| For Immediate Release: September 16, 2003
Contact: Suzanne Callahan
(202) 955-8325
callahan@forthearts.org
Dance/USA and the National Endowment for the Arts Announce
New Grants and Renew Funding for National Dance Initiative
Second Round of Awards for National College Choreography Initiative Announced:
Program Receives Third Round of Support
Washington, DC — Dance/USA, the national service organization for non-profit professional dance, and the National Endowment for the Arts announced the second round of awards through the National College Choreography Initiative (NCCI). Additionally, the NEA has just approved funding for a third round of awards to be made in 2005–2006. Awards will enable institutions of higher learning across the country to host notable dance artists on campus.
Through this initiative, colleges and universities nationwide will again be able to unite professional dance artists with college students to restage classic American dances or create new works. A significant component of the program is the sharing of work with the larger community beyond the performance of the dance piece. Outreach activities include post-performance discussions, classes and open rehearsals. Based on the success of the first round in the 2001–2002 academic year, when 48 artists and ensembles traveled to every state in the country, plus DC, and worked with over 6,000 students to bring dances and community activities to audiences that totaled over 112,000, the NEA recommitted to the program. In its second round, a national panel of artists, college faculty and dance presenters recommended 35 awards of $7,500 to universities in 35 cities and 28 states across the country to go for new works and reconstructions in modern, ballet, tap, swing, jazz and Latin dance. Highlights of the projects funded include: a new hip hop work by Doug Elkins will be presented as part of a conference on pop culture at the University of Minnesota; Martha Graham's historical "Steps in the Street" will be restaged at University of California at Irvine; a new "MinEvent" will be created by modern dance master Merce Cunningham at Columbia College in Chicago; swing dance champion Frankie Manning will choreograph a new swing dance and teach community classes at the University of Idaho in Moscow; and Acia Gray will share her tap talent by making a new work at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green.
"The National College Choreography Initiative is proving to facilitate important connections among artists, students, faculties and communities connected to universities and colleges across the country," states Executive Director Andrea Snyder. "Knowing that the dance field can look forward to a third round of the NCCI will help to strengthen project planning, build networks of support for the art form on campuses, continue to provide valuable opportunities for choreographers, and benefit the younger generations of students/artists." The Arts Endowment launched the National College Choreography Initiative in 2000 with major Leadership Initiative funding designed to support significant projects that involve communities across the country, and the Agency's support continues to be instrumental in the program's success. "I'm pleased that the National Endowment for the Arts will be supporting a third round of grants for the National College Choreography Initiative," stated Douglas Sonntag, Director of Dance at the NEA. "The American dance legacy is vast and rich, and these projects help today's students and scholars connect to the past in a manner that informs and illuminates their work today."
Dance/USA is administering the project, adding to their history of program management, most recently for the National Initiative to Preserve America's Dance and for the Irvine Dance in California program. Suzanne Callahan of Callahan Consulting for the Arts brings her considerable experience in grantsmanship and evaluation to manage the program for Dance/USA. The National Endowment for the Arts, an independent federal agency, was established by an Act of Congress in 1965. An investment in America's living cultural heritage, the Endowment serves the public good by nurturing human creativity, supporting community spirit, and fostering appreciation of the excellence and diversity of our nation's artistic accomplishments. Since 1965, the Endowment has invested over $242 million in supporting dance nationwide.
Dance/USA, the national service organization for non-profit professional dance, was founded in 1982 to advance the art form of dance through a variety of programs, including publications, advocacy, information services, professional development programs, and regranting initiatives. For further information about the National College Choreography Initiative, details of the college project in your state, or information about the colleges or artists, contact Suzanne Callahan, callahan@forthearts.org or (202) 955-8325.
National College Choreography Initiative:
2003 Awardees by State with City
AK University of Alaska—Anchorage for Marianne Kim
To support a new work by Marianne Kim for the UAA Dance Ensemble, theatre students and other community members. Faculty from Music, English and Art will provide opportunities for classroom discussion and research, and master classes and informal public performances will be presented in Anchorage and Homer, with post-performance question/answer sessions on the art of Butoh.
AZ Arizona State University (Tempe) for Marlies Yearby
To support a new work by Marlies Yearby. The project will include lecture/demonstrations, master classes, open rehearsals and performances in area high schools.
CA University of California—Irvine for Bonnie Oda Homsey
To support "Steps in the Street" by Martha Graham, restaged by Bonnie Oda Homsey. The outreach plans include a free showing and panel discussion of a Graham film, an exhibition of Barbara Morgan photographs of Graham's "Chronicle," lectures in UCI Women's Studies, Visual Art and Humanities classes, open rehearsals, as well as the creation of a Graham study segment for the "Artsbridge" project in local elementary and high schools.
