From rehearsals to performances, Meraki dancers share what it’s like to be part of a professional dance company

by Norm Ramil / 8ca music person & dance fan

Meraki Dance Company put on an exquisite show, “Stillness In The Chaos,” this past weekend at the ultra-cool Madison Street Theatre in Oak Park. I caught the Sunday afternoon performances and have to say that all of the pieces were danced with both a visceral passion and a professional sheen.

All summer I’ve had a steady diet of home routines and halftime choreography, all stuff I love. But Meraki’s show was a timely reminder that dancers are basically storytellers. It’s so cool that dance coaches and dance team members had the opportunity to tell these stories after spending so much of the past year in a competitive, execution-ish state of mind.

Which brings me to Part 3 of this summer’s Meraki Dance Company posts–the experiences of the dancers themselves! Extra thanks goes out to Meraki leader Kristen Baron who tracked down her dancers for a few comments on what it’s like to be part of a professional dance company. To Natalie Fisher (Plainfield South Dance Team coach), Amy Jesionowski (Grayslake Central Orchesis Coach), and Kiernan Papp (Minooka Dance Team varsity dancer), thanks for taking the time to share your answers!

How has Meraki’s location and schedule helped you continue to dance?

Natalie Fisher: Rehearsing on Sunday afternoons in the Naperville area has allowed me to be a part of Meraki, while still teaching, coaching, and attending grad school full time.  Making time to dance myself on Meraki is difficult with my busy schedule, but the schedule and location make it possible.

Amy Jesionowski: I travel for Meraki, so the Sunday night rehearsal schedule is the only way I could do it! I love that I have something for myself to start the week, and the schedule makes it easy to rehearse for several months with one big showcase at the end.

Does dancing with Meraki help you mentally leave behind the workweek?

Natalie Fisher: Sunday night rehearsals provide an opportunity to dance out everything that went on during my week.  Both the positive and challenging events of my week influence my dancing: the movements, energy, and emotion. Dancing can definitely be a form of therapy and outlet after a busy week.

Amy Jesionowski: It’s the opposite for me really. I’m a dancer who works out my personal life and work life through dancing; it’s how I make sense of my life and the world. Whether I’m in a high point in life and celebrating or grieving something difficult, I always bring it to Meraki, and I always feel much better about it when I leave. It gives me the outlet I need to process my life more so than just a class downtown because I’m with my Meraki family who genuinely always has my back.

What are the rehearsals like?

Natalie Fisher: A typical rehearsal consists of a company warm-up and class from a guest artist.  They often teach a short combination as well. Then, we work on whichever pieces are being set that week. Typically, two choreographers are working with dancers each week.

Amy Jesionowski: Rehearsal begins with either a self warm-up or a 45-minute class lead by a Meraki dancer. We then break into different studios to learn or clean choreography. When we have enough pieces, we run each piece before breaking off to learn more. We’re done when the choreographer releases us.

What’s the most challenging aspect in getting this show ready?

Natalie Fisher: The most challenging aspect to preparing for the show is putting everything together for a first dress rehearsal run through.  Dancers are challenged to remember choreography, cleaning notes, and facials, while also working on their stamina to get through the show. It’s also challenging to ensure dancers’ bodies remain healthy and injury-free while preparing for the show under a demanding schedule.  

Amy Jesionowski: I think the most challenging aspect for preparing is keeping choreography fresh. Sometimes we learn pieces in November or December for a July showcase, and although the movement is old to us, it’s brand new for the audience. It’s important to stay engaged in the dance and not get bored. I think that takes creativity and mental strength to do so, but I really think something changes for our company in front of an audience. We become better dancers, moving with more energy and larger movement. The adrenaline really helps liven up the older pieces.

For dancers reading this who don’t have a ton of stage experience, what’s it like performing “in the moment” during the show?

Natalie Fisher: There is no better feeling than being “in the moment” on the stage on performance night.  Words simply cannot do it justice. It’s a combination of many emotions: excitement, pure joy, gratitude, love, and a little touch of nervousness.  No other experience can compare.

Amy Jesionowski: There’s genuinely nothing else like it. I always think about Merce Cunningham’s quote:  “You have to love dancing to stick to it. It gives you nothing back, no manuscripts to store away, no paintings to show on walls and maybe hang in museums, no poems to be printed and sold, nothing but that single fleeting moment when you feel alive.” I truly feel that way. We’ve prepared for the better part of a year for two 90-minute showcases. We walk away with memories, and that’s it. I love that with movement, you can make people laugh, or smile, or trigger memories of their loved ones, or even cry. The power of movement can truly change people. I feel blessed that I’m healthy and able to share that in some capacity, and I’ve never found anything even close to that feeling.

What are the lighter moments like at Meraki?

