exhibition viewing will take place April 8, 2017.

Kinetic Craft: For my annual Cultural Community Outreach Project (which is now in its 6th year), Luminarium will be in residence at the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton for the entire week of April school vacation (10-5pm Tuesday, April 18 through Sunday, April 23, 2017). I’m constructing a series of “breathing installations”—a concept I first developed back in 2011 with Luminarium’s fabric installation at the Boston Center for the Arts’ Movement at the Mills—highlighting the five crafting elements: Textiles, Ceramics, Wood, Glass, and Metal. I’ve invited Kim to join me by creating the Ceramics installation, while I continue to develop the other four, each of which will have a dancer performing inside as part of the installation, around the clock.

Boston New Music Initiative’s Spring Concert: Last year, Luminarium was commissioned to create two new choreographic works to accompany two of the musical scores selected from BNMI's international call to artists. I’m excited to be working on a new work, set to John Allemeier’s The Devil’s Turn. This performance of live music and dance will take place at the Armory in Somerville, MA, on April 22nd.

...

That’s the update for now. This quarter is packed with projects and events that lend themselves to interdisciplinary creation and collaboration—AKA, my favorite kind of work! As we speak, my bag contains a notebook full of thoughts and sketches, a 21-page musical score, a crumpled Groupon from Kim and my recent glassblowing adventure (research for Kinetic Craft), and a planner full of upcoming interviews and casual conversations scheduled with mentors and artists (often outside my primary discipline) to further enhance my work.

If this first quarter is any indication, 2017 is going to be an intense and invigorating year. Bring it on!

My Year in Review: Top Ten Professional Highlights of 2015

Each year, as our worn out calendars are replaced with the new, I prompt myself to compile a list of the past twelve months' most significant professional accomplishments. It's a (somewhat tedious) task I encourage everyone to tackle, if they don't already. For me, I find it both enlightening and reassuring. Each year speeds by quicker than the last, and it's easy during the lull to feel that nothing has been accomplished. Forcing myself to choose my "top ten" moments helps me to focus my sights on goals for years to come, while simultaneously allowing that often-ignored voice inside my head to say "See?? You did so much this year!" So here it is: My Top Ten Professional Highlights of 2015.

Luminarium receives the 2015 Gold Star Award from the Massachusetts Cultural Council,
alongside the Arlington Cultural Council.

 
1. Night at the Tower Wins the MCC's Gold Star Award
So often artists work without recognition. We don't necessarily mind it in the moment, and over time it becomes the standard to go unnoticed and under paid for hours upon hours of extra labor. Then there are the moments that astonish us: 2015 started with a bang when I learned that my Night at the Tower performance—my largest (most exhausting) Cultural Community Outreach Project to date—had been chosen as one of just three projects (out of 5,000+ across the state in 2014) to receive the Massachusetts Cultural Council's prestigious Gold Star Award. To be recognized in this way is an incredible feeling, and gives weight to the work I've done thus far. Equally exciting was my interview with Dan Blask of the MCC. Take a peek!

The clay version of Margaret Lyster Chamberlain's work.

2. From Flesh to Clay to Bronze
Each year, for the past three years, I've been fortunate to work with some of New England's finest visual artists as their model. The first was with light painting photographer Larry Pratt, traveling to his studio in Falmouth, MA, and wading into the darkened waters of Cape Cod. The second was projection art photographer Judith Larsen, whose work has been featured worldwide, and was most recently honored with the Spirit Award at Maud Morgan Arts (an event fellow dance model Melenie Diarbekirian and I were excited to attend this summer). This year brought a new experience when the talented sculptor (and old family friend) Margaret Lyster Chamberlain asked me to drive down to her studio to model for her newest sculpture. The experience was beautiful. Meg's work, though stationary, is full of motion—as if an impressionist painting has come to life in 3D. For this particular project, the end result was never meant to look like me; my role was to strike the pose and allow Meg to study the anatomy of my muscles, bones, and even the way my hair brushed back across my shoulder. Meg's work has been requested in the past as well—my favorite being her piece The Leave-Taking, a commission by Quinnipiac University for Ireland's Great Hunger Museum. It was a wonderful experience to take a peek behind the scenes at her work, and to help in a small way with her new creation.

The Arts Fuse, Boston's online magazine for dance, film, literature, music, theatre, and more.

