Sunday, July 20, 2014

Dancing In The Back Yard At TICKS!

Yesterday afternoon, I headed over to the Capitol Hill neighborhood in DC to join a bunch of friends for a backyard BBQ and dance party.  This was not an ordinary summer fling, however.  TICKS!  was a dance performance hosted by Josh Kohn, Juliana Mascelli and Irfana Noorani with performances by Meredith Bove, Helen Hale and Stephanie Miracle, featuring tiny interludes with hosts Juliana and Irfana. 
 
It was casual, full of the blankets, chatter, drinks and food that you'd normally see at a backyard soiree, and dances like this one:

That we were directed to view through a mirror in a twisted musical chairs sort of way (when the plays, you use your mirror to see.  When the music stops, you use your eyes). 

Conversations were had (skateboarding, "twee", mirrors, who you should meet), dance was witnessed, summer happened.  I definitely contemplated what dance might be fun in another installment.  Cool.

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Mountain Empire Performance Collective: Mountain Empire Performing This Week In D.C.

Mountain Empire Performance Collective: Mountain Empire Performing This Week In D.C.: Everybody Knows This Is Now Here opens this week in Washington D.C. at the Capitol Fringe The Capitol Fringe opens this week and Moun...

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Event Horizon at Dance Place 8/9 - 8/10

I was so happy to share my solo, Event Horizon and duet, Gravity this past weekend at Taffety Punk's show, Enter Ophelia: Distracted.  The one-nighter turned out to be such a valuable experience for me since these two works are now re-furbished (with all new dancers: myself and Heather Doyle, and all new music) and had never yet been shown in their current incarnation.  I was so proud to hear praise of my dancing partner, Heather and fascination about my choreography.

Earlier this summer, we auditioned Event Horizon to be a part of Dance Place's New Releases Choreographers Showcase and it was accepted.  So, if you missed it this past week, come check it out on August 9-10 at Dance Place and let us know what you think!

Get your tickets HERE

Monday, June 30, 2014

Mountain Empire Performance Collective: One Week Until The Capitol Fringe

Mountain Empire Performance Collective: One Week Until The Capitol Fringe: Everybody Knows This Is Now Here Capitol Fringe, July 10-17, 2014 Katie here: I am patiently awaiting the 4th of July weekend.  It&#3...

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Laban Inspired Dance and Ophelia


This Thursday, Friday and Saturday (6/26 - 6/28) are the last days of show for Taffety Punk's run of Enter Ophelia: Distracted at CHAW.
"Enter Ophelia, distracted combines the striking intensity of actor Kimberly Gilbert with the refined and investigative choreography of Erin Mitchell, immersed in a sea of music and sound to expose the inner and outer workings of Ophelia's self."
As a bonus, on Saturday night (6/28) I am presenting a re-worked excerpt of my piece Space-Time:
"Event Horizon (solo) and Gravity (duet) are from a suite of dances called Space-Time that explores the relationship between astrophysical phenomena and human relationships. Energetic vacillations, spatial foci, and the images we create when we make decisions, form relationships, break ties, and move each other through life drive these pair of dances through space.  The creation of Space-Time is the creative arm of Katie’s heuristic research on Laban’s theories of the flow effort, his theories on its psychophysical manifestations and Sopoci Drake’s specific theories on their connection to 4-dimensional space that she’s been developing since 2009."
I'd like to invite all Labanites out to analyze the show.



Saturday, May 24, 2014

Nice Write Up From Philly


Philly was certainly a warm and welcoming town for Mountain Empire and our Telephone Dance Project was well received for the Salon Show and for the H-O-T Series. We made some new friends and can't wait to go back!

Read about our exploits courtesy of ThinkingDance.net


Thursday, May 1, 2014

May 2014 D.C. Area Dance Events Guide

Wayne McGregor | Random Dance
WEEKEND ONE May 1-4

5/1-5/3, Wayne McGregor | Random Dance
Kennedy Center
“Random Dance brings their multimedia work FAR, with score by Ben Frost and jaw-dropping visuals, including a computerized pin board of 3,200 LED lights.”

