Dance@Bennington Life After College

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC | Please join us for a virtual conversation on Zoom moderated by Dance Faculty Levi Gonzalez with artists/arts workers Martita Abril, Brian Rogers, and Sarah A.O. Rosner to learn how these individuals have forged creative pathways to make a career for themselves in the field of dance, performance and beyond. Each of these panelists embody unique and impactful approaches to the field that align with their distinctive artistic practices and values. The session will last one hour and there will be time for panelists to field questions from students in attendance.

About the Panelists

Martita Abril is a performer, choreographer, organizer, teaching artist, and border kid from Tijuana, México. She’s been on both sides of the NYFA Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program and has had the privilege of serving as an interpreter, aiding families seeking asylum at a US detention facility. Martita has collaborated with Lux Boreal, Kim Brandt, Yanira Castro, Yoshiko Chuma, Rebecca Davis, Daria Fain & Robert Kocik, Allyson Green, Mina Nishimura, Cori Olinghouse, okwui okpokwasili, and Will Rawls. She is currently working with Milka Djordjevich, Kat Galasso, and Abigail Levine, She was a performer in Simone Forti’s Dance Constructions and the Handles exhibition by Haegue Yang at the Museum of Modern Art. Martita is the Coordinator of the Movement Research at the Judson Memorial Church and Programs and Events Manager at Movement Research. She currently resides at the border of Bushwick and Greenpoint, Brooklyn with her partner and 31 plants, most of which are alive.

Brian Rogers is a director, filmmaker, video and sound artist, co-founder and Artistic Director of The Chocolate Factory Theater. Since 1997, Brian has directed numerous films and performances at The Chocolate Factory and elsewhere including Screamers (Abrons Arts Center 2018 / Baryshnikov Arts Center 2019), Hot Box (2012, FIAF’s Crossing The Line Festival / PS122’s COIL Festival / EMPAC Center), and the Bessie-nominated Selective Memory (2010). In addition to his own work, Brian curates The Chocolate Factory's artistic program (now in its 18th year) which supports the creation of dance, theater and interdisciplinary performances at its 7,500 sq ft facility in LIC, Queens.

Sarah A.O. Rosner (they/them) is a trans/non-binary, queer arts consultant, producer, and maker. A Sarah Lawrence graduate, they began their career in the arts at Dance Theater Workshop, where they played a role in the transition of the organization and its programs to what is now New York Live Arts. Sarah went on to found A.O. PRO(+ductions), where they provided freelance consulting, media, management, production, and design services for 6 years to independent artists in NYC, working with artists including Juliana May and Tere O'Connor. Most recently, Sarah served as the Producer for Gibney in NYC for 2.5 years, before leaving the org this January to pursue their own creative work full time, and return to providing freelance consulting on the side. Sarah currently serves as the Director of the performance company the A.O. Movement Collective and the Creative Director of queer film studio AORTA films.