Natalie Fisher: The funny and unexpected moments occur when we are not dancing, but getting to know one another and bond as company members and friends during water breaks, back stage, and in between numbers.  Moments of socializing together outside of dancing helps to form a unique bond and Meraki dance family. We truly root for each other both in and out of dance. Like when Kristen tackled me to the ground moments before going on stage because she cares about her friends’ well-being and happiness.  We had to get our laughter under control when walking on stage to perform an emotional piece. She’s not only a great director and dancer, but also a great friend.

Amy Jesionowski: Oh my gosh. I feel like there’s so many little funny moments that happen every single rehearsal, and it’s typically me doing something ridiculous. I think that the bonds we have truly have made me feel like many of the women are my best friends, and when you get a bunch of best friends in one room every week, we have a blast. I think the funniest moments occur in partnering. This year, I partnered a lot with Stephanie Germann, and I fell on her so many times, in so many awkward ways that we both just ended up dying laughing. She accidentally slapped me in the face with both hands at the same time, and that was funny. Trying out movement on your own body while balancing on another person’s body can lead to some odd things happening, and I think that’s where a lot of the humor comes out.

Besides dancing do you have any other responsibilities at Meraki?

Natalie Fisher: As a three year returning member, I make sure that new members feel welcomed and understand the process of putting together a Meraki Show.  I bring mentorship and professionalism with my years of experience in the company and performing at Madison Street Theater.

Amy Jesionowski: Kristen and the dancers do everything. We market online and in print. We sell the tickets. We lay the marley floor and rip it up. Choreographers design their ideas for lighting. The dancers pick costumes. Kristen cues music and stage manages backstage. We do our own makeup and hair. If a dancer is injured last minute, which happened with two dancers this year, we figure it out. We do food runs. The past two years, I’ve recorded my voice for the pre-show theatre expectations. We truly run absolutely every aspect of the show, and I know that I’m forgetting a lot of them. Kristen handles so much, and it’s mostly behind the scenes.

What’s the most rewarding part of being in Meraki?

Natalie Fisher: The most rewarding aspect of being part of Meraki is being able to continue to dance and perform on stage.  After I graduated college, I took on roles as a head coach and choreographer, taking away from performance opportunities for myself.  Meraki allows me to step back into my role as a student, dancer, and performer.

Amy Jesionowski: The friendships and bonds I’ve created are beyond what I’ve expected. I’ve made lifelong friends in this company, all because we love dancing and it’s no longer a competition like it was in high school and college. Kristen also gives me free rein to tell my story through my choreography. She doesn’t limit me or tell me what would be best. She always just lets me create. I’m forever thankful for that.

Natalie Fisher: Being able to perform in front of my dancers is extremely rewarding. They are so supportive of me continuing to dance and perform myself. It’s exciting to be able to showcase my knowledge, experiences, and abilities to my dancers. Hopefully, it will inspire them to keep dance in their life some way somehow as they grow up. Dance is part of my soul, part of who I am and I am thankful to be able to share that with my dancers.

Bonus: Minooka varsity dancer Kiernan Papp’s thoughts on her company experience!

Hello! My name is Kiernan Papp, I’m 16 years old, going to be a junior at Minooka Community High School, and starting my 3rd year on the varsity dance team! I started with the Meraki Company last year around September when the youth company had started. I found out about this amazing opportunity through my amazing dance trainer Kaitlyn Vega who has played a big part in Meraki for the past few years.

This past weekend performing in the Merkai Dance performance “Stillness in the Chaos” was an unforgettable moment as a dancer and as a person. The energy that filled throughout the whole theater from the start of the day to the end was an energy that was never felt before, and having the opportunity to watch so many different talented artists pursue what we all love to do in the same space was such an amazing opportunity to fulfill and take in as a dancer!

Having these opportunities wouldn’t be possible without Coach Vega being the leader and inspirer she is to me and all of my teammates. Seeing your dance mentor take the stage is one of the most inspiring things to watch as a dancer. She expresses what we learn and strive to be as young, training dancers in every way possible. Watching Coach Vega perform on stage is a learning experience that’s unforgettable for every artist.

The Meraki company inspires so much in everything. The most inspiring would have to be the character and leadership the members show and how passionate and supportive they are towards anyone and most importantly to the artistry of dance! Outside of the Meraki company, this will be my 3rd year competing in IHSA, and for the past 6 years I have competed in studio dance along with convention training. But performing with the Meraki Company is different in a way, a great way. You work together to choreograph a special piece and then you have performances to show what you created, and you get to dance with no judgment or worries, performing for the love of it without the stress of other teams or judgements.

After high school, I plan to continue my dance career hopefully on a college dance team and find a performance company similar to Meraki around the area I will once live in. Having the opportunity to be a part of Meraki opened up many ideas for the future and is one of the most amazing things I have ever been able to be a part of and I’m extremely thankful for this great experience and can’t wait to see where the future takes me! Hope you enjoyed learning a few things about me and the great opportunities given from such amazing organizations! Thankful is an understatement 🖤