5/3-5/4, JOMDC Companies in Concert
5/3 at 6:30pm & 5/4 at 4pm DanceFusion Jazz Project, Jazz Factor, Raqs Jameel & Vibe Tribe!
5/3 at 8:30pm & 5/4 at 2pm Groove Elements, Soles of Steel & Rhythmix!
Atlas Performing Arts Center
“Join Joy of Motion Dance Center as they celebrate another season of Dance! Don’t miss this noisy celebration of dance!”

WEEKEND TWO May 5-11

5/6 at 7pm, Master Class: KEIGWIN + COMPANY
Kennedy Center
“The Explore the Arts master class series gives you an opportunity to take classes led by some of the most talented and creative artists in the world of dance.”

5/7-5/8, National Symphony Orchestra: NEW MOVES: symphony + dance: Thomas Wilkins, conductor; KEIGWIN + COMPANY / From Schuman to Bernstein
Kennedy Center
“Enjoy selections from Bernstein's On the Town and On the Waterfront with KEIGWIN + COMPANY in new choreography by Larry Keigwin, plus Schuman's New England Triptych and a new concerto with Sue Heineman, principal bassoon.”

5/9-10 at 8pm, John Jasperse presents From once between
American Dance Institute
From once between is a new evening-length work by Jasperse in collaboration with composer Jonathan Bepler.”

5/9-5/10 at 8pm, Sean Dorsey Dance presented by Dance Place
Joe’s Movement Emporium
The Secret History Of Love reveals the underground ways that LGBT people managed to survive and find love in decades past, despite tremendous obstacles. 1920’s speakeasies, wartime love affairs, police raids and steamy underground cabarets explode onstage in this powerful work by transgender trailblazer Sean Dorsey.”

5/10-5/11, National Symphony Orchestra: NEW MOVES: symphony + dance: Thomas Wilkins, conductor; New Ballet Ensemble / From Gershwin to Ellington
Kennedy Center

5/11 at 6pm, Ballet Company M presents their Spring Concert
Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center
“Ballet Company M presents their Spring Concert! Come out to see acclaimed works from Swan Lake, La Bayadere, as well as original choreography by their members.”


WEEKEND THREE May 12-18

5/12-5/13, National Symphony Orchestra: NEW MOVES: symphony + dance: Thomas Wilkins, conductor; New Ballet Ensemble / From Gershwin to Ellington
Kennedy Center

5/16-5/17, National Symphony Orchestra: NEW MOVES: symphony + dance: Thomas Wilkins, conductor; Jessica Lang Dance; with Leila Josefowicz, violin / From Adams to Copland
Kennedy Center

5/16-17 at 8pm, Tere O’Connor presents Bleed
American Dance Institute
“With each piece lending its own unique dancers, ideas, and approaches, Bleed forms a serendipitous new choreographic language.”

5/17 at 2pm, Connect the Dots Dance Company presents Sleeping Beauty
Atlas Performing Arts Center
”The performance will feature a ballet workshop, a ballet performance and a ballet craft.”

5/17 at 8pm & 5/18 at 4pm, Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion: Live! The Realest MC, presented by Dance Place
Ira Aldridge Theater, Howard University
Live! The Realest MC, is a new ensemble dance work inspired by the duality of Pinocchio’s plight to be a “real boy.” The piece investigates gender roles in the black community and societal perspectives on the quest for acceptance in the world of hip-hop celebrity.”


WEEKEND FOUR May 19-25

5/23 at 7:30pm, The American Embassy of Dance presents: For the Love of Tap
Atlas Performing Arts Center
“Join American Embassy of Dance as we commemorate the 35th Anniversary of National Tap Dance Day, with performances by local artists and dancers from across the Nation.”


WEEKEND FIVE May 26-31

5/28 at 8pm, Modern Moves, in partnership with Dance Place
Reston Community Center
“Three of D.C.'s most prominent choreographers - Daniel Burkholder, Daniel Phoenix Singh and Erica Rebollar - come together to create an eclectic evening of thrilling and fascinating modern dance.”
What do you know?  I'm in this one!  Come see me :-)

5/29-6/1, Step Afrika! presents Green Is The New Black, presented by Dance Place
The Catholic University of America Hartke Theatre
“What if we could take the energy of stepping, harness it and reuse it to power devices and communities? Green is the New Black is a new work created by Step Afrika! that will explore, through the use of piezoelectric technology, our capacity to capture the “power” created through stepping and convert that power into electrical energy.”


