Karen's Resumé

KAREN MONTANARO____________________________________

20 Little Toad Lane, Casco, ME  04015 * 207-655-2350 * KarenHM@maine.rr.com * www.mimedance.com

 

GRANTS AND AWARDS___________________________________

• 2022 ARPA Grant matched by Tom Bergeron to write a one-woman show about master mime Tony Montanaro. Tony Montanaro - A Love Story premiered at the Celebration Barn in South Paris, ME July 2022.
• 2011 Good Idea Grant from The Maine Arts Commission
• 2011 Meet the Composer Grant from the New England Foundation for the Arts (to pay for an original score for an original mimedance, The Journey.)
• 2008 Individual Fellowship Grant, The Maine Arts Commission
• 2007 International Accolade Award for Choreography in Leland Faulkner’s award-winning film, King O Cats
• 2006 Rebel Blend Artist Fund Grant, Coffee by Design
• Ram Island Trust Foundation (4 separate endowments)
• Choreography Award, Dance Portland Festival

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE _____________________________

Public Speaker - Presenter

• 2019 - Lecture Series - “A Metaphysical View of Arts in Education,” Principia College, Elsah, Illinois.
• 2019 - Presenter, “The Power of Arts in Education,” Elementary School Teacher Conference, SAD 54, Skowhegan, Maine.
• 2018 - Lecture Series - “The Real Link Between the Arts and Improved Learning Outcomes, Maine College of Art, Portland Maine.
• 2013 Presenter at AAPHERD (American Association for Physical Health, Education, Recreation and Dance) Annual Conference, Charlotte, North Carolina.
• 2011 Closing presenter at Arts Assessment Conference for educators, University of Maine, Portland.
• 2008 - present. Ongoing Professional Development workshops for educators.
• 2008 - present. Presenter at MAPHERD (Maine Association for Physical Health, Education, Recreation and Dance) Annual Fall Conference, Rockport, Maine.
• 2010 Delivered Keynote Presentation to 300 teachers and administrators at an Arts in Education Conference. Sanford, Maine.

 

Performer - Ballet, Dance, Performance Mime and MimeDance (Selected Performances)

Theaters:

• Aruba Dance Festival, ARUBA
• Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME
• Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn, NY
• Centro Cultural Universidad, Zaragoza, SPAIN
• EJ Thomas Performing Arts Hall, Akron, OH
• Jacob’s Pillow, Beckett, MA
• Merrill Auditorium, Portland, ME
• Palestinian National Theatre, ISRAEL
• Penobscot Theater, Bangor, ME
• Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI
• Saint Kieran’s Art Center, Berlin, NH
• Staatstheater, Darmstadt, GERMANY
• Velodrom, Regensburg, GERMANY

Colleges/Residencies:

• Principia College, Elsah IL - Guest Faculty (2018, 2019, 2020)
• Stephens College, Cleveland, MO - World Dance Instructor (2016)

High School Performances/Workshops:

• Bank Street School, New York, NY
• Hebron Academy, Hebron, ME
• Kents Hill Academy, Kents Hill, ME
• Leavitt High School, Turner, ME
• Oswego High School, Oswego, NY
• Spurwink Schools, Casco, ME

 

Elementary School Performances/Workshops:

• Bologna Performing ArtsCenter, Cleveland, MS
• Camden/Rockport Elementary Schools, Rockport, ME
• Fitzhugh Elementary School, Oswego, NY
• Raymond Elementary School, Raymond, ME
• Sea Road School, Kennebunk, ME
• Waldorf School Baltimore, Baltimore, MD
• Zippel Elementary School, Presque Isle, ME

Performances with Students in Conjunction with School Residency:

• Deer Isle Middle School (1-Week Residency with Sixth - Eighth Grades), Deer Isle, ME
• Leavitt High School (3-Day Residency), Turner, ME
• MSAD 57 (1-Week Residency with Third Grade), Alfred, ME
• Minetto Elementary School (1-Week Residency with Sixth Grade), Minetto, NY
• Spurwink Schools, Teen Program (1-Week Residency), Casco ME
• Zippel Elementary School (1-Week Residency with Fifth Grade), Presque Isle, ME

Teacher of Dance, Mime, Improvisation and Ballet (Selected Engagements)

Workshops for Adults:

• Celebration Barn Theater, South Paris, ME
• Evangelishe Akademie, Bad Boll, GERMANY
• Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL
• Kinesis School for Body Workers, Damariscotta, ME
• Motionfest (festival for clowns, jugglers, physical comedians), Baltimore, MD
• Towson University, Towson, MD

Master Classes and Residencies - Ballet Schools/Performing Arts High Schools:

• Albany Berkshire Ballet School, Albany, NY
• Bangor Ballet, Bangor, ME
• Dreyfoos School of the Arts, Palm Beach, FL
• Portland School of Ballet, Portland, ME

Choreographer (Selected Choreography)

• “Cat Dance” for Leland Faulkner’s award winning film, King O Cats
• “Pumpkin Dance” for 6 member cast of Dark Tales
• “Snow Queen” for Portland Ballet Company
• “The Struggle to Be” Solo MimeDance

Performance Collaborations with:

• Master mime, Tony Montanaro
• Boston Pops harpist, Deborah Henson-Conant
• Sculptor, Dennis Dreher
• Six-person cast of Dark Tales, directed by Leland Faulkner
• Monologuist and physical comedian, Jackie Reifer
• Pianist and visual artist, Sandra Bauer

Performing and Teaching Partnership with master-mime, Tony Montanaro

• Montanaro Hurll Theatre of Mime and Dance (toured internationally)
• Acted as word-smith for Tony Montanaro’s book, “Mime Spoken Here.”

 

Dancer with Ballet Companies

• Ohio Ballet, Akron OH
• Darmstadt Opera Ballet Company, Darmstadt, GERMANY
• Portland Ballet Company, Portland, ME

EDUCATION_____________________________________________

National Dance Institute, www.nationaldance.org, New York, NY

Two week teacher-training course in NDI pedagogy

Interpretive Dance, Mime and Improvisation Training with Tony Montanaro

Fifteen year partnership

African Dance Training

As member of the Darmstadt Opera Ballet, we studied African dance in preparation for a large-scale production.

Joffrey Ballet School, New York, NY

Studied ballet and character dance (scholarship student).

Ram Island Dance Center, Portland, ME

Studied ballet, modern dance (Cunningham Technique) and jazz dance.

Cantarella School of Dance, Pittsfield, MA

Studied ballet, modern dance (Graham Technique) and jazz dance.