Chris Bell is a regular studio renter from Green Space where his company chrisbelldances is scheduled to perform at Take Root in 2021. We recently asked him to share some thoughts on coming to Green Space:
“The beautiful thing about dreams is that they’re yours, and you can do with them as you wish. Take me for example, I wanted to be an astronaut for as long as I can remember, and actively pursued the occupation longer than a person with no interest in mathematics should. I have a degree in geology and it’s mostly the fault of my dreams. Thankfully, I had a back up degree in dance, and with the help of teachers, friends, and of course my partner, family and parents, I am currently and gratefully putting it to use. Dreams are constantly shifting. Wannabe Astronauts become Dancers, and performers begin to dream about creating their own performances. Any dream also requires the support of not only people, but places, and for the last three years that place of support has been Green Space.
Green Space came on my radar in 2017 while rehearsing Elvis Everywhere for dendy/donovan projects. As a dancer and who lived in LIC for almost four years at that point, how did I not know that Green Space was within walking distance of my house. Thankfully I have since corrected that and constantly try to schedule, and encourage those that I dance for, to book at Green Space. Sure, it’s a selfish thing. As I said before, the studio is in my hood, but it’s also a place where I feel comfortable, where I feel at home. Maybe it’s the wood floor. I grew up training on a wood floor. The creeks and moans of the floor boards remind me of the ‘ghosts of artists past’ that guide your bare feet. A feeling of resistance mixed with full tilt slide as we build upon the scaffolding of their work. Or maybe, that’s just me remembering my first dance teacher’s impromptu speeches and it’s all just nostalgia. Either way, I love the floor. Not to mention the view; which has a way of making you feel like being a successful professional NYC artist is not only possible but manageable, and in moments--just after sunset when the city sparkles more than the stars--the most sensible thing to do.
Green Space is an incubator of dance in Queens. I always thought that was such a weird title: A dance incubator. Eggs are incubated, people that makes apps in Silicon Valley are incubated. Is dance incubated? Yes, yes, it is. Has chrisbelldances been incubated by Green Space? Yes, yes it has. Honestly, we sort of fell into it. It started off being just about the studio being close and me being lazy, but then something shifted. The studio started to feel like home, the space inspired me to create, the rate became subsidized (thanks Valerie, NYSCA and Dance NYC) and in 2018 when chrisbelldances expanded from a solo company to a company of 5 we were there all the time. It was the perfect size shell for our little dance organism. A safe environment to make and grow and be. When you are at home you feel relaxed and things seem to flow a little better. The incubator idea was beginning to become clearer. Season one came and went and soon after season two presented itself. We made art, grew into the space more, and I was asked to teach a class in the studio.
We applied for the 2019-2020 Take Root Series and were selected for a showcase in April 2020. At that moment, a shift happened. Take Root is a sponsored series. Green Space takes care of the expense of the theater and lighting and most tech issues and there is a small stipend. So, at the moment when chrisbelldances was accepted into the series we became a company that was being paid to perform… in a space… in NYC… Wow, maybe this dance company thing is a Thing! Maybe there are people and spaces out there who understand and support and want to help us make our dream of being a world-famous dance company a reality. Dream big, right?
So back to the studio we went, we made more art, and we grew into the walls a bit more, and then, the world stopped. LiveFast slated to be performed in April 2020 never happened. Season 3, for the moment was to be postponed, a few weeks, tops. Weeks grew to months and here we are 6 months later with most larger performance venues (like Broadway) hoping to resume performances in June 2021. What does a dreamy performer do when there is nowhere to perform? They go back home. When Green Space first opened for solo renters, I was there, making art, growing into the windows a bit more. The ghost in the floor reeducated my body, their voices expressed through the creeks and moans of the wood encouraged me as I worked to get back what was lost and worked through what was taken. When more than one person was allowed, chrisbelldances went back home as well. We dusted off the cobwebs and nestled back into the warm supportive embrace of our little shell. Our dance organism felt thoroughly incubated. Incubator of dance--oh yeah--that makes sense now.
Dreams shift, and chrisbelldances is now a national organization, we have dancers in Colorado, Georgia and California. That’s not really true. Well… it is true, they are in those places, but right now we are only working with our local dancers (Nicole Baker and Me) on TheBuisnessOfLove for a Take Root performance sometime in 2021 but we have… plans. Dream big right? The way the world works now, anything is possible. So as we prepare to leave the studio, before we close the door, after wiping everything down it still seems like-- as the sun sets and the city continues to sparkle more than the sky-- making art, in your neighborhood, in your home is manageable and the most sensible thing to do.”