3. A New Role: Senior Contributor at The Arts Fuse
2015 brought several shifts in the Boston dance community. As Debra Cash stepped into the pivotal role of Executive Director of the Boston Dance Alliance, it left an opening on the staff of The Arts Fuse—Boston's online arts magazine for dance, film, literature, music, and theatre. I feel honored to have joined this fantastic publication as a Senior Contributor, and the critic who selects the Fuse's weekly coming attractions in dance.

With You, performed by Emerson Dance Company, 2015. Choreography: Merli V. Guerra. Photo: Nick Eaton.

4. Guest Choreographer at Emerson College
When the Executive Board of Emerson Dance Company (through Emerson College) selected me as the spring semester's Guest Choreographer, I was thrilled. The position gave me the opportunity to work with eight talented students dedicated to their craft—one of whom we later cast in Luminarium's professional production Filament. Over the course of the semester, I created a new piece centered around relationships and the daily interpersonal webs we weave. The work, With You, debuted in April to an enthusiastic audience of roughly 360 viewers on the Mainstage of the beautiful Emerson/Paramount Theatre, as part of Emerson College's Spring 2015 Showcase Momentum.

As usual, Concord Teacakes outdid themselves with this gorgeously decorated cake, reminiscent of our 2014 postcard!

5. Luminarium Celebrates 5 Years
As Jeffrey Gantz so adeptly pointed out in his recent review of Luminarium's work in the Boston Globe, "In the dance world these days, making it to your fifth season is no small achievement. And Luminarium Dance Company, which was founded in 2010 by Merli V. Guerra and Kimberleigh A. Holman, has not just endured, it has created 51 original stage works and is host to an annual 24-Hour ChoreoFest." As we end our 5th season in Boston, we now have 52 individual works, 16 self-produced performances, and 9 dance-on-camera films to our name. The work Kim Holman and I have been able to accomplish together (along with the tireless energy of our dancers, and generosity of our supporters and staff) is astounding. Whether presenting our work formally on stage, speaking as mentors to young artists, bringing dance to disadvantaged children, or breaking barriers through our public outreach events, our mission has remained the same: luminarium (luminary) - n. 1. a body that gives off light 2. sheds light on some subject or enlightens mankind.

Tyler Catanella and Merli V. Guerra in Idle Reverie. Photo: Ryan Carollo.

6. On the Road: Performing in Southern Vermont Dance Festival
In addition to traveling along coastal Maine this summer to perform in the Wiscasset Art Walk for a second year, Luminarium made its Vermont debut this July at the Southern Vermont Dance Festival. We submitted all six works from our 2014 feature production The Sleeprunner, so I was initially surprised when it was Idle Reverie that was selected for SVDF's prestigious Gala Performance. This quirky, edgy, and oh-so-relatable duet follows the inner musings of what could be described as “platonic pillow talk,” and—despite being choreographed faster than many of my other works—has resonated with viewers, critics, and presenters more than I ever anticipated! So, on a sunny summer Friday, I enjoyed the charm and good food of Brattleboro, VT, with family, then performed Idle Reverie with dance partner Tyler Catanella later that night alongside notable companies and choreographers from throughout New England. The performance marked 5 out of 6 New England states in which my work has been professionally shown... I'm coming for you, Connecticut!

7. Appointed to the Arlington Cultural Council
The ripple effect of Night at the Tower's success extended beyond its ensuing press, media, awards, and support: It shifted the way I viewed my work and its direct involvement with the community. I'd always prided myself on using my yearly Cultural Community Outreach Project to highlight a local cultural or historical landmark through art and dance, yet Night at the Tower left me with a growing urge to help beyond my annual project. If this work could have such a powerful impact on a town through just one night, then I wanted to become a more active part of the community on a regular basis. Synchronicity struck again, as I was soon approached by members of the local cultural council. After attending several meetings and formally applying, I found myself standing in Town Hall before the Board of Selectmen—a group who already knew me and my work better than I could have expected—and was officially appointed to the Arlington Cultural Council in September. I joined just in time to help the council determine which proposals would proceed for 2016 funding, and now cannot wait to serve as the liaison to several of these creative artistic ventures.

Opening address at the Boston Young Alumnae Speed Networking Event.

