- 2013 Annual Conference
- Current Professional Development Opportunities
- Future Professional Development Events
- Past Professional Development Events
- 2013 Dance Forum
- 2012 Annual Conference
- 2012 Dance Forum
- 2011 Annual Conference
- 2011 Annual Conference Downloads
- 2011 Conference Sponsors and Funders
- Press
- Chicago Host Committee
- Spotlight On Dance
- Wednesday Schedule At A Glance
- Thursday Schedule At A Glance
- Friday Schedule At A Glance
- Saturday Schedule At A Glance
- Plenary Sessions
- Break-Out Sessions
- SmART Bar
- Plenary Speakers
- Break-Out Session Speakers
- SmART Bar Speakers
- 2011 Honors Celebration Reception
- Chicago City Tours
- Travel & Directions
- Things To Do in Chicago
- Nearby Restaurants
- Important Registration Fee Information
- 2011 Dance Forum
- 2010 Annual Conference
- 2010 Dance Forum
- 2009 Annual Conference
- 2009 Winter Forum
- Submit a programming suggestion
- e-Journal
- Engaging Dance Audiences
- Institute for Leadership Training
- International Initiatives
- Jobs and Auditions
- Internships/Fellowships
- Current Opportunities
- Taskforce on Dancer Health
- Dance in the News
- Publications
- Links to other Resources
- Glossary
- Margaret Jenkins Dance Company Names Choreographer David Gordon as Chair of CHIME Across Borders
- Richard Cook, beloved member of the Conservatory of Dance faculty and Purchase College community, passes away
- Ernest Brown, Last Member of the Original Tapping Copasetics, Dies at 93
- Ballet steps gingerly in hard times
Margaret Jenkins Dance Company Names Choreographer David Gordon as Chair of CHIME Across Borders
Post-modern performance master selected to design year-long mentorship activities for San Francisco Bay Area choreographers during pilot year of new grant program
With major funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Margaret Jenkins Dance Company (MJDC) recently announced the expansion of the successful CHIME (Choreographers in Mentorship Exchange) program to include a new component, CHIME Across Borders, which will bring choreographer mentors of renown to work in San Francisco with a group of local choreographers over the course of one year. For the pilot phase in 2010, the MJDC has invited David Gordon, a dancer, choreographer, writer and theatrical director prominent in the world of postmodern dance and performance, to act as the first CHIME Across Borders Chair.
Richard Cook joined the Purchase faculty in 1997, after enjoying a remarkable career as a ballet teacher and choreographer. Initially performing with the San Francisco Opera and Pennsylvania Ballet, he served for ten years as Associate Artistic Director of the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and as frequent guest teacher for professional and pre-professional ballet companies throughout the United States. His works have been performed by the Atlanta Ballet and the Dayton Ballet as well as being featured in three of the Carlisle Projects’ annual summer showcases. A three-time recipient of Choreographic Fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, Mr. Cook also served on peer review panels for the P.C.A. and other organizations.
A Celebration in Memory of Richard Cook
Monday, September 14th, 2009
Purchase College Performing Arts Center, PepsiCo Theatre
4:30 - 6:00pm
Doors open at 4:00pm
Program includes guest artists from The Juilliard School, New York City Ballet, distinguished alumni and more.
Reception to follow in the Upper Lobby
6:00 - 7:00pm
R.S.V.P. will not be necessary
The Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College is establishing a scholarship fund in honor of Richard Cook.
Contributions will be accepted on September 14th or mail your donation to:
Purchase College Conservatory of Dance
735 Anderson Hill Road
Purchase, New York, NY 10577
Attention: Richard Cook Scholarship
Please make checks payable to Purchase College Foundation.
Ernest Brown, Last Member of the Original Tapping Copasetics, Dies at 93
by Jennifer Dunning
August 25, 2009
The New York Times
Ernest Brown, the last surviving and most diminutive member of the Original Copasetics, an ensemble of tap-dancing stars formed in 1949 that helped to revive the art of tap, died on Friday in Chicago. He was 93 and lived in Chicago.
View footage of "Brownie" in performance:
Cook and Brown from the soundie "Cow Cow Boogie"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3U_Gf5xF48
"Chair Dance" in December, 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcZk_gcmAaU
Ballet steps gingerly in hard times
Director and company optimistic but restrained
by Kyle MacMillan
August 23, 2009
Denver Post
Bolstered by a new five-year contract, Colorado Ballet artistic director Gil Boggs is eager to pursue such big-ticket initiatives as commissioning a story ballet and showcasing the company in New York City.
But for now, such plans are on hold. The focus is on just keeping the company solvent amid one of the worst economic downturns in a century.
In 2008-09, the ballet suffered a budget deficit of about $500,000 (a final audit has not yet been completed).
That's a big number in itself, but the impact is magnified by the timing. The shortfall comes just as the company was regaining its footing after a near-disastrous financial crisis several years ago.
Its biggest financial hit in 2008-09 came in the area of individual contributions, which decreased from $1 million in 2007-08 to $400,000 — a whopping 60 percent drop.
