By Bina Thomson

Garet Wierdsma began dancing as a young child, but it didn’t become a passion until her teenage years. Now she runs Garet&Co, a contemporary dance company that offers breathtaking performances to audiences throughout northwestern Connecticut. The company will be making a welcome return to Norfolk on March 9 with a performance in Battell Chapel. 

The pandemic affected fine art performances worldwide, but Wierdsma says that the initial shutdowns also provided time for deeper creative freedom. In 2021, she created a dance film that was turned into a live show and then picked up by a dance festival. When several other festivals picked up the show and the number of performances grew, Wierdsma decided to establish Garet&Co.

Wierdsma runs the sizable company—comprising 16  professional dancers, five student members, and five apprentice members—entirely herself. Having graduated with a BFA in dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts in 2021, Wierdsma is young to have her own company, and such a large one at that. However, the geographic location of the company allows, even requires, her to operate on a larger scale, since there are so few companies for advanced dancers in the northwest corner of the state. Wierdsma teaches almost all the workshops and classes herself, which she loves. 

Aside from the day-to-day management of the company, Wierdsma choreographs the performance pieces, all of which feature strong emotional elements or focus on mental health struggles. “Our work dissects emotions,” Wiersdsma explains. “I’ll think of an emotion or experience that I’ve had and then I’ll pull it apart and try to put together a dance that lays out those feelings. . . . The pieces I create are not super specific unless you want them to be. They are made so you don’t have to be living in the exact situation to relate.” 

Wierdsma and her company are excited to be back at Battell Chapel. “We performed there last year, and I think it’s my favorite performance of all time. We performed with the audience on all sides, and it was so intimate. The performers and the audience are very close and see each other clearly so everyone feels like they’re a part of it. And the Norfolk community is so special and strong; it was so special to share it with passionate people.”

The show is titled “Interior,” and the pieces to be presented are from the debut showcase “Eclipse,” which was held at the Warner Theater in January. The pieces are being reworked for the smaller performance space in Battell, and Wierdsma is looking forward to sharing the polished work. 

In addition to the performance, Garet&Co will be offering an open rehearsal the week before, on March 3. The open rehearsal is a chance for the community to see how the pieces are adapted and to witness the work that goes into the performance. “I think it gives people a better appreciation for the show when they see it being worked through and put together,” Wierdsma says.

Wierdsma is also offering two classes at Battell Chapel on March 8. “What Is Contemporary Dance?,” which will be offered from 4 to 5 p.m., is a class for absolute beginners. Participants will learn about contemporary dance and try some simple movement work. From 5 to 6 p.m., there will be an intermediate to advanced class that is available to anyone with previous dance experience who wants to learn some of the company’s repertoire. “Storytelling is a big focus of the company,” Wierdsma says, “and this intermediate class will give people a taste of that work.” 

Wierdsma believes that art can change the world and tries to be a generator of light. “Our mission is to celebrate and strengthen contemporary dance, create sustainable safe spaces for dancers to be paid for their work, and to create safe spaces for the audience to experience their emotions. We keep our mission at the forefront of everything we do, and I know our work makes a difference.”

More information on the company, and tickets for the classes and for the March 9 performance of “Interior,” are available on the company’s website, garetweirdsma.com.