8. Speaking Engagements & Panels
As always, the year was peppered with various invitations for speaking engagements and panels. These events and private meetings are not only an honor to participate in, but are moments I genuinely look forward to throughout the season. This year I had the opportunity to weigh in on the Boston dance community's future with its key funders and presenters behind the scenes; served on the Cambridge Arts Council's Dance Review Panel to determine 2016 grant funding alongside distinguished local dance experts Jean Appolon, Brenda Divelbliss, Joe Gonzalez, and Pamela Newton; and once again spoke at the Boston Young Alumnae Speed Networking Event, where I was introduced as "Mount Holyoke's biggest bragging right!"—A lofty title to be sure, and one I hope to fill over time.

Chun-Jou Tsai and Matthew Kyle perform Merli V. Guerra's Phoenixial Cycle. Photo: Ryan Carollo.

9. Taking Pride in My Work: Phoenixial Cycle
It's been a few years since I've added a single piece as one of my top accomplishments. Phoenixial Cycle—which debuted at Luminarium's feature production Spektrel—is my heftiest work to date, and quite possibly the most ambitious as well. From set design to costume design and from simple sketches to living, breathing choreography, this work challenged me and my dancers in new ways, with an end product that prompted some of the most glowing feedback I've ever received. As Celina Colby of Trends & Tolstoy so eloquently voiced, "Guerra’s piece turns a torturous, generation-wide phenomenon into a beautiful, haunting performance." Others raved that it gave them "chills" and "so much to think about." To know that my work managed to reach beyond the stage and touch so many viewers on a deeper level is all I could ever ask for in a work, yet this piece was also a joy for me to watch as I stood in the balcony show after show. My dancers were not just going through the motions; they were fully embodying the spirit of the story I sought to convey—to the point where, at times, I couldn't remember how I even thought of the movements they were now dancing so passionately.

Amherst Storybook Project by Merli V. Guerra, Luminarium Dance Company.
Preview and/or purchase the book online.

10. My First Self-Published Book
I remember sitting in a cozy restaurant in Stowe, VT, with Sean this past March, talking out the details of my Amherst Storybook Project. He listened carefully, offered his own thoughts on the work, and ultimately complimented me on the idea. "But," he reminded me, "didn't you say this year's project would be more low key?" "It is!" I exclaimed optimistically. In comparison to the permits, weather snafus, politics, and expenses of Night at the Tower, the thought of creating a book (indoors, nonetheless) seemed simple enough. Yet as the number of participants involved grew from 5 to 12 to 34, the demand for a purchasable product increased far beyond my initial plans. The solution? Give myself a crash course on self-publishing and pull the trigger. The final book (of the same name) came out gorgeous, and arrived just in time for our culminating event at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA, this November. After performing in front of the children's artwork and presenting a few company favorites, we sat down for a Q&A with the audience—many of our most thoughtful questions coming from the kids! There are two moments from this collaboration that I'll carry with me always: 1) Watching the joyous meetings between young and old as the artists, writers, and dancers met and signed each other's books, and 2) Knowing that the famous Eric Carle himself held my book in his hands one week later, along with a note thanking him for all he's done for children's book art and literature. A fantastic way to end the project.

#happiness

11. "Duration of Relationship: Forever"
And yes, this year there's a bonus 2015 highlight. It may not fall under the category of "professional," but it is certainly a milestone. On November 3, 2015, I was recovering from the intensity of a recent show week—and simultaneously coming off the flu—when my night (and my life!) took a major shift. Never have I been in a relationship built on such mutual respect and pride in each other's work; someone who sees the value of a balanced lifestyle, from smart saving to joyous traveling and nights on the town; someone who irritates the hell out of me for knowing me better than I know myself (but two can play that game); or someone whose entire network of family and friends is as warm and welcoming as my own. Yes, Sean Patrick Connolly. Let's do this.

My Year in Review: Top Ten Professional Highlights of 2014

Hard to believe another year has come to a close. So much has happened and continues to unfold, but after sifting through the events of the past year, it's safe to call these ten my top professional highlights of 2014:


1. Calling to You's return to Boston

Merli V. Guerra and Joe Gonzalez, leads in Calling to You.
Deborah Abel Dance Company. Photo: Liza Voll, 2014.

The year began with the Boston return performance of Deborah Abel Dance Company's Calling to You to a packed house, and was likely my last time working with Joe Gonzalez as my fellow lead performer and partner. (Enjoy Philly, Joe!) The production is now in talks of heading back overseas in the coming season. Stay tuned for the next grand adventure, currently slated for Brazil.


