Artist Statement

I am always fascinated by how much I learn from observing people. I want to understand what drives their thoughts, choices, and experiences. This is true for both an individual psychological level and an anthropological cultural level. As I observe various places, people, and perspectives, I am struck by the significance of thoughts and struggles that are held in common. There is more that unites us than divides us. In my artistic practice, I am interested in making works that examine universally experienced phenomena. I explore these narratives by layering input from an interdisciplinary perspective, whether it is music, literature, mythologies, poetry, or visual arts. My exploration of these sources act as a filter to examine experiences and social trends that I observe in people and places in our global community.

The Laban/Bartenieff Movement System acts as a foundation for my work as a dance educator and movement artist. From its overarching themes describing dualities of existence such as inner/outer, and stability/mobility, to the specificity of space and dynamic qualities, it provides a framework of investigation that I use to find salient truths that transcend individual persons and cultures to mine experiences and emotions shared by all humankind. It is a tool for finding insight into the complex meaning of movement, which I use to question and examine in my artistic practice.

Biography

Marie Stanek Chamberlain earned a BA in Modern Dance from Brigham Young University. Following graduation, she moved to Seattle where she trained at Velocity Dance Center and performed with Pablo Cornejas and Rob Kitsos. She earned an MA in Dance Education from New York University in 2005. While in New York, Marie had the pleasure of working with choreographer and educator Deborah Damast, performing and developing residencies for New York City Public Schools. Following graduation, Marie Chamberlain began dancing with Clark Dance Theater in New Haven, CT, under the leadership of Judie Clark. She performed and choreographed for the company, showing work in many venues in the New England and New York area, including Rebound Festival, and Yaledancers. After relocating to the Phoenix area, she studied and danced with Frances Cohen. Marie Chamberlain has taught at the Regional Center for the Arts, the Hartford Conservatory, Albertus Magnus College, Mesa Community College, and Western Michigan University. She is certified in the Laban/Bartenieff movement system through LIMS, and is currently pursuing her MFA at Wilson College.