Kelsey Trottier is a multimedia artist who primarily works in the realms of performing arts, video, installation art and spoken word. She graduated from Massachusetts College of Art and Design with a BFA in Interrelated Media. She has worked with a variety of dance companies from Boston to the Bay Area, in production/operations management with several film festivals, and has also worked in experiential and outdoor education. She currently directs the Telluride Dance Collective, is the program coordinator for Palm Arts Dance, and is an ensemble member of Telluride Theatre. When she is not working as an arts administrator, teaching dance classes, performing or directing a show, you can also find her ski instructing on the mountain.
IF YOU COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ONE ARTIST, ALIVE OR DECEASED, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
Anna Halprin. She was a dancer and choreographer that played a major role in postmodern dance as well as developing dance as a healing art. Her work has been a big inspiration for me. I would love to listen to her personal life stories of the path she paved. I wish I could spend time with her and listen to her perspective of what it was like to live through the century of immense change that she experienced.
Which artistic media inspires you most?
This is a tough one because inspiration comes to me in so many ways and through different forms. I would have to say music, dance, theatre, spoken word, poetry, and books bring me the most inspiration – not necessarily in that order.
What is your favorite awkward growth moment or barrier-breaking time?
So many of those moments fell between the time period of me uprooting my life to San Francisco after having built a strong network in Boston, and all the ups and downs that come with reinventing yourself. And then from there, coming to Telluride and settling into this little snow globe town that has such a strong creative community. All these barrier-breaking moments melded together and created the moment I’m in now.
What inspires you and/or keeps you engaged and moving forward?
What keeps me moving forward is my need to process the human experience. I’m not sure how I could live in this crazy world if I didn’t have creative outlets to channel through and process life.
Tell us about your upcoming events, new releases, or anticipated projects.
It has been a busy winter of creative endeavors. My latest event involved co-directing and choreographing 'Sustenance'- a collaborative show with Telluride Chamber Music and Telluride Dance Collective-that took place at the Palm at the end of January. The show went really well and was a natural collaboration bringing musicians and dancers in the community together. I'm excited because it has sparked a new project I have in the works now. I am working with Travis Fisher and some of my high school student dancers on an experimental piece. Travis is accompanying (on piano) a class that I teach and he improvising a score of music as my students learn new choreography I have been working on for them. It has been a fun platform to play with. This new work will be showcased at the end of March at the Palm. I also have some fun performances coming up in March including Gay Ski Week and Telluride Theatre’s Burlesque. Once I get through ski season I will start working on a short film series that will premier later this year in October at Mass Movement (TDC's annual performance on the Palm main stage).