CA University of California—Santa Barbara for Kim Epifano
To support a new work by Kim Epifano for the UCSB Dance Company. Epifano will teach classes for the community, in conjunction with the Santa Barbara Dance Alliance.
CA University of California—Los Angeles for Joe Goode
To support a new work by Joe Goode. Residency activities involve partnerships with the Fowler Museum of Cultural History and the Hammer Museum, the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, and courses for undergraduate students in the installation's gallery.
CO University of Colorado at Boulder for Trisha Brown
To support the restaging of "Set and Reset" by Trisha Brown. The residency consists of daily technique classes with Trisha Brown, guest appearances in other course meetings, and workshops/panel discussions surrounding the opening night performance at the American College Dance Festival/Central Region.
GA University of Georgia (Athens) for Stanley Zompako
To support the restaging of "Simple Symphony" by Stanley Zompakos. The project will incorporate panel discussions, residencies in Clarke County schools, community master classes, video documentation and the creation of an archive of Zompakos' contributions.
ID University of Idaho (Moscow) for Frankie Manning
To support a new work by Frankie Manning. The residency will feature a weekend of Swing classes and lectures for the community, performance/lectures as part of the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival for public school students, and a tour of the work throughout rural Northern Idaho.
IL University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for Lar Lubovich
To support the restaging of "North Star" by Lar Lubovitch. A repertory class will be taught for the entire dance department, public lectures will be given, and "Ready, Set, Dance!" will be restaged and will tour to local public schools.
IL Columbia College of Chicago for Merce Cunningham
To support a "MinEvent" by Merce Cunningham. The MinEvent will be performed as part of a three-day symposium and performance of Merce Cunningham Dance Company, as well as for high school students and the college community in conjunction with the Student Choreographic Workshop performances.
KS University of Kansas (Lawrence) for Jose Limon
To support the restaging of "Missa Brevis" by Jose Limon for university and greater Lawrence area dancers. The residency involves open rehearsals, panel discussions on art and war, lecture/demonstrations for high school students and the community, performances by the KU touring company, On the Move, at the Kansas Dance Festival, master classes and a cable television program about the project.
KY Western Kentucky University (Bowling Green) for Acia Gray
To support a new work by Acia Gray for the Western Kentucky University Dance Company. As part of the residency, there will be a public lecture/demonstration, a master class at a local dance studio and a school matinee of the annual dance concert.
LA Tulane University (New Orleans) for Paul Taylor
To support the restaging of work by Paul Taylor. Taylor and Taylor 2 will work together to present activities that target school children, university students, local dancers of all ages, and old/new audiences through lecture/demonstrations, teaching, repertory workshops and humanities forums.
MD Towson University for Jawole Willa Jo Zollar
To support a new work by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar for the Towson University Dance Company. The residency will consist of master classes in choreography, technique and theatre classes, plus seminars on "Diversity and the Stage" and on Pearl Primus, culminating in a collaborative documentary of the process.
MI University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) for Alonzo King
To support the restaging of "Shostakovich String Quartet" by Alonzo King for the University Dance Company. At "Dance Day," Detroit high school students will experience the technique class and choreography of King, who will also visit area dance teachers and their students, and participate in a campus-wide festival, "Celebrating St. Petersburg."
MN University of Minnesota—Twin Cities (Minneapolis) for Doug Elkins
To support a new work by Doug Elkins. The work will be presented as part of a conference, "Trans/lations/ferrals: vernacular pop culture on the concert stage."
MS University of Mississippi (University) for Dwight Rhoden
To support a new work by Dwight Rhoden. Question and answer sessions with community groups, churches and civic organizations, as well as movement workshops will focus on bringing diverse racial groups together in a spirit of investigation and healing.
MT University of Montana (Missoula) for Sara Pearson and Patrik Widrig
To support a new work by Sara Pearson/Patrik Widrig. The artists will give master classes in composition, technique and dance history, a Meet the Artist reception, a text and movement workshop for the Missoula Writing Collaborative, a lecture/demonstration for a poetry workshop and a two-day choreography workshop for fourth and fifth graders.
NC Duke University (Durham) for Ronald K. Brown
To support a new work by Ronald K. Brown. Outreach activities include a weekend dance intensive for dancers from seven nearby colleges, performances/talks at designated Community Partner Schools, and a free performance for Durham County schools.
