We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Abby Rose Chenard a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Abby Rose, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

I have to admit, my parents did a lot of things right. They have always allowed me to be myself and never pressured me to pursue something that did not align with my personal interests. They only expected me to move with grace, kindness and generosity which I did not realize at the time, gave me a superpower not many around me had. I grew up participating in dance competitions which to anyone who has gone through that experience, you understand the physical and emotional toll of a weekend filled with wins, losses, and drama. I remember every weekend, driving in the car with my mom and her looking over at me and reminding me, nothing is going to happen this weekend that will change your life for the good or bad. Win or lose, come Monday everyone will have moved on. That seemingly small phrase allowed me to experience the weekend entirely differently. That framework allowed me to be a more supportive teammate, a more effective leader, and it reminded me that this was an opportunity to have fun dancing with my friends. I could cheer on those that beat me and I could lift up those who may have fallen short of their expectations. It is a phrase I still repeat to myself to this day because I understand the truth in it. Opportunity can come from many different directions however the person you are at your core carries you through these experiences. I understand the world is larger than me and my own ambitions should never compromise my humanity. My parents have taught me many lessons over the years like the power of being a learner and a reader, the importance of checking in on others especially in moments when I am too caught up in myself, and standing up for what I believe is right not for my own benefit, but for the benefit of the collective. Truthfully, I could probably write a book on all the wonderful things I have learned from my parents. I would not be the person I am today, nor would I have found the success I have if my parents hadn’t taught me how to ground myself in what’s important. What is important is connecting with those around me and recognizing the undeniable fact that another person is experiencing an entire life that I am not the center of. I couldn’t be more grateful for my mom and dad, and I spend every day trying to make them proud of the person I have become.

Abby Rose, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a New York City based choreographer, teacher, and performer. I received by bachelor’s degree from Marymount Manhattan College in 2021, focusing my studies on dance performance and choreography. I started dancing at the age of four years old and I fell in love almost immediately. I grew up studying as many styles as I could including jazz, ballet and pointe, some hip hop, modern dance, and my first true love, tap dance. I knew from a very early age that I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. In college, with the help of my mentor Elisabeth Motley, I discovered my passion of choreographing dance. I absolutely love constructing an idea and using my physical tools to have that idea realized. I choreographed in works in progress shows, full student productions and even co-created a platform that allowed my peers to investigate and create dance on film. After graduating, I joined an artist collective called Verbal Animal aiming to create an environment that allowed all participants creative control to pitch or direct ideas in the studio. I learned a lot through that experience in regard to collaboration, production and development, and the power of standing up for your ideas even if the room may not be on board at first. After presenting our first evening length work, I moved on to collaborate with individual artists and presented my own work throughout New York City in spaces like Arts on Site, Triskelion Arts, Greenspace and most recently the Emerging Artists Theatre. Additionally, I have collaborated with artists outside my medium such as photographers and musicians to create dance films and photography instillations. I created a film with Javi Alvarez utilizing water to highlight and enhance fluidity in dance movement. I have shot with photographers like Sam DeRosa-Farag, and we are currently developing a body of work in his study, the Artist as a Creator. I have worked as the associate to choreographers such as Serena Wolman, the creator and producer of the show Kiss My Face and enjoy getting in the studio to assist in other artists’ visions as we workshop different creative ideas. During my time in college and post, I have performed works by Andrea Miller, Adam Barruch, Nathaniel Hunt, Jessica Lang, Michelle Thompson, Belinda McGuire, Taylor Hollingsworth, and Sidra Bell. My choreography pulls from the techniques I have studied, informing movement quality and phrase structure. I appreciate the value of accidents in my work and welcome the unexpected during rehearsal and performance research. My aesthetic leans towards more quirky movement positions and I almost always try to find a sense of humor in what I’m doing. I love this artform more than almost anything however, I understand that nothing in this world is really that serious. If you cannot learn to laugh and have fun in your passion, then I do not believe you’re doing it right. I have created both solo works and group pieces which has allowed me to explore physical ideas in numerous ways. My inspiration comes from new ideas, information and concepts that I am able to understand more by investigating them with physical movement.
On top of my professional work as a performer and choreographer, I also teach. Teaching is a great joy of mine. The power and importance of a positive dance education cannot be understated. As a teacher, my goal is always to connect to the joy of dance. Yes, there is a technical training element that requires focus and hard work; however, the true power of dance lies in the community and love in the room. I teach little babies how to have fun in creativity, I teach young adults how to find their own power in the room, and I teach advanced/professional dancers how to make choices that enhance and uplift their own expression in the art form. As a teacher, I appreciate the challenge of holding the energy of the room at a place that supports everyone to succeed. I take great pride in my teaching and recognize the value of a safe learning environment.
As a working artist, I ground myself in my own human experiences and share them openly with the room, creating a dialogue for others to share as well.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

In order for artists to share their work and create spaces and opportunity to connect with one another, they must receive more support from the outside. Unfortunately, in the United States art is only deemed valuable and relevant if it can be capitalized on. The funding and resources for artists, specifically individual artists, is lacking. When budget cuts must be made, arts and culture are the first to go. Our society hasn’t grasped the power and importance of a thriving creative ecosystem. When artists can create and share, communities are formed and strengthened. It is important for us all to advocate for arts funding wherever we can. We must show up and branch out to find and support people creating powerful work that bring us together and provide an opportunity to connect with our humanity. If society can do anything to best support artists, it’s to pay more attention.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Growing up, I always understood the importance of humility. I never wanted to lose my humble demeanor and tried to find gratitude in every situation. Although I still believe that to be true, I’ve found that human beings tend to over correct. In my mission to be humble, I lost the ability to advocate for myself. Never wanting to ask for too much, I began to find myself in environments that did not truly value what I had to offer. It is important to be grounded, but ego is also necessary to get things done. I had to unlearn the overcorrection to find the sweet spot of moving with gratitude while knowing my worth and value. Never be too humble that you cannot be loud and proud about who you are as a person and artist. I have also found that asking for what you want and understanding your worth causes you to lose some connections with people that cannot get on board, and that is okay. That is more than okay because although uncomfortable, there is no clearer sign that a room is not meant for you if it cannot accept and uplift your power.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.abbyrosechenard.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbyrose_chenard/

Image Credits
Sam DeRosa-Farag, Javi Alvarez, Satyam and Lynnette Paz, and Elyse Mertz