Kristen Stake*

Kristen Stake was born in the Nipmuc land of Worcester, MA and now resides in Wabanaki territory referred to as Portland, ME where she is a dance artist and psychotherapist. She holds a BA in Sociology from University of Southern Maine (USM) (2001), an MFA in Poetry Writing from Vermont College (2007), and an MS in Mental Health Counseling from USM (2019). She studied dance improvisation intensively in the Mohican territory of Western Massachusetts from 2009-2013. Since then, she has been a leader of the Living Room, a postmodern dance project in Portland, ME. She has danced with Vanessa Anspaugh, Michael Figueroa, and Melinda Buckwalter. She is currently collaborating with Hannah Wasielewski, a choreographer and bodyworker based in Maine who has danced with Sara Shelton Mann and Kathleen Hermesdorf. Together, Kristen and Hannah explore the intersection of 1) their “real life” jobs as healers and 2) their radical performance practices.

*New England Now Dance Platform Curated Artist