2. Judging the Boston College Annual Showdown

l. to r. Sarah-Katarina "SKooJ CorE-O," Reia Briggs-Connor, and 
Merli V. Guerra: Judges at the 2014 Boston College Showdown.
Photo: Christopher Huang

Early in the year, I was invited to act as a judge at the 2014 Boston College Annual Showdown. Little did I realize what an incredible night awaited... Held in BC's Conte Forum stadium (complete with impressive theatrical lighting, fantastic DJ, and two giant video feeds panning the crowd), the annual dance competition boasted the talents of 14 dance teams to a sold-out audience of 3,500! Joining me as judges were Reia Briggs-Connor, owner, choreographer, and dancer for Phunk Phenomenon Dance Complex (middle), and Sarah-Katarina "SKooJ CorE-O," founder and director of Boston Community Dance Project, and artistic director of Static Noyze Dance Company (left). The evening was an absolute blast, and I was given the delightful opportunity to indulge my inner Simon Cowell.


3. Swank. So much swank. (And also speaking)

Mount Holyoke College Speed Networking Panel at the Lenox Hotel, Boston MA.
Merli V. Guerra, Guest Panelist.

This spring was the season of attending swanky arts events and speaking on panels... In addition to judging the BC Showdown, I was invited to: Speak at Mount Holyoke College's 2014 Breaking Barriers: (Re-Defining) Entrepreneurship Conference on its Innovation in Art & Design Panel (alongside keynote speaker Alicia Stewart, Senior Producer of CNN's In America); speak at the Mount Holyoke College Speed Networking Panel as its youngest panelist (Lenox Hotel, Boston MA); and mingle alongside fellow grant awardees at two different Cultural Council award celebrations, one with Kim at the Mayor's Office, City Hall in Boston, the other in Arlington. All in all, a busy (yet rewarding!) spring.


4. Designing Art New England's largest issue to date

With print media facing serious concerns competing against online periodicals, I was proud to watch Art New England continuously grow in size and revenue throughout 2014. This year marked the company's 35th year as New England's leading art magazine, and I'm fortunate to have a front row seat on its progress as its designer and Production Manager. The July/August 2014 issue was not only the largest issue ever printed in its 35 years, but my most favorite cover to date.


5. Night at the Tower: Award nomination for my largest Cultural Community Outreach Project to date

Luminarium's Night at the Tower
Photo: K. Holman, 2014

Never in my years of work in the field of bringing art and dance to the greater community have I felt more passionate about an event as this one. Night at the Tower was a huge success despite a myriad of obstacles: Months of government red tape, creating new permits, acquiring equipment, harnessing electricity, dodging tornado warnings and a huge hurricane, and oh ya...creating new choreography! In the end, this event was exactly what it aimed to be: An evening to enjoy this 90-year-old local landmark, while celebrating the town of Arlington through its history, its children, and its art, while fostering community through the joy of professional dance. Beautiful. As if this wasn't thanks enough, Night at the Tower was recently nominated for Massachusetts Cultural Council's prestigious Gold Star Award for being an "exemplary cultural program" that "celebrates diversity, fosters collaboration, showcases artistic excellence, and provides learning experiences for people of all ages and backgrounds." Having led the annual Cultural Community Outreach Project for Luminarium for the past three seasons, I am so grateful for the nomination, as this event was by far the most exceptional we've produced in our time here, and the town of Arlington could not have been more welcoming, supportive, and engaged. For press, testimonials, photos, and videos of Night at the Tower, click here.


6. Reigniting my Classical Indian Dance training: Teaching at Endicott College and performing at Mount Holyoke College

Merli V. Guerra performing with Nataraj Dancers at Mount Holyoke College.
Photo: Jim Coleman.

Much of my choreographic style stems from my training in Odissi classical Indian dance. I've been a member of Nataraj Dancers since 2006, traveled with my guru to India in 2007, and performed on tour with the company in Japan in 2009. Since then, I've stayed connected to the company while creating my own work in Boston. This year I was fortunate to join the company in reproducing an older work "Songs of the River" for Mount Holyoke College's 2014 Faculty Showcase. It was wonderful reconnecting with past colleagues, professors, and fellow performers, though strange to realize I no longer overlap with the current student body! Still, wandering into the lobby following one rehearsal, they quickly made the connection between their new performance peer and the college dance major featured on the giant banner above our heads at the lobby entrance. As I continuously find, I am often famous and nameless in a single moment. 2014 also led to teaching two master classes in Odissi at Endicott College, as part of the Dance Department's World Dance Course. Though I find teaching modern stressful, I thoroughly enjoy teaching Odissi in a master class format to all ages, especially at the college level, since I began my studies of the form during college myself. In 2015 I hope to return to Endicott and perhaps add more to the list!


