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RAAC: What has been particularly difficult about creating “Box 48”?

SN: “Working with mostly new dancers has been a little scary, since I don’t have much sense about how fast they’ll develop or how stable a group they’ll be — how long I’ll be able to keep peace in the repertory. Most of my previous work has basically been lost. It’s on video, it’s not irretrievable, but when you have to teach a whole new group of people an old dance, you don’t do that very often.”

RAAC: What has been the most rewarding?

SN: “I am turned on by the efficiency and expressiveness that I see in the movement of untrained dancers, and, at the other end of the spectrum, in dancers with enough experience to be able to make choices about their movement that aren’t influenced by the style of their training. This piece has both; it blends them in a way that pleases me.

“Working with a local composer has been great, too. In the past there’s always been a lot of juggling to get the composer together with the dancers and then with me, driving to D.C. or meeting halfway in Warrenton. (For “Box 48”) we made a video of the dance and Tom (Espinola) watched it over and over, accompanying it on his synthesizer. He has a great eye and has composed music for dance, which makes a difference.

(Tom Espinola has also written or arranged pieces for classical orchestras, chamber ensembles, jazz, film scores and National Public Radio. He’s been performing on guitar and mandolin for 20 years and teaching music for 12.)

“Another rewarding aspect of the piece has been the support the dancers have given. They’ve been willing to try every foot, every direction, every facing, over and over.

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