Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Hagen.
Nicole, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I began dancing at the age of nine at South County Dance under the direction of Clarisse Takemoto. While dancing at the studio, my passion for movement and performing was cultivated through the lens of competition dance. After spending countless hours at the studio and taking as many classes as I could, I decided to further my education by attending Chapman University where I obtained a BFA in Dance Performance and a minor in Business Administration in May of 2017. Chapman University opened my eyes to all the possibilities and opportunities the dance world had to offer and I was exposed to a wide variety of artists who helped shape my own distinct and expansive movement vocabulary. Being intrigued by both the concert and commercial dance worlds, I decided to make the move to Los Angeles to begin carving my own professional career path. After being in LA for nearly a year now, I am excited to be currently dancing with MashUp Contemporary Dance Company, be commercially represented by McDonald/Selznick Associates, and have presented choreography in Los Angeles and at the McCallum Choreography Festival in Palm Desert.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
Although I am primarily focused on furthering my career as a performer, I have also been taking any opportunity to continue developing my choreographic voice. I enjoy choreographing movement that is abstract and leaves room for the audience to bring their own experience and interpretation to the work. By providing my dancers with enough sensory and physical information about the movement, I find that an innate sense of humanity develops naturally in the work, allowing an audience member the ability to connect to the work. Being able to provide the dancers and audience members with this experience is what I strive to do in my work, both as a performer and as a choreographer.
Artists face many challenges, but what do you feel is the most pressing among them?
Personally, I have found that by attending and supporting other artists’ shows, concerts, galleries, classes, etc. allows you to make sincere and meaningful connections with them.
By surrounding yourself with like-minded people and initiating conversation, it is hard to feel lonely in a place, like Los Angeles, that is so concentrated with artists.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
When I perform or present choreographic work, I always post on my social media accounts. Coming up, I will be performing in a full-length show with the company I dance for, MashUp Contemporary Dance Company, in collaboration with Project XYZ on August 25th and 26th. More information can be found on their website (www.mashupdance.com).
Contact Info:
- Email: nhagen@icloud.com
- Instagram: @nicole_hagen
- Other: https://vimeo.com/user49738124
Image Credit:
Alissa Roseborough, Kelly Mustapha-Kellett, Vickie Roan, Lindsay Rosenberg
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