NE University of Nebraska—Lincoln for Bob Fosse
To support the restaging of work from three different musicals by Bob Fosse. During the residency, master classes in the Fosse style, lecture/demonstrations in public schools, retirement communities and rehabilitations facilities, exchanges with two community arts theatres and informal public presentations will take place.
NH Keene State College for Sean Curran
To support the restaging of "Abstract Concrete" by Sean Curran. Curran will teach technique classes at KSC, and be involved in activities with an elementary school and after-school program for youth at risk, an open rehearsal for local dance students, a master class for teachers at a community dance school and a workshop for dance students from Franklin Pierce College.
NJ Montclair State University (Upper Montclair) for Alexandra Beller
To support a new work by Alexandra Beller for the MSU Repertory Dance company. Beller will explore the subject of body image through technique classes at MSU, and performances open to college, high school and middle school students, as well as a series of panel presentations after each performance on body image.
NY State University of New York—Purchase for Merce Cunningham
To support the restaging of "Septet" by Merce Cunningham for The Purchase Dance Corps. A variety of rehearsals and workshops will be open to community groups, high schools and colleges, along with other outreach activities, including a collaboration with the Margarete Roeder Gallery to display some of Cunningham's art work and a signing of his book, Other Animals.
NY Sarah Lawrence College (Bronxville) for Meredith Monk
To support the restaging of "Plateau #3" by Meredith Monk. There will be open rehearsals throughout the residency, as well as lectures, classes and panel discussions involving Monk.
OH University of Cincinnati for Paul Taylor
To support the restaging of "Esplanade" by Paul Taylor for dance majors and potential visitors from the community. A former company member will conduct ten weeks of open rehearsals for the community and school children, repertoire classes at a community dance center and a seminar about "Esplanade."
OH Ohio University (Athens) for Murray Louis and Alwin Nikolais
To support the restaging of "Bach Suite" by Murray Louis and "Tensile Involvement" by Alwin Nikolais. Through this project, which includes master classes by a former company member, the presence of the Louis/Nikolais archives at Ohio University will be promoted.
OK University of Central Oklahoma (Edmond) for Bill Evans
To support a new work by Bill Evans. Residency activities may include master classes for university students, youth and teachers, performances in high schools, and informal performances for elementary school children.
PA University of the Arts (Philadelphia) for Pedro Aquilar and Barbara Craddock
To support a new work by Cuban Pete (Pedro Aquilar) and Barbara Craddock. Aquilar and Craddock will work with community groups and schools, give presentations to educators on Latin dance and help create educational materials to be used at the University and participating K-12 schools.
PA Franklin & Marshall (Lancaster) for Deborah Slater
To support the restaging of "Sleepwatchers" by Deborah Slater. A community discussion with a panel of experts in dance, dreams and sleep studies will be presented, along with residencies in coordination with F&M's Service Learning Program, outreach to schools, community centers and nursing homes.
RI Rhode Island College (Providence) for Sean Curran
To support the restaging of "Where I End and We Begin" by Sean Curran. Several recent dance films featuring Curran will be shown and discussed by artist/scholar panels, and Curran's company and student casts will give shared performances for children and general audiences.
TX University of Texas at Austin for Ann Carlson
To support a new work by Ann Carlson. The residency will include master classes, lectures, and pre/post-performance talks which will involve Deborah Hay, Ann Daly, Jill Dolan and Lynn Miller as potential moderators, as well as a collaboration with Dance Umbrella to disseminate information throughout the community.
TX University of Texas—Pan American (Edinburg) for Doug Elkins
To support a new work by Doug Elkins for students of the folkloric and modern dance ensembles at UTPA. Matinees for primary and secondary schools will be presented, and a documentary with local stations on the process and performances will be created.
UT University of Utah (Salt Lake City) for David Dorfman
To support the restaging of "Familiar Movements (The Family Project)" by David Dorfman for the Performing Dance Company. The project will include lecture/demonstrations for area high school students.
VA Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond) for Jose Limon
To support the restaging of "There is a Time" by Jose Limon. People of all ages in the region, including the Hispanic community and central Virginians, will be involved in the residency through lecture/demonstrations, open dress rehearsals and reduced ticket prices, as well as master classes with Taliaferro and company members.
WI University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee for Susan Marshall
To support the restaging of "The Most Dangerous Room in the House" by Susan Marshall. During the residency period there will be workshops for local dancers and choreographers, a panel discussion on the creative process, performance/talkback experiences for students from four local arts schools and an ongoing movement/theatre storytelling project for the city's elders.
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