Today we’d like to introduce you to Helen Hatch.
Hi Helen, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started dancing recreationally at Fuller Park in South Minneapolis. My teacher noticed an enthusiasm and suggested Ballet Arts MN for additional classes, which is where I ended up training throughout high school. I was mentored by an extraordinary group of teachers led by Bonnie Mathis and Lirena Branitski, and was exposed to many different dance forms. I then moved to New York City to attend the Ailey/Fordham BFA program where I encountered new approaches to movement, excited by the potency these physical languages had to communicate. A passion for improvisation and choreography was ignited and nurtured. I saw performances that altered my understanding of dance and affirmed my ambitions. After graduating, I started my professional career with Minnesota Dance Theatre, where I was involved in the creation process of many new works and had the privilege to step into existing roles in repertory ranging from classical to contemporary. I also started teaching ballet to preprofessional students at this time, finding it deeply rewarding to mentor young dancers. After several years in the company, I craved more freedom in deciding what projects I took part in and began freelancing throughout the Twin Cities. I danced in a film, an opera, choreographed and performed for Aveda, and worked with various choreographers. In the midst of several projects, I assembled a group of dancers who I’d been eager to move alongside and launched Hatch Dance, a project-based dance company to house my creative work. Over the past 5 years, Hatch Dance has collaborated with dancers, dance companies, musicians, and videographers resulting in projects that I am very proud of.
In the summer of 2020, I connected with Berit Ahlgren on a mutual need to be moving and creating. Everything had been put on pause and we knew we weren’t the only dancers looking for a creative outlet. We embarked on a large ensemble work called “bolerobolero” and produced an outdoor event that gave dancers the opportunity to perform, and audiences their first live show in months. The success of “bolerobolero” encouraged us to build an annual outdoor dance event called Live @ The Shed that is going into its 4th iteration in 2023.
Coming up, I am thrilled to be collaborating with theater director Jon Ferguson on a new work called “PARADISE” that will premiere at The Southern Theater in February. We worked together in 2018 on a piece and hit it off creatively. I’m curious to see what we make, along with a really exciting cast of multi-talented performers. I’ll also be spending a couple of weeks in Missouri working on a commission for Mareck Dance that will premiere in the spring. And I am also working on Hatch Dance’s debut at The Cowles Center in April, which will be a “retrospective” of sorts. We’ll be showing two works that never saw their in-person premiere due to Covid. And a new work for Dylan Wald and Elle Macy of Pacific Northwest Ballet.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Of course, there have been struggles. I don’t know if there is any other way to grow. There have been many instances where I’ve thought maybe it’s time to stop the pursuit. It’s hard to define the goal sometimes as an artist. But the choreographic process has taught me a lot about not knowing, and how most of the time, that’s actually the way forward. That lesson has made it easier to navigate uncertainties in my life. That, along with an incredible support system made up of powerful mentors, teachers, collaborators, friends, and family. A whole lot of love. I am truly in awe, and so, so grateful.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Dance is the medium through which I explore ideas. I am a performer, choreographer, director, teacher, and collaborator.
I thrive in a movement that is technically complex, highly articulate, and bonded to the music from which it stems. I am fascinated by how emotionality can exist in abstraction through precise movement vocabulary, expressing something words cannot.
I like to try new things, work with different people, and explore new ways of creating. I rarely spend too long working on a project; I’d rather be under-rehearsed than over-rehearsed.
I love to bring artists together in unexpected ways. Through the deep listening necessary to make art together and the trust that is developed through the process, truths are shared and perspectives change. I have found that the most fruitful creative processes have also been the most collaborative. The work I am most proud of is the work that has been made together.
And I couldn’t not mention how proud I am of my students. It’s such a privilege to bear witness to young artists blooming. How their artistry takes shape, how their individuality manifests, and how open and honest they are. I learn so much from them. The future is in very good hands.
What does success mean to you?
Success is continuing the process of becoming.
Contact Info:
- Order tickets here: https://southerntheater.org/shows/paradise
- Website: https://www.hatchdance.com/
- Instagram: @helenhatch | @hatchdance
- Facebook: @hatchdancemn
Image Credits
Bill Cameron
Breanne Bland
Shelly Mosman