7. From model to the MFA

At the 2014 SMFA Auction. Merli V. Guerra with artist Judith Larsen.
Photo: Jill & Bob Armstrong

Those who know me know that I'm a fairly steady person, but that doesn't mean I lack adventure. Periodically opportunities arise that I once never thought I'd do, and modeling nude was certainly one of them. Yet here I am in the photo above, attending a chic VIP opening night celebration at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, standing next to world-renowned artist Judith Larsen, having modeled for a new series of video projection photographs. Learn more about the process, and see the final images here.


8. Somerville Arts Council

Each year Kim and I work hard applying for grants, from large to small, local to national. It's often difficult to understand the inner workings of how the grant selection process unfolds. How are these decisions made? How are the monies divided once chosen? This year I had the fortune of serving on the Somerville Arts Council's Guest Panel for Dance, Theatre, and Multidisciplinary Arts, reading all applications, viewing support materials, discussing each with my fellow arts panelists, and ultimately deciding the money provided to each awardee. I now have a deeper understanding and appreciation for all that these councils do, and look forward to serving on another panel down the road.


9. Two TV interviews

Kim and I have had a busy season, and are grateful for all the press Luminarium received throughout 2014. New to this season were TV interviews! Enjoy the two above: 1) My interview with Arlington Public News regarding Night at the Tower and 2) Kim and my interview with Glenn Williams on Boston Neighborhood Network's It's All About Arts.


10. The Sleeprunner: Triumphantly ending Luminarium's 4th season with three sold out shows

Luminarium's The Sleeprunner was our largest production to date, and by far one of the most talked about productions we've created. As we head into 2015, Kim and I are excited to continue shaping and perfecting this show to the fullest, with hopes to bring it back not just in Boston, but beyond. Stay tuned for more Sleeprunner action in Season 5, and in the meantime, a huge thank you to all who came and packed our theatre with giggles, gasps, and applause.

Ok, 2015. It's time to top last year and make this season the greatest to date...no pressure!

A Busy Boston Bee

Recently when I wrote, it was to promote the work of the greats in the field of dance... This time, it's to promote my own company's work (and my work as an individual artist)!

What an incredible month it's been. Below are some of the dance-related highlights that I just have to share. I cannot emphasize enough the pride I feel watching Luminarium grow, coupled with the surprise I feel each time I receive a personal invitation to be involved in someone else's extraordinary event. I guess this is what it feels like being "the real deal."

1. DANCE+ Series
Every year, Kim and I make sure that Luminarium produces two major community outreach projects: One in the field of Arts Enrichment, the other Cultural. This year's AE-COP has been such an incredible weekly high--We'll be sad to see it go! This season, Luminarium produced its first DANCE+ Series, providing weekly free classes to grades 1-6 (which turned into ages 3-12, haha) combining dance with other fields, namely: Technology, Science, Music, and Light. Enjoy a quick clip from one of our fun Saturdays here!

Week 2 of Luminarium's new DANCE+ Series. Lumi Company Member
Rose Abramoff (far left) teaches us how rocks turn into lava during the
DANCE+Science class on April 12, 2014!

2. Cultural Council Celebrations
This month, Kim and I were honored to attend a celebratory reception at the Mayor's Office in Boston, having won a substantial grant from the Boston Cultural Council. Sadly, the event overlapped with the tragic fire on Beacon Street, so while the mayor himself could not be present, we found ourselves chatting with a variety of local shakers in the arts, from Boston Ballet to the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and from the Huntington Theatre Company to the Boston Public Schools. It was a wonderful event--And somehow we got talked into posing for a photo in the Eagle Room...

Kim and I rock the "Why B Cultural" sign at the Boston Cultural Council
grant awardee reception, only to later regret not insisting that the photo be
taken in front of the distressing and enormous bronze eagle sculpture just
a few feet away...

