“Who are THESE people?”
This week I’ve been thinking a lot about who RMD is. Where the company (and my work) lives in the danceScape of 2026 and, maybe more importantly, what has brought us to this moment.
For those of you newer to RMD, I began making work under the umbrella of Robert Mark Dance in 2015. Since then, I’ve collaborated with over 20 dance artists and 3 composers. Each of these collaborators has brought something special to my work, the rehearsal studio and the stage.
Looking back, community is at the heart of what we do.
I know we’ve built community when the people in the room are curious about each other’s lives outside of the studio and when they tend to one another with a kind of care that lifts up the entire room.
And, I think, the dancing gets better because the relationships get deeper.
This past weekend, Robert Mark Dance returned to Queens Theatre for the Queensboro Dance Festival Finale. QDF is one of my favorite events to take part in for a few reasons.
First, it’s an incredible way to workshop new dances. Every time we bring a work to the festival, we have the opportunity to work it out over 5–6 performances across different outdoor venues in Queens. This type of public workshopping has helped bring to life some of our most successful works.
But there’s something else.
QDF reminds me that dance doesn’t grow in isolation.
Artists need opportunities to see one another, share work, reconnect, experiment publicly and build relationships. Every time we show up at a new site, we see old friends and make new ones. The dance community in Queens is strong and growing and being able to witness that in real time is powerful and fuel to continue growing the group of dance artists I surround myself with.
Each performance is an opportunity to do the same with Robert Mark Dance.
I’ve been lucky enough to work with some of the most celebrated dance artists in NYC. Each of them brings a level of professionalism and expertise that only heightens the work we do.
Because RMD works as a pickup company, the people in the room sometimes change.
Selfishly, there’s always a part of me trying to figure out how to keep a dancer in the room. But the reality is, RMD doesn’t currently have the funding to support keeping dancers full time. Their careers take them in different directions and sometimes that means learning to part ways with some of my favorite people so they can continue building dance lives that feel full to them.
And if I’m lucky, they make their way back to RMD.
If I’m really lucky (which I usually am!), I get to watch them take the world by storm along the way.
But I’ve also realized there’s something really powerful here:
These artists don’t feel like they HAVE to be in the room, they make the choice to WANT to be here.
And again and again, these artists choose RMD. Being in a room with people who WANT to be there, is a game changer.
These October performances are no different. The dancers of Robert Mark Dance are an eclectic group of performers beloved throughout the New York dance community. They each bring a lifetime of experiences that make their individuality shine through while helping us create a shared value system in rehearsal and performance.
When I think about why this particular group works, I keep coming back to these eight things:
Derek Crescenti _ lights a fire.
Mary Lyn Graves _ grounds us.
Sarah Hillmon _ gives us clarity.
Sarah Housepian _ brings electricity.
Erin Love _ draws us in.
Jared McAboy _ keeps us groovy.
Allegra Persico _ lives in the details.
Sabatino A. Verlezza _ lifts us up.
So, who are THESE people? They’re the people who make RMD what it is.
When I look around the studio at these eight people, I feel full. I’m a better person when we’re working together. And I think the work is better because of who we are when we’re together.
Over the next few weeks, I’m looking forward to introducing you to these fabulous humans in more detail—not just as dancers, but as the people, artists and collaborators who make this work possible.
Make sure you’re following along on Instagram and Facebook. There’s a lot more to come.
See you in the studio,
Robert