Mark Jarecke

Born in Nebraska, lives in NYC. Studied ballet from childhood, attended Interlochen Performing Arts high school in Michigan, where he was exposed to modern dance. Dancing for 15 years. In 2001, presented his first full-evening piece, Auto.Publik, a first in a series of collaborations with architects, of which his latest, Dendron, is the last. Creates detailed gems of movement.

Describe Dendron. This is the third in a series of big-installation, full-evening pieces in collaboration with architects. Each one explores our relationship with our natural and manufactured environment, and the narrative and emotional resonance of those structures. Dendron has to do with our relationship with nature; the structure of the dance is a branch.

How involved are you in the details? [The people with whom I've worked] led to this piece coming together the way it did. The details come from working with people who are committed to working on the project. Like Maria Cornejo [of fashion label Zero], who has her show this week in Fashion Week, but has been coming to the rehearsals, calling me-she's not just throwing me some costumes she's involved in the process.

Describe the process of creating this dance. I work formally. A year ago, I knew I wanted to do a piece on the more natural architectural environment, with images of trees and organic shapes, that sort of branching feeling, which has to do with the structure of the piece and crafted the movement, too. I start off with these ideas, but part of working formally is to allow the process to teach you, that it can get deeper and more specific beyond my understanding of it.

What is the relationship between the choreographer and dancer? It's about the dancer as an artist, not about someone doing what I tell them to do. The word "choreograph" has the implication of controlling and manipulating. I think dancers know more about what is happening inside the dance than I do, so I rely on them to speak to me about these things.

What have you learned of the artist's struggle to survive? Because we don't have a national choreographic center or a grant-funding system that supports explorations that go deeper into the field, the survival mechanism is to create very flashy spectacles that will sell tickets, pieces you know can get people riled up, or offended, or whatever.

What is your relationship with your art? I come to dance from a visual perspective. That's why I don't perform in my own work. I want to see it, and I want to craft it from the outside. I make art for myself and the people who are interested in the kind of work that I make.

Dendron can be seen at Danspace Project at St. Mark's Church, 131 E. 10th St. (2nd Ave.); 212-674-8194; Thurs.-Sun. at 8:30; $15.