Just a week later, Lumi Company Member Katie McGrail and I (because Kim was busy being a snazzy devil choreographing Chicago at Babson) joined fellow local grant winners at a celebration hosted by the Arlington Cultural Council. The evening marked the first official declaration of our 2014 Culture-COP (aka, my own community outreach program baby for Luminarium's 2014 Season), converting the Arlington water tower at Park Circle into a breathing work of art for a two-hour, free, public dance event on Saturday, September 6th. The evening offered us the opportunity to learn about all of the other stellar projects lined up for Arlington this year, while eating possibly some of the tastiest cupcakes and felafels to date.

Katie and I pose with this year's grant winners after enjoying a celebration
hosted by the Arlington Cultural Council.

3. My Simon Cowell Moment
While waiting for the T with Kim post-Boston Cultural Council reception, I found an email inviting me to act as a judge at this year's Boston College Annual Showdown. Little did I realize what an incredible night awaited... Held in BC's Conte Forum stadium (complete with impressive theatrical lighting, fantastic DJ, and two giant video feeds panning the crowd), the annual dance competition boasted the talents of 14 dance teams to a sold-out audience of 3,500! Joining me as judges were Reia Briggs-Connor, owner, choreographer, and dancer for Phunk Phenomenon Dance Complex (middle), and Sarah-Katarina "SKooJ CorE-O," founder and director of Boston Community Dance Project, and artistic director of Static Noyze Dance Company (left). What a blast!

l. to r. Sarah-Katarina "SKooJ CorE-O," Reia Briggs-Connor, and
Merli V. Guerra: Judges at the 2014 Boston College Showdown.
Photo: Christopher Huang

4. Breaking Barriers Conference
It's always inviting returning to the Valley for an afternoon event: This time, it was Mount Holyoke's Breaking Barriers: (Re-Defining) Entrepreneurship Conference that drew me back to the fresh air of Western Mass. The afternoon consisted of impressive presentations from aspiring MHC student entrepreneurs; three panels featuring alumnae from Boston, New York, and beyond; and a keynote address by Senior Producer of CNN's In America, Alicia Stewart. Among the words of wisdom shared: "Just do it, and learn from your mistakes as you continue moving forward," "Turn your challenges into advantages for the future," and "You alone don't need to have every skill necessary; create a strong team to carry out your mission." As always, it was a fun experience tossing my own thoughts into the ring while speaking on the Innovation in Art & Design Panel, while meeting some fabulous alumnae pursuing their work to the fullest.

Breaking Barriers Conference 2014
Mount Holyoke College

And with that, I'll have to end this entry here, because if I don't then one month will quickly turn into two, three, four... Next week, you can catch me (and with luck, Kim as well) at an MHC Speed Networking Panel at the Lenox Hotel in Boston. Then May brings performances for Luminarium, followed by our first festivals of the season and the company's 4th Anniversary Gala & Showcase in June, and so much more after that. Welcome, summer weather, and with it the heat of the season!

Glue-free, and toothbrush in hand.

Thursday, October 3, 2013. This was my view as I crouched inside my box onstage during the dress rehearsal for Luminarium's most note-worthy performance to date: Opening for Time Lapse Dance at the Fine Arts Center Concert Hall in Amherst MA.

Let's rewind. In April, I received a call from an important and highly influential woman in my life, though this time she reached out to me not as my Indian dance guru, but as the Director of the Asian Arts and Culture Program at UMass Amherst's Fine Arts Center. 

A few performance proposals and one roadtrip later, Kim and I found ourselves standing on the same stage where (as students) we once saw Bill T. Jones, Alvin Ailey, Martha Graham Dance Company, MOMIX, Hubbard Street, the list goes on and on. And here we were, about to join the list. 

Fast forward to October when Luminarium presented Andromeda (Guerra, 2012), whisper, rumor, rot. (Holman, 2013), and Hush (Guerra, 2013) on the main stage, with my Quilt Vignettes film series (2013) playing in the lobby. This was our largest new audience to date; 600 viewers, only a handful of whom had seen us perform before. We also had the fortunate opportunity of performing alongside Jody Sperling's Time Lapse Dance from NYC, performing in the Loie Fuller style.