5/30-5/31 at 8pm, Christopher K. Morgan presents By The Inch
American Dance Institute
“CKM&A concludes their season in their artistic home at ADI with an evening of mixed repertory that features two world premieres and a special anniversary reconstruction.”

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Audition For Dance Place's New Releases Choreographers Showcase

Hi Friends,
I wanted to pass along a D.C. opportunity for all those dance makers out there in the DC/VA/MD area.  Our local dance-hub Dance Place has just announced their audition dates for the latest round of the New Releases Choreographers Showcase.  If you're an emerging choreographer, this is the place to be.  Here's the deets:
ReVision Dance Company

"If you don't already know, Dance Place has an annual showcase where we present new works by local artists, selected by a panel of judges. I performed in it last year and it was a real treat! It's geared towards emerging choreographers -- you get to show your work in the Dance Place theater free of charge, tons of exposure and DP provides all selected artists with an honorarium."

The audition times are:

Friday, June 13 @ 4:00-8:00pm
Saturday, June 14 @ 4:00-8:00pm

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

April 2014 D.C. Area Dance Events Guide



Washington D.C.




New York City Ballet: Emeralds
Photo © Paul Kolnik

The Kennedy Center
4/2 – 4/6, New York City Ballet: Jewels at the Opera House
Tickets: $25-$95
“Boasting "an impressive new generation of dancers" (The New York Times), the company performs Balanchine's dazzling full-length Jewels, plus a program of works by Christopher Wheeldon, Justin Peck, and Alexei Ratmansky.”



Atlas Performing Arts Center
4/5 - 4/6, Camille A. Brown and Dancers
Tickets: $20-$35.50
Camille A. Brown has sought to defy the boundaries between dance and theatre.  Brown has been commissioned by the Ailey Company, Ballet Memphis, and the August Wilson Dance Ensemble, among others. Storytelling through dance and engaging social issues that persist among past and present, Camille A. Brown & Dancers present Mr. Tol E. RAncE, a piece inspired by the Spike Lee film, Bamboozled (2002) that explores the sustained racial archetypes of black performers while celebrating their tenacity and perseverance.



Dance Place
4/5 at 8pm, Companhia Urbaba de Danca, Edgewood Arts Center
Tickets: $8-$22
Founded in Brazil in 2004 by dancer Tiago Sousa and choreographer and Artistic Director Sonia Destri Lie, Companhia Urbana de Dança is an ensemble of street performers working to foster the human experience through dance. Destri’s boldly original mix of contemporary Brazilian dance and hip-hop infuses both forms with new rigor, meditative one moment, explosive the next.”



The Kennedy Center
4/6, 8pm One Mic: Breaking Form: global urban contemporary dance at the Eisenhower Theater
Tickets: $19-$50
Hosted by Jonzi D, this showcase of hip-hop dance features Project Soul (South Korea), Sébastien Ramirez and Honji Wang (France), and Companhia Urbana (Brazil).



Joy of Motion
4/12 – 4/13, Dissonance Dance presents Black To Silver, The Jack Guidone Theater
Tickets: $18
Black to Silver: A Black LGBT (now in its 2nd year), is a multidisciplinary arts production that examines and explores interpersonal relationships, identity and love within the African-American LGBT community.”



The Kennedy Center
4/15 – 4/20, American Ballet Theatre: Mixed Bill: Don Quixote and Works by Fokine, Ashton and Gomes, at the Opera House
Tickets: $25-$109
ABT offers a feast of choreographic fireworks with its spirited staging of Don Quixote--praised for its "glorious passages of choreography" (The New York Times)--plus works by Michel Fokine, Sir Frederick Ashton, and Marcelo Gomes.



