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Meet Mark Schmidt
Mark Schmidt is a movement-based artist, performance curator, and house dancer.
He occasionally teaches dance techniques and lectures on house culture history as a guest artist for online platforms and colleges. He recently moved from Brooklyn, NY (January 2024), to Monterey, a small rural town located between Corning and Watkins Glen.
“I moved here due to some health-related issues my mother was having,” Mark said. “But I am familiar with the area for two reasons. First, I grew up here until age 20, when I moved to New York City to attend the New School for Social Research. Also, as an artist, I have worked on a few dance-related projects locally, including an artist residency in 2019 through the American Dance Asylum (hosted by 171 Cedar Arts), activating the Nasser Civic Center Ice Rink with fourteen dancers in 2022 as part of IMAGINE, and co-choreographing a piece with four dancers and a DJ for the Southern Finger Lakes Pride Festival in 2023.”
Mark said he was very excited to make the move back. “I had already laid down some roots with many local artists and the Pride Council from the two projects I mentioned before, and I was ready for a life change, and this seemed like the right timing.” He added, “New York is great, but I am enjoying life’s slower pace and finding more time and space to work on creative projects. That, for me, is very important and the biggest change in my life.”
We wondered what Mark felt had changed since he left and what he was rediscovering about his home region. “In terms of the small town I grew up in, there remains this sense of neighbors looking out for each other or feeling comfortable asking for help if you need it,” he shared. “I value that. Regarding change, Market Street (in Corning) strikes me the most. Compared to when I left in the 90s, it has many more restaurant choices and interesting spaces to grab a drink and socialize. I also see more artists moving to the area, and the visibility of LGBTQ folks and the SoFLX Pride festival are big changes.”
Mark credits his adaptability with making the transition into small-town living easy, not too difficult. He has also found that having a network of diverse friends and artists here has made all the difference. “I have felt an immense amount of support and excitement from them, and this has made the transition easier.”
Since moving back, Mark has kept very busy! “This is the New Yorker in me!” He is currently working on the Southern Finger Lakes Pride Council, helping design and curate the 2024 festival (happening in June). He also works as an editor of social media videos for the New York State Choreographers Initiative, a New York State DanceForce program. He is a certified personal trainer specializing in functional movement and awareness, primarily online. Lastly, he is working on several event collaborations for Spring 2024 with an anarchist publishing warehouse (PM Press) out of Binghamton.
Despite everything he is involved in, Mark feels he is far less overstretched here. “The one thing that stands out most is I work less, but I can do more creatively,” he said. “New York City is a very work/hustle/time driven city. People are always on the go. I don’t feel that pressure here. I think I have more potential to impact culturally here than in the city.”
A typical day for Mark in his new life consists of 7 am wake-ups to have coffee with his parents, or even earlier, he starts to enjoy meditation walks around their property around sunrise. “Stepping into nature is a luxury; I appreciate it more now.” This kicks off his work day, often consisting of administrative tasks for the Pride Council or video editing for the New York State Choreographers Initiative. “If my mother has any doctor appointments or my parents need me to run errands, I’ll do that,” he added. Mark joined HealthWorks and tries to get three workouts weekly, usually in the early afternoon. If there are any arts events in Corning in the evening, he’ll end his day with that. “I enjoy exploring the area for restaurants, bars, or wineries. I am also a fan of live music,” he added.
To another creative looking to relocate to the area, Mark says, “The landscape in the arts is very open, even for dance. You have to be proactive about it. There is a supportive community of artists here that is diverse and ready to welcome you.” He added, “This is still an affordable place to live. There is something unique about being able to access nature so readily, do country things like have a garden, and yet enjoy culture and art all within a small region.”
Thank you, Mark, for sharing your story! Read more SoFLX stories to learn about life, work, and play in the Southern Finger Lakes.