Time Lapse Dance, in concert with Luminarium Dance Company, 2013.
Fine Arts Center, Amherst MA. Photo: Jim Coleman

As we find ourselves performing in these increasingly high-profile venues, and in the company of such prominent choreographers, it feels strange to be so...at ease. Three years ago, Kim and I were learning important Dance Company 101 lessons like Don't spill toxic glue on the stage you're renting--you'll never get that hundred-dollar security deposit back! and When a prestigious college puts you up in a swanky hotel as note-worthy guest lecturers...at least ONE of you needs to remember to pack a toothbrush. Now, almost three years to the day after our opening performance debut, it was no big deal--No big deal to bring multiple set pieces, equipment, costumes, and nine dancers across state. No big deal to pull the short straw with an early, brief tech; we were on our game, and it all went smoothly. No big deal to warm up onstage alongside the feature company, chatting casually, and discovering overlaps with artistic friends and connections; we had earned our spot there as well.

nature.desktopnexus.com

And perhaps that's why Kim and I found ourselves so determined to see one of the moose-crossing signs prove its worth on our long drive home in the dark that night. For once, in that whirlwind 24 hours, perhaps we were finally feeling a little unease--not because of the pressure from the prestige of the venue, but because of how smoothly everything had gone. Where was the tumultuous climax of taking that next step? (Where was our moose??)

Below are a few images taken during our tech rehearsal early in the morning--A religious experience for the Five College alums in our group, while admittedly a still-groggy one for the rest. Yet as our company continues to grow in leaps and bounds, it seems our sense of ease as we took this next big step was our moose...glue-free, and toothbrush in hand.

The beautiful UMass Fine Arts Center Concert Hall.
Kim lights us from the booth.
I play whack-a-mole inside my box onstage.

Teching for our performance with Time Lapse Dance.
UMass Fine Arts Center.
Luminarium Dance Company 2013.

Teching for our performance with Time Lapse Dance.
UMass Fine Arts Center.
Luminarium Dance Company 2013.

Elena Greenspan in tech rehearsal for Hush (Guerra, 2013).
Luminarium Dance Company, 2013.

Jennifer Roberts in tech rehearsal for Hush (Guerra, 2013).
Luminarium Dance Company, 2013.

And the good news just keeps coming in...

Some wonderful news for followers not only of Luminarium Dance Company's work, but of my own work as an artist. Just five days ago, Kim informed me of a wonderful opportunity to present our work in Mobius' upcoming performance and art event entitled Memento Mori. For those unaware, Mobius is a well-known name in the Boston/Cambridge community. They are a collective of visual artists, musicians, poets, performers...all that is artistic, you name it! Mobius is a well-established group who used to have a home in the South End, but recently moved to 55 Norfolk Street in Cambridge (Not far from the Dance Complex).

Memento mori, Latin for “Remember your Mortality” has provided inspiration for artists for centuries.  Even in the twenty-first century, ways of coping with the shadow of death continues to haunt aesthetic imaginations.

We are currently seeking submissions and proposals for a performance and art event that explore the theme of mortality, mourning, remembrance, and memory.   This event will take place at the Mobius Alternative Arts Space in Cambridge, MA from October 20 to 24. 

With only 4 days until the submission deadline, Kim and I scrambled! Fortunately, I already had two works ready to submit: Casting Shadows, Tearing Holes, which premiered in Luminarium's debut concert in October 2010 and was later performed in Nataraj Dancers' IN SYNC: Sambandh (a performance remembering the devastation in Japan) in June 2011; and my film What seems so is transition, created back in 2009 as I headed out of Mount Holyoke College.

Kim had the good chance of also having relevant work to present. She has most recently been putting her choreographic energy towards a wonderful new piece dealing with one's mortality. As one of the serpentine, sultry, yet deadly, women in the piece, it has been a moving experience to become so involved in such an emotionally-driven new work.

Now, just one day after submitting our work, I'm happy to announce that we are three for three! All three works have been selected to be shown just three weeks from now. A wonderful success for Luminarium, and a personal goal reached for myself, as What seems so is transition has always been a favorite of mine, but has not yet had its opportunity to be shown professionally.

Below are the photos, and film stills I submitted with my application. It is an eye-opening experience to be asked to submit five photos of one's past work. It makes an artist stop and think, "Where do I begin?" and "What do I include?"

More details on the performance times and dates to come. Until then, it is time to focus on performing at the Seacoast Fringe Festival this weekend...and somewhere in between, remembering to turn 24! :)