The Washington Ballet
4/16 - 4/27, Peter Pan, The Kennedy Center, Eisenhower Theater
Tickets: $25-$125
Take a high-flying adventure to Neverland with the The Washington Ballet's NEW Production of Septime Webre's dazzling Peter Pan. A swashbuckling coming of age tale that pits Peter and the Lost Boys against Captain Hook and his outrageous band of pirates, this whimsical adventure is told through vibrant dance. Peter Pan is a story about growing up that never seems to grow old.



Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company
4/19, 1pm and 2:30pm, Premier of new work, The National Portrait Gallery, 1st Fl
Tickets: Free
“Choreographer Dana Tai Soon Burgess,Dancing the Dream artist-in-residence, has created a second site-specific work in response to the exhibition.”



The Washington Ballet
4/23 – 4/25, Tour-De-Fource: Balanchine!, The Kennedy Center, Eisenhower Theater
Tickets: $35-$12
Only three performances! The brilliant next chapter of Tour-de-Force, a gala-style program of provocative and engaging, showstopping classical and contemporary ballets including Swan Lake, Flames of Paris, D-Construction and more. George Balanchine's Theme and Variations, the evening's centerpiece, evokes the great period in classical dance when Russian ballet flourished with the aid of Tchaikovsky's music. Only available to subscribers, Tour-de-Force is a season highlight not to be missed.

 

Washington Performing Arts Society

4/25 – 4/26 at 8pm, MOMIX Botanica, GWU Lisner Auditorium
Tickets: $28-$48
“With an eclectic score ranging from birdsong to Vivaldi, Botanica shows off the endlessly renewable energy of the superb MOMIX performers, with costumes, projections, and custom-made props and puppetry adding an extra dose of fantasy to the elixir. This is dance at its most organic and inventive. The seasons will never be the same. Co-presented with GW Lisner Auditorium and CityDance”
http://www.wpas.org/calendar/view.aspx?id=2355



Joy of Motion
4/26 – 4/27, Tappenstance In Concert!, The Jack Guidone Theater
Tickets: $12-$15
Join JOMDC's resident adult tap company Tappenstance for our annual rollicking tap concert that'll have you keeping the beat in your seat! From 80's icons the Go-Go's to 00's R&B sensation Blu Cantrell, from North African Samba to Jackson 5 disco, you'll travel the world of music through the soles of our feet. Be sure to bring your tap shoes and show off your rhythms during intermission in our improv circle. 


 

MARYLAND

 
 
Cirque Ziva
Photo Credit: Amitava Sarkar
Strathmore
4/9 at 8pm, Cirque Ziva, The Music Center at Strathmore
Tickets: $26-$47
Eye-popping fast-pace fun for the whole family! “Breathtaking! Cathedrals of contortionists in backbend rise before your eyes, body by body. Human obstacles, which tumblers flip over, widen in person-size increments. The thrill is escalation. These acrobats from China…keep topping themselves” (The New York Times). Catch the show before it debuts in New York City!.”

 
 

The Clarice Smith Center for the Performing Arts

4/12 - 4/13, Shared Graduate Dance Concert, Dance Theatre

Tickets: Free
This concert features provocative choreography by Master of Fine Arts students in dance, focusing on new works in development. As the first opportunity for them to put material onstage and see what develops, it often contains the seeds of movement ideas that will be featured in their MFA Thesis programs — an unguarded exploration of their talents and interests.”
Dance Exchange
4/17 from 7-9pm, Showing and Critical Response Process feedback session w/ guest artist-in-residence Jessie Laurita-Spanglet, Dance Exchange in Takoma Park, MD
Tickets: Free
“This season, Dance Exchange brings the Critical Response Process HOME, offering our three Guest Artists-in-Residence the opportunity to share their dance-making with the DC-area community and to receive valuable feedback to shape and fine-tune their artistic products.”… “Facilitated by Dance Exchange staff and artists, these evenings will not only give audiences a chance to learn about these Guest Artists, but also the opportunity to see CRP in action.”
 


