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Dance/USA, the national service organization for professional dance, offers Archiving and Preservation Fellowships for current and recent master’s or doctoral degree students in library and information sciences and related fields, and other emerging archivists. Archiving and Preservation Fellows are paired with dance companies, arts organizations, and independent artists to complete archiving projects for 13 weeks in the summer. In 2023, Dance/USA will award four Archiving and Preservation Fellowships. This program is generously supported by funding from the Mellon Foundation.
The goals of the Archiving and Preservation Fellowship Program are to develop an engaged, passionate, and well-trained next generation of archivists in the dance ecosystem; to advance models for community-based archiving assistance to regional dance communities; and to provide high quality archival assistance to dance organizations and artists who may otherwise not have the resources, time, or expertise to access professional archiving services. Read about Dance/USA’s previous Archiving and Preservation Fellows and their projects here.
Dance/USA invites Letters of Interest from artists, dance companies, and arts organizations interested in working with 2023 Archiving and Preservation Fellows. The deadline to submit a Letter of Interest is October 19, 2022. Read about eligibility and criteria for selection, and submit a proposal, here.
A call for applications from those interested in being a 2023 Archiving and Preservation Fellow will open in December 2022. Watch this page for information on the 2023 host sites and how to apply.
Program Format and Project Descriptions
**This cycle is complete.**
The theme of the 2022 Archiving and Preservation Fellowships was Preserving Cultural Heritage, Supporting Communities. Dance/USA awarded six Fellowships in 2022.
Timeline and commitment: June-August 2022, approximately 450 hours total.
Locations:
Ballethnic Dance Company (East Point, GA)
Charya Burt Cambodian Dance (Windsor, CA)
Dancing Wheels Company (Cleveland, OH)
Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (Dayton, OH)
Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center (San Antonio, TX)
TeMaTe Institute for Black Dance and Culture (Detroit, MI)
Find descriptions of projects and project sites below!
NOTE: The Fellowships will be in-person or hybrid, unless health and safety concerns require a complete shift to remote work.
Proof of vaccination will be required for any on-site work or attendance at in-person convenings, and Fellows must agree to follow any COVID protocols or mandates required by their host sites.
Stipend: $10,000 per Fellow
The Fellowship will be supervised and administered by Dance/USA’s Department of Archiving & Preservation. The Fellow will receive orientation and training in dance-specific concepts and resources for archiving, and will work with local mentors and organizations on projects to preserve and create access to unique dance materials. Each Fellow will be assigned to work on one of the following projects.
Ballethnic Dance Company: To support the creation of an accessible and sustainable archives of Ballethnic’s history, the Fellow will:
Charya Burt: To support the development of the Charya Burt Cambodian Dance Digital Legacy Library, the Fellow will:
Dancing Wheels Company: To support the creation of an archival exhibition on the history of Dancing Wheels, as well as the long-term sustainability and accessibility of the archives, the Fellow will:
Dayton Contemporary Dance Company: To support For the Record: DCDC’s Journey Through Time, the Fellow will:
Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center : To support the creation of a sustainable and accessible archive of the Guadalupe Dance Company, the Fellow will:
Note: Spanish-language skills are preferred but not required for this project.
TeMaTe Institute for Black Dance and Culture: To support the The DigitalJeli, a digital archive, culture repository, and education/exhibition platform of dance, drum, and song lessons from the African diaspora dance community, the Fellow will
How to Apply
Eligibility Requirements:
Current or recent full- or part-time enrollment in a graduate program in Library and Information Science, Archives, or related subjects (with archiving experience) who graduated/will graduate Spring 2021 or later. Fellows must be available to work full-time for approximately 13 weeks during June, July, and August 2022 and able to travel for conferences. Exact start and end dates can be coordinated with academic year commitments. Applicants who identify as Black, Native, Indigenous, Person of Color (BIPOC), gender diverse, disabled, and/or as committed to advancing social justice causes, are strongly encouraged.
Application Process
The application period for the current cycle has closed. Check back for opportunities in future years.
Submit a resume, list of references, and a Vision, Values, and Goals Statement explaining what the applicant hopes to contribute to and gain from the Fellowship and how this opportunity aligns with career goals and personal values. This statement should highlight any experience or connection with dance/performing arts and dance legacy materials. Please include any language skills. Applicants may, but are not required to, express a preference for one of the six projects described; however, Dance/USA does not commit to assigning the applicant to the preferred project.
