Remembering Jennifer Muller (1944-2023)

Today’s podcast is a re-airing of an interview with Jennifer Muller on Movers & Shapers from September 2019. Jennifer was the Artistic Director/Founder of Jennifer Muller/The Works, and was an influence in the dance world for over 50 years. Jennifer passed away March 29 peacefully in her home.  

A maverick in the dance field, in this episode you will hear from the determined, tenacious, and passionate Jennifer Muller of Jennifer Muller/The Works. From her early days dancing with Jose Limón, Pearl Lang, and Louis Falko, to touring the world and always pushing against the dance norms of the time to follow her own vision, hear how Jennifer made a life in dance. An influencer in the dance field for over 50 years, hear about her love for collaboration and how she made work in response to the world.

“This is what I do. I create work that is meaningful to me, no matter what anyone has to say about it. That’s just how stubborn I am.” - Jennifer Muller

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Fierce, Fragile, Empathetic, Political, and Poetic Art with Miguel Gutierrez

Our guest today, Miguel Gutierrez, is irrevocably passionate about making works of art and creates empathetic and irreverent spaces outside of traditional discourse.  Our conversation starts with Miguel sharing more about his upbringing as the child of two immigrants, how he came to love the arts and dancing, and what he wanted to be when he grew up. He tells us about his time at Brown, Queer Activism, working with Paula Hunter, and later going full circle back to Brown. He also talks about his epic time in California in the 90s, what it was like to work with Joe Goode and John Jasperse, and what sparked his shift back to New York. This is a jam-packed episode so stay tuned for this candid, introspective, and inspiring interview.

Key Points From This Episode:

·       Miguel gives us a short introduction of who he is and where he is from. 

·       How Miguel came to love dancing.

·       What he wanted to be when he grew up.

·       What happened when he showed up for school at Brown.

·       He shares about his time doing Queer activism. 

·       He tells us about his time dancing with Paula Hunter. 

·       What compelled him to go back to Brown and finish his degree.

·       He shares his Californian experience in the 90s.

·       What sparked the shift back to New York (and why Europe didn’t work out).

·       What it was like working with John Jasperse.

·       Miguel tells us about his own choreography journey.

·       The kinds of day jobs Miguel has had to support himself over the years.

·       His experience of when things started to take off, his work, and what life looked like.

·       Why he hates when propriety supplants honesty and when professionalism is used to maintain the status quo.

·       Projects he is working on now and what life looks like. 

“When you are younger, as a dancer, you think that if you aren’t dancing professionally by the age of nothing, you’re never going to make it. It’s like this BS idea of what dance is, and it’s fed to you from when you are little.” — Miguel Gutierrez 

Miguel Gutierrez is a choreographer, music artist, writer, visual artist, educator, podcaster, and Feldenkrais Method practitioner based in Lenapehoking/Brooklyn, NY and Tovaangar/Los Angeles. His work creates empathetic and irreverent spaces outside of traditional discourse. 

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More info links from this episode: Movers & Shapers