VIRGINIA






Moscow Festival Ballet, Swan Lake
Photo: Larissa Pedenchuk

George Mason University4/5 – 4/6, Moscow Festival Ballet, Concert Hall
Tickets: $28-$56
 
“This masterful corps of dancers presents a delightful afternoon featuring the most exquisite jewels of the ballet canon. This remarkable collection of ballet selections includes the highlights from The Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Don Quixote; Fokine’s poignant "Dying Swan" set to music by Saint-Saens; Petipa's most loved gems from Paquita; and much more. This outstanding company from Moscow was founded in 1989 by legendary Bolshoi Ballet principal dancer Sergei Radchenko, who brought leading dancers from across Russia together to forge a new company dedicated to staging new productions of timeless classics in the grand tradition of Russian ballet. ‘The dancers of the Moscow Festival Ballet spoke to the soul through the body.’ (Post and Courier)”

Monday, March 3, 2014

March D.C. Area Dance Events Guide


Atlas Performing Arts Center
2/22-3/8, Atlas Intersections Festival, Multiple Atlas Locations
“INTERSECTIONS presents performances in music, theatre, dance, film, spoken word and performance art that offer new ways to see ourselves and to celebrate our community and our world.”

The Washington Ballet
3/5-9, BRITISH INVASION: The Beatles & Rolling Stones, The Kennedy Center, Eisenhower Theater
“When The Beatles and The Rolling Stones invaded America back in the 1960's rock 'n' roll changed forever. Relive this revolution inTrey McIntyre's A Day in the Life, an energetic, thrillingly visual and emotional journey set to classic Beatles' tunes. Through poignant lyrics, hard-driving guitar licks and strutting dance, Christopher Bruce's highly-acclaimed rock ballet Rooster, is the penultimate ‘battle of the sexes.’”

Christopher K. Morgan and Artists (CKM&A)
3/14-3/15 at 8pm, Dissolving, The Alden
“CKM&A returns for its third season at The Alden with an evening of mixed repertory. On the program will be the company premiere of Christopher K. Morgan’s 2013 work Selective Sync (originally commissioned by American University) and the world premiere of "Dissolving".  "Dissolving" artfully explores themes of water pollution and conservation, incorporating locally accumulated and collected rainwater into the performance. Choreographed by Morgan, and in collaboration with guest choreographer Dance Exchange Resident Artist Matthew Cumbie, the work features an original score by composer Jonathan Kolm.  Other CKM&A repertory will complete the program.”

Joy of Motion
3/15 at 8:30pm, 3/16 at 7pm Glade Dance Collective presents Wavelength, The Jack Guidone Theater
In Glade Dance Collective's fifth year, we present our first full evening of exclusively Glade works. Witness the premiere of pieces exploring personal stories of transformation by our own Lauren Borchard, Jess Hoversen, and Betsy Loikow. You'll also see excerpts from Connections, Glade's collective piece sourced from audience interactions. And an audience favorite, District. Defined?, returns, showcasing the vibrancy and music of life in D.C.

Washington Performing Arts Society
3/21-3/22 at 8pm, Koresh Dance Company, Lansburgh Theatre
“Join Koresh Dance Company for an eloquent and explosive program featuring Koresh’s choreography to classical favorites juxtaposed with contemporary and world music in an exploration of common rhythms. Known for an exciting and emotional blend of ballet, modern and jazz, the program will include excerpts from Koresh’s latest work Come Together, choreography set to Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata and Bach’s Air, and much more.”

Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company
3/22 & 3/29 from 11:30-3pm, DTSBDC Open Rehearsal, The National Portrait Gallery, 1st Fl
Choreographer Dana Tai Soon Burgess,Dancing the Dream artist-in-residence, has created a second site-specific work in response to the exhibition. The Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company invites visitors to watch rehearsals and give feedback. Comments will be incorporated into the final work, which will premiere at on April 19.

Dance Place
3/22 at 8pm, 3/23 at 7pm Rennie Harris RHAW, Edgewood Arts Center
RHAW, Rennie Harris’ second company, presents dynamic performances of street dance, including: Campbell locking, popping & boogaloo, B-boy/girl, house and hip-hop social dance. Downplaying the abstract while pushing a dramatic aesthetic, RHAW forges new paths for young hip-hop hopefuls, and presents hip-hop in its “RHAW-est” forms.”

