Dancers to strut their stuff at FFA parade

PINE PLAINS — Spectators awaiting this year’s Pine Plains FFA Agricultural Fair on Saturday, Oct. 12, are in for a treat as the parade will feature volunteers of all ages and abilities participating in a community dance led by internationally recognized choreographer Mark DeGarmo.

A native of Pine Plains, DeGarmo is a choreographer with more than 100 performances and 30 international tours over the last 30 year under his belt. From 1971 to 1972, he served as the founder, director, playwright and choreographer of the theater ensemble, Thespians Unlimited. As a way to foster his artistic vision and integrate performance, education and multi-cultural community through dance, DeGarmo founded Mark DeGarmo Dance in 1987.

Yet for all the recognition his work has afforded him, DeGarmo never lost touch with his Pine Plains roots.

“In some ways, I never left the area,” he remarked, adding that he currently maintains a home in Ancram and has family who reside in the local area.

DeGarmo said he’s always felt connected with the area’s agricultural community and is glad there are still active farms around; he said he’s happy to give back to his community through dance.

“I think it’s a real privilege to be able to participate and bring my artistic interest, to be able to throw it into the stone soup,” he said.

Welcoming all interested participants, DeGarmo’s said dancers and non-dancers, Pine Plains residents and residents from neighboring communities, musicians, drummers, percussionists and others, regardless of their level of experience, are all invited to participate.

“Being a rural area, I think it behooves us to think more broadly,” DeGarmo said.

DeGarmo plans to accommodate as many people as possible, whether the final number is three or 25. Since this is the first year that he’s taking the reins of the parade, he remarked that they can be just as successful with a small group as they can with a large one.

With a total of three rehearsal dates scheduled, participants will be allowed to self-select one to three rehearsals in which to participate. Located at 2950 Church Street in Pine Plains, The Stissing Center will be open at 9:30 a.m. every Saturday before the parade to offer dancers a place to warm up.

DeGarmo explained that he’s interested in developing simple structures that will allow participants of all abilities to jump in. Since he tends to dabble in improvisational rehearsals, he said he’s been thinking about implementing structural and free improvisations in the movements, though he hopes volunteers will develop their own character as they work with everyone’s abilities, interests and stamina.

“The goal is for everyone to feel comfortable in what they’re doing to keep it going… and how we can collectively create a coherent dance for the community,” DeGarmo said.

“I would like them to reflect the hard work, the discipline, the joy… the very practical magic that the local agricultural community provides us with the amazing bounty of the area,” he added. “I think if we’re able to project the celebration of our community and our neighbors and our families and friends, I think that’s really the goal.”

Without giving too much away, DeGarmo said volunteers were asked to bring farm tools and implements to the first rehearsal on Saturday, Sept. 28. The next rehearsal has been scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 5, from 10 a.m. to noon in The Stissing Center Community Room. The third rehearsal will be held, as needed, before the parade in the Seymour Smith Intermediate School parking lot from 8 to 9 a.m.

Volunteers interested in signing up for the community dance can email DeGarmo at search@markdegarmodance.org.