Deadline: 11:59pm EST, February 28, 2022
Please send Vision, Values, and Goals statement, resume, and contact and relationship (e.g. professor, supervisor) information for 3 references as one PDF named “Lastname_Firstname.pdf” to Hallie Chametzky, Archiving Specialist, hchametzky@nulldanceusa.org.
Applicant Finalists will be contacted to schedule a Zoom interview with the Dance/USA team, and may also have a second interview with a host organization.
If you have questions, contact Imogen Smith (ismith@nulldanceusa.org) and Hallie Chametzky (hchametzky@nulldanceusa.org)
Propelled by our belief that dance can inspire a more just and humane world, Dance/USA will amplify the power of dance to inform and inspire a nation where creativity and the field thrive.
Established in 1982, Dance/USA champions an inclusive and equitable dance field by leading, convening, advocating, and supporting individuals and organizations. Dance/USA’s core programs are focused in the areas of engagement, advocacy, research, and preservation.
In 2017, Dance/USA began the process of integrating the archiving and preservation programs of Dance Heritage Coalition (DHC). Formerly a stand-alone nonprofit, DHC was founded as an alliance of institutions holding major dance research collections with a mission to document, preserve, and create access to the legacy of dance. With the integration, Dance/USA has taken on this mission to provide archiving services to the dance field and build skills, resources, and awareness of dance heritage.
Ballethnic Dance Company (East Point, GA): Comprised of Ballethnic Dance Company (BDC) and the Ballethnic Academy of Dance (BAD), BDC is a classically trained, culturally diverse professional ballet company dedicated to providing training and performance opportunities to children, pre-professional and professional dancers. Founded in 1990 by Nena Gilreath and Waverly T. Lucas II, both former dancers with the Dance Theatre of Harlem and the Atlanta Ballet, Ballethnic’s mission is to be a global catalyst for social change through presenting ballet with a fusion of African dance concepts. Ballethnic is unique in its commitment to performing classical ballet blending that traditional discipline with modern, jazz, African, and other ethnic dance forms.
Charya Burt Cambodian Dance (Windsor, CA): Founded and led by Master Teacher, choreographer, dancer, and vocalist Charya Burt, CBCD is dedicated to the preservation and advancement of the classical tradition of Cambodian dance through formal instruction, workshops, performance, and the creation of new works. Through her teaching, choreography, speaking and as a master culture bearer, Charya Burt works to help Cambodian American communities to heal and move beyond their tragic history and define themselves by the values and beauty of their rich culture.
Dancing Wheels Company (Cleveland, Ohio): Founded in 1980 by Mary Verdi-Fletcher, Dancing Wheels is the nation’s first physically integrated dance company, now hailed as the World Center for Integrated Dance and Arts Access, and also a recognized training center for dancers, choreographers and educators. As one of the premiere arts and disabilities organizations in the U.S., Dancing Wheels is animated by its founder’s belief that “If dance is an expression of the human spirit, then it is best expressed by people of all abilities.”
Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (DCDC) (Dayton, Ohio): A culturally diverse modern dance company, DCDC was founded in 1968, and remains rooted in the African-American experience and dedicated to creating exceptional performance, community engagement, and arts-integrated education. DCDC tours nationally and internationally, partners with schools and universities, and offers community-based workshops, classes, and conversations.
Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center (San Antonio, TX): Located in San Antonio’s Westside, the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center (GCAC) is the parent organization of the Guadalupe Dance Company. GCAC promotes and preserves traditional and contemporary Chicano, Latino and Native American arts and culture through multidisciplinary programming as one of the largest community-based, multidisciplinary organizations in the U.S. The Dance Company has existed almost as long as GCAC and creates Mexican folkloric and interdisciplinary performance work.
TeMaTe Institute for Black Dance and Culture (Detroit, MI): TeMaTe’s mission is to embody a more culturally just and equitable world by uplifting and making space for the contributions of the African diaspora. Programs include an education-focused repertory collective which studies Afro-diasporic dance, dance classes, and conferences.