Dance Place
3/29-30, Telephone Dance Project at the DP2 studio in Brookland Artspace Lofts
“Telephone Dance Project (TDP), a long-distance dance collaboration, brings their unique site-specific improvisational performances to D.C. in a weekend full of dance. TDP will host an Improvisation Workshop at Dance Place, a Site-Specific Dance Exploration at the National Portrait Gallery, and a Salon-Style Show at Brookland Artspace.”

Atlas Performing Arts Center
3/29-30, Sannidhi (Sacred Space) with soloist Aparna Ramaswamy at The Theresa and Jane Lang Theatre
“Acclaimed Bharatanatyam soloist and choreographer Aparna Ramaswamy‘s choreography and performance have been described as “a marvel of buoyant agility and sculptural clarity” (Dance Magazine), “thrillingly three-dimensional,” and “an enchantingly beautiful dancer,” (The New York Times).”



MARYLAND

Baltimore Dance Invitational
3/6-3/9, The Collective and guests, Baltimore Theatre Project
“The Collective presents the 2nd Annual Baltimore Dance Invitational bringing together artists from the surrounding region for three showcase performances.”

Dance Bethesda
3/8 at 8pm, Dance Bethesda, Round House Theater
Seven performers have been selected for the annual concert. Selected professional companies and choreographers include: Agency 9 (hip-hop), Bethany Disque (contemporary), Christopher K. Morgan & Artists (contemporary), Company Danzante (contemporary), Company E (contemporary), Nomad Dancers (inspired by traditions of India, Persia, Central Asia, Middle East, and Turkey) and Word Dance Theater (modern dance)

The Clarice Smith Center for the Performing Arts at University of Maryland, College Park
3/12-3/14 at 9pm, MFA Thesis Concert: My Tempest by Ana Farfan, Dance Theatre
“A Prospero whose spells do not work anymore, a Miranda who does not love Ferdinand and instead wants to become a magician herself, an Ariel who is not interested in being released by Prospero … these challenging situations for characters from Shakespeare’s The Tempest live in Ana Farfán’s choreography, My Tempest.”

The Clarice Smith Center for the Performing Arts at University of Maryland, College Park
3/12-3/14 at 7:30pm, MFA Thesis Concert: Pleated by Stephanie Miracle, Dance Theatre
“Based on make-believe worlds, sibling rivalry and living-room dances, Pleated is a lively, imaginative choreography for three women.
Daring physicality and humble gestures are (re)constructed from personal memories and old home movies, creating autobiographical work that explores the brutal and beautiful landscape of growing up with sisters.”

Black Rock Center for the Arts
3/15 at 8pm, ClancyWorks, Black Rock Theater
“Local award-winning modern dance company returns to BlackRock with the world premiere of BenchMarks – which explored organizational partnering and deepened the artistic scope of dance in Montgomery County. The concert will also premiere By George!, a stunning movement display inspired by George Lewis and his Ragtime Band, jazz funeral music of New Orleans, choreographed by Bill Evans. See You Around, choreographed by Claire Porter and Sabatino Verlezza, combines subtle comedic moments and dialogue to create a highly entertaining and amusing dance theater piece that is not only humorous but thought-provoking. Finally, the concert will feature Displaced, choreographed by Susan Shields, an award winning choreographer described by The Washington Post as one of DC’s “best-kept secrets”. The company produces choreography that is physically demanding, powerful, evocative and profoundly human.”

Dance Exchange
3/20 from 7-9pm, Evening w/DX Green Choreographer Paloma McGregor, Dance Exchange in Takoma Park, MD
“In our second year of the Green ChoreographerResidency program, we are excited for Paloma McGregor, NYC-based movement artist, to share her work with the DX and DC-area community. Paloma is currently developing Building a Better Fishtrap, a multidisciplinary performance project that explores water, memory and home, as well as examines what we carry with us, leave behind and reclaim.” 

Black Rock Center for the Arts
3/29, Ballet Hispanico, Black Rock Theater
“Led by Artistic Director Eduardo Vilaro and founded by National Medal of the Arts recipient, Tina Ramirez, Ballet Hispanico’s work fuses Latin dance with classical and contemporary techniques to create a new style of concert dance in which theatricality and passion propel every move. Choreographers represent a multitude of nationalities including Venezuela, Cuba, Trinidad, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Spain, Brazil, Argentina and Colombia. The Company has offered over 3,350 performances to an audience of over 3 million, throughout 11 countries, on 3 continents.” 


