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Updated 11/13/2023

Monkeyhouse

  • M

    MA

Institution/Business Type: Performing Group

Monkeyhouse, an award winning nonprofit that connects communities through choreography, has collaborated with towns throughout New England to encourage residents of all ages to move with meaning. Founded in 2000, it began with a promise to build a laboratory where choreographers could create, experiment and present new work. We have mentored, nurtured and supported local, national, and international choreographers ranging from students first experimenting to established favorites. Monkeyhouse projects have toured to New York, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Winnepeg, Chicago and around New England. We've hosted hundreds of conversations about different creative processes and formed long term relationships with presenters, audience members and other choreographers. We hunger for events that bring communities together in ways that foster greater understanding between participants and form lasting relationships.

Find Me

karen Krolak (she/her)
Job Title: co-Artistic Director
Phone: 646.535.1481
Address:
Malden, MA 02148

Social Media:

Additional Content:

About

Overview

Institution/Business Type:

Performing Group

Legal Status:

Nonprofit - Independent

Year Founded:

2000

Overview

Institution/Business Type:

Performing Group

Legal Status:

Nonprofit - Independent

Year Founded:

2000

Disciplines

Primary Discipline:

Dance - General

Additional Disciplines:

  • Multi-Disciplinary

Activities and Services

Activities and Services:

  • Arts Criticism / Journalism
  • Creation of a Work of Art (Including Commissions)
  • Public Art Projects (In Free, Public Spaces)
  • Residency - In School
  • Workshops / Demonstrations / Master Class
  • Residency - Production / Development
  • Consulting - Curatorial Services
  • Performance / Concert / Reading
  • Residency - Community
Seasons Active: spring, summer, fall, winter
Events Per Year: 30

Communities

Populations Engaged:

  • Adults
  • Elders
  • Families
  • General Public
  • LGBTQ Populations
  • Nonprofits
  • People with Disabilities
  • School Groups
  • Teens
  • Youth-At-Risk

Geographic Reach:

  • Town / City
  • State
  • Multi-State Region
  • National

Accessibility of Services

Accessibility of Services:

Monkeyhouse is committed to improving our overall accessibility for events both online and in person. We have always strived to find poetry within the idiosyncratic limitations of each dancer’s body. Artistic Director karen Krolak is currently a member of the Boston Dance Alliance’s Dance and Disability cohort.

Media Gallery

I Have Worked With

Priya Bangal

Artist / Creative (Individual)

Date: 09/2022-12/2024

Monkeyhouse has been mentoring Sāmvad and Priya on project development, grant writing, and more. Sāmvad will be a 2024 Vault Artist.

MALDEN CULTURAL COUNCIL

Arts Council / Agency

Date: 01/2022-12/2024

Monkeyhouse launched the Malden Dance Mile with funding from the Malden Cultural Council in 2019 and has been funded each year since. In 2019 Monkeyhouse received funding to develop a new quartet, entitled 8 Feet, that is designed to be performed in an 8' square space. This piece was created to be performed at little free libraries, farmers markets and other outdoor spaces. It does not need any special flooring. It premiered at an event at the Clary and Cimermanis Little Free Library.

SOMERVILLE ARTS COUNCIL

Arts Council / Agency

Date: 09/2021-12/2023

We partnered with ArtAssembled and the Somerville Arts Council to create Rehearsal Space Grants for Cassandre Charles, John Ying, Angelina Benitez, Nicole Zizzi, Sarah Feinberg, and Anjali Nath. Somerville Arts Council has funded Monkeyhouse's Buttress, a mentoring program for local artists, in 2022-2023.

Subcircle

Performing Group

Date: 10/2020-12/2024

Monkeyhouse is partnering with Subcircle on two Covid Collaborations in 2021. Monkeyhouse partners with Subcircle on their residency program to support one Boston area artist each year. In 2023-2024 Monkeyhouse and Subcircle are presenting Walter Kitundu in Massachusetts and Maine.

Affiliations and Accomplishments

Professional Associations

Professional Associations:

  • 2023 & 2022 - Co-producer aMaSSiT at The Dance Complex
  • 2021 - Curator in Residence Minute Man National Park
  • 2019 - present - Co-producer Luminarium Dance Company’s 24hr ChoreoFest
  • 2019 - present Co-producer NACHMO Boston

Professional Associations

Professional Associations:

  • 2023 & 2022 - Co-producer aMaSSiT at The Dance Complex
  • 2021 - Curator in Residence Minute Man National Park
  • 2019 - present - Co-producer Luminarium Dance Company’s 24hr ChoreoFest
  • 2019 - present Co-producer NACHMO Boston

Awards

Awards:

  • 2023 -NEST Grant to present Walter Kitundu's Rekodi Maji
  • 2023 - Innovation Fund Grant ( also 2022), Mass Cultural Council
  • 2023 - Festivals Grant (also 2022, 2021), Mass Cultural Council
  • 2023 - Malden LCC Grants (also 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019)
  • 2023 - Somerville LCC Grant (also 2022)
  • 2023 - Boston Cultural Council Grant
  • 2023 - Recovery Grant for Organizations, Mass Cultural Council
  • 2023 - Collective Imagination for Spatial Justice, New England Foundation for the Arts
  • 2022 - MCC Project Grant (also 2021)
  • 2021 - NEST Grant to present Kim Holman
  • 2021 - NEST Grant to present Jessica Roseman
  • 2021 - NEST Grant to present J Neve Harrington
  • 2020 - Medford LCC Grants (also 2019)
  • 2015 - Hiraeth 2.0, One of the 2015 Best Dance Pieces of 2015, Arts Fuse, Cambridge MA
  • 2010, 2007, & 2006 - Voted Best Dance Company in Boston by Boston Phoenix Readers' Poll
  • 2002 - Won Best Costume Design @ New York International Fringe Festival
  • 2002 - Named Exemplary Project by the Massachusetts Cultural Council
  • 2022 - Live Arts Boston Grant from Boston Foundation

Special Designations

Special Designations:

  • NEFA Grant Recipient

Artist Info

Teaching Artist

Teaching Settings:

  • Afterschool Program
  • Arts and Cultural Center / Venue
  • Community Site / Center
  • Corporate Business
  • Healthcare Facility
  • Private Studio
  • School / University

Ages Served:

  • Elementary School-age
  • Middle School-age
  • High School-age
  • College-age
  • Adults
  • Seniors

Subject Areas:

  • Arts Integration - English Language / Literacy
  • Dance
  • Design
  • Theater

Teaching Artist

Teaching Settings:

  • Afterschool Program
  • Arts and Cultural Center / Venue
  • Community Site / Center
  • Corporate Business
  • Healthcare Facility
  • Private Studio
  • School / University

Ages Served:

  • Elementary School-age
  • Middle School-age
  • High School-age
  • College-age
  • Adults
  • Seniors

Subject Areas:

  • Arts Integration - English Language / Literacy
  • Dance
  • Design
  • Theater

Touring Artist

NEST Eligible Artist

Technical Requirements:

  • Prefer a wood floor but that is flexible
  • We are dedicated to bringing dance to places that don’t normally see dance and are eager to work site specifically

Accessibility Accommodations Needed:

  • Access accommodations for people who use a wheelchair and have limited mobility
  • Accessible website and/or multimedia for people with sensory disabilities

Fee Range:

$500 - $20,000

State of Residence:

Massachusetts

Minimum Number of Performers:

1

Maximum Number of Performers:

10