We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tara Masimer a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Tara, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

Taking risks-

Showing up every day is taking risk. Being an artist is taking risk.

I do not have the ideal dancer body type. I am not sure what that means these days. I have always been called “the big one” or the amazon woman, and the one with big thighs, that needs to lose 10lbs. I do have a bigger bone structure and I am strong and powerful. Because of my body type, I stood out, so I was told I had to find my uniqueness. Aren’t we all told we are special? What that meant to me was to find my uniqueness and my uniqueness was found in my resilience. Resilience to continue to push the boundaries and fight for my passion and love of dance. To find spaces where I felt a sense of belonging, to find movement forms that I could fully embody.
I took the risk to travel, moving to New York City, where your dreams and possibilities come true. Not without the struggle to survive in the concrete jungle. Taking the risk to move to Europe with the ignorance of not knowing the culture, the language, or the place; risky or foolish, it brought me to this now moment. Currently, I have been creating new solo work. Performing with the idea of ageism in dance, in the body I am in. Exploring what is possible and what matters to me now as a performing artist. Accepting this is the body I have, and I am where I am. This is the risk: having the courage and determination required to follow one’s dreams and passions, even in the face of uncertainty and adversity.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am an American educator, creator, movement practitioner and performing artist living in Amsterdam, The Netherlands for over 13 years. I was born and raised in Colorado and danced from the early age of 3 although things probably didn’t connect until about 7 years of age. I love nature, the mountains, and building community but did not know what to focus my studies on as I was not encouraged to pursue my path as a professional dancer. I was a late bloomer, which changed my perspective throughout my career as well as to this day, how I interact and encourage fellow artists’, students, and colleagues.

I got my B.A in Dance from University of Northern Colorado. Soon after, I moved to New York City and was invited (from taking class) to be part of a project-based dance company, Synthesis Dance Project, under the artistic direction of Tracie Stanfield. I performed for six years with this company. Grateful for the opportunities this experience provided, there was something deep inside of me calling to make a shift. Whether I was running away or running towards something, I decided to sell all my things, pack two bags and bought a one-way ticket and moved to Europe. I arrived in Paris, France, scooted through Aachen, Germany, and landed in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

I sought out all kinds of dance classes and community and ended up in class with Marijeke Eliasberg. She gave me a new perspective to movement which gave me permission to take ownership of my body. She invited me to perform and travel with The Next Stage Project, co-artistic director with Jana Hicks.

I had started teaching at the well-known commercial dance studios, such as Amsterdam Dance Center, and Chassé Studios, and eventually started teaching in the Netherlands based academic institutions as a full-time faculty and/or a visiting guest artist. I was a guest artist at the Academy of Theatre and Dance, Amsterdam University of the Arts, Codarts University of the Arts in Rotterdam, Fontys Dance Academy in Tilburg, and full time Faculty at LMIPA Lucia Marthas Institute of Performing Arts.

While living, teaching, and performing in Amsterdam a curiosity sparked, why is it so hard for me to connect and build community? What was different culturally? I started researching and I started seeking.

Participating in a benefit performance in 2008, I was introduced to Nita Liem, the co-artistic director of dance theater Don’t Hit Mama. She invited me to take part in an exchange project at École des Sables in Toubab Dialow, Senegal, founded by Germaine Acogny, Helmut Vogt and the Jant-Bi Association. I participated in an eight-week cultural exchange between Dutch and Senegalese artist’s, theater makers, dancers, and performers. Being a part of this experience expanded my mind, my spirit, and my movement. Finding this love for Sabar; traditional Senegalese dance, as well as African contemporary movement, I started to dive into learning the traditions and culture of where the movement stems, from the people, the culture, and living histories. My continued training in Senegal and The Netherlands in Sabar Dance is ongoing. Expanding my network and discussing my desire to learn more- Graduate School came on my radar.

I graduated from Hollins University with my MFA in Dance, and finished my studies in Frankfurt, DE. Soon after, I got invited back to Hollins as a Visiting Guest Artist, and an Artist-In-Residence. Since 2022, I am currently the Visiting Assistant Professor and Assistant to the MFA Director at Hollins University, while continuing to bridge my work and research cross-culturally as a freelance artist in The Netherlands.

I am driven by my personal interactions and influences of Western European, North American, and West African cultures. Examining traditions such as Sabar, American jazz, European jazz, and contemporary dance. By investigating how cultural heritage and personal background intersect with the art of movement, I am bringing attention to the complexities of body politics and the ways in which dance can both reflect and challenge societal norms. This theme delves into the complexities of body politics, encompassing issues like power, representation, and control over bodies in social settings. It drives my inquiry into how bodies are regulated, marginalized, or empowered based on factors such as gender, race, sexuality, and ability.

My creative process explores themes that interact with the human experience and its impact on the body, exploring identity, history, and social dynamics. I continue to question how one’s experience as a human being is intertwined with their physical body, suggesting how emotions, memories, cultural influences, and social interactions manifest physically through movement.

I aim to spark curiosity in the students and to challenge the constructs of societal boundaries with embodied movement and critical thinking. Accessibility and inclusivity are at the forefront of my teaching, as I continue to adapt the language around what technique means and translates from and to the body. Exploring the constructs of what dance is and means involves considering all that is constantly shifting as we contemplate and discover what represents the foundations of movement.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Radical Curiosity and Failing with Grace.

Curiosity drives my research and creativity; it expands my choices to live a fuller life and ignites a desire to effect change. It is more than just wanting to keep learning. It is an urge to know more about something. It is playful, a state of wonder, and a source of hope. Curiosity serves as the foundation of creativity. Radical Curiosity entails advocating for something beyond oneself, pushing boundaries, and striving to effect change, serving as a driving force for progress and transformation.

What does ‘failing with grace’ mean to me? Failure is inevitable for humans, artists, teachers, and performers; however, it is also what shifts the work. Failure is a part of life, a moment to stop, pivot, and find a new resolution. Instead of being a setback, it provides opportunity and growth. Viewing failure in this way allows for reflection and adjustment rather than fear or shame. Giving permission to embrace the possibility of change and understanding how failure can be navigated constructively. The notion of ‘failing with grace,’ approaching failure with acceptance and resilience, is a driving force in my creative journey.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

The Importance of Self-Advocacy.

There are numerous elements and obstacles that require constant navigation for artists. Self-advocacy extends across many areas in the creative journey and is essential for navigating various aspects of the artistic profession, such as negotiating fees, contracts, and grants. In a field where artists may have been conditioned to be silent or undervalue themselves recognizing one’s own worth and value is highly important. Emerging from a generation where silence was encouraged, I now find myself mid-career, reclaiming my space and asserting my value. This endeavor extends beyond financial negotiations to encompass fair treatment in both professional environments and personal relationships.

Contact Info:

• Website: taramasimer.com
• Instagram: @taramasimer
• Facebook: Tara J Masimer

Image Credits
Christopher de Gast, Orfeas Skutelis