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I am a choreographer. I am interested in making work that is culturally relevant, be it pop or politics. The goal is to create work that speaks to the time and space I occupy and commentate on what I witness through movement.

 

Because so much of life is performative, I believe dance should be the same way. Care is taken to ensure each dancer embodies a specific character. I find people are consistent in their behavior, but are often unclear on the manifestations. If they are clear and do not like it, they may add a further layer of performance. They may wish to hide their true selves. They may simply want to blend in and go unnoticed. Life’s performance layers are stripped in my work. Honesty remains present in this performance, but I want to give people something to see. Something to be in awe of.

Movements I use draw from modern and postmodern languages. Just as I am drawn to the performance of life, I am equally as drawn to exaggerated movement. Life is difficult. And so the movement is difficult. It is athletic, syncopated, messy, with touches of synchronicity present to offset the cacophony.

 

These dances are weird. Life is utterly absurd. And again, the dance shall be absurd. I try to imbue my work with humor. Typically, this humor is accomplished through slapstick. Subtleties in the work can also provide opportunities for a comedic touch.  

 

Ultimately, my dances are meant to be thoroughly enjoyable. After all, life is too exhausting to spend time watching something you don’t thoroughly enjoy.

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Karen Yatsko received her BFA in Dance at Columbia College Chicago. She has performed at the Going Dutch Festival in Chicago. Karen has choreographed and presented work at Chicago Moving Company’s D49 and Dance Shelter, Chicago Danztheatre’s Full Circle Festival, Links Hall’s THAW, at Harold Washington Library’s Cindy Pritzker Auditorium as a part of Made in Chicago and Chicago, Chicago Fringe Festival’s benefit performance, and Ground Rhythm Project’s Breaking Grounds. She recently co-produced and presented her first evening length work A Pretentious Cheer as a part of VOLTA Performing Arts artist-in-residency program.