VIRGINIA

George Mason University
3/7 at 8pm, Joffrey Ballet: American Legends, Baltimore Theatre Project
“Frequently referred to as “America’s Company of Firsts,” Joffrey Ballet was first to appear on television, first to perform at the White House, and even first to appear on the cover of TIME Magazine.  This company remains at the forefront of American dance after more than fifty years of sharing their art in both their hometown of Chicago and around the world.  Now, this sterling company takes our stage to present American Legendsfeaturing Interplay, choreographed by Jerome Robbins, Nine Sinatra Songs with choreography by Twyla Tharp, and more.”

Reston Community Center
3/9 at 8pm, Rennie Harris RHAW, The CenterStage at Reston Community Center
RHAW, Rennie Harris’ second company, presents dynamic performances of street dance, including: Campbell locking, popping & boogaloo, B-boy/girl, house and hip-hop social dance. Downplaying the abstract while pushing a dramatic aesthetic, RHAW forges new paths for young hip-hop hopefuls, and presents hip-hop in its “RHAW-est” forms.”

CALL FOR ARTISTS: Show in D.C.

The Telephone Dance Project is hosting a Salon-Style Show on Saturday, March 29th at 7:30pm at the Brookland Artspace Lofts in Washington D.C.

"Put on your evening look, head down to the Brookland Artspace Lofts, and enjoy a glass of wine as you watch performances by TDP, Mountain Empire and special guest artists. Visual art by Catholic University Art Students will be on display in the Brookland Artspace Gallery. Telephone Dance Project’s Salon-Style Show will happen in an informal setting with dialogue encouraged. You must be on the guest list to enter."

We still have a few slots left open for dance artists to show work, experiment with an improvisational score, or present a work in progress for friendly dancer feedback.  This is an informal and fluid dance setting and there will be wine served, so think of this as the ideal environment to try something risky. 

Want to show something?  Here are all the details:

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Telephone Dance Project hits Washington DC in March

The Telephone Dance Project's next stop on the tour Washington D.C. and we want you to dance with us!

Friday, March 28th 

Improvisation Workshop with TDP 
at Dance Place 
3/28 at 6:30pm-8:30pm
$20 general/$15 students and seniors
Register HERE.
We'll explore some of the ideas we use to create our long-distance works.  Workshop participants will also get a chance to try out some of the movement we'll be using for Saturday's Site-Specific Dance Exploration at the National Portrait Gallery.


Saturday, March 29th

Self-Guided Tour of Dancing the Dream and 
Open Rehearsal of the Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company
at the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery 
3/29 at 11:00am-3:00pm
FREE
Join us any time between 11 and 3pm to take in the National Portrait Gallery's special exhibition honoring American dance throughout the 20th century as well as a glimpse into the preparations for Dana Tai Soon Burgess's newest work to be premiered in the spring.

Site-Specific Dance Experience with TDP
National Portrait Gallery's Kogod Courtyard 
3/29 at 3:00-4:00pm
FREE - let us know you're coming HERE
We'll take inspiration from what we've just seen, and some of TDP's methods of improvisation to create a work of art on the spot.  Join in the fun or watch as we lead a series of dances that you can be a part of by giving just a few simple directions.  Look, listen, and move your way into a deeper understanding of the art that exists all around you.


Salon-Style Performance with TDP and Guests

Brookland Artspace at 3305 8th St. NE 
3/29 at 7:30pm-8:30pm 
Invite with any donation
Put on your evening look, enjoy a glass of wine (donations encouraged), see the art provided by Catholic University Art Students and watch performances by TDP, Mountain Empire and more guest artists.  Performances will happen in an informal setting with dialogue encouraged.

You must be on the invite list to enter, but that's easy!  Simply donate below to ourIndiegogo campaign, contact us personally, or join our Facebook Event.

We can't wait to see you!


Thanks for making this all happen through your generous donations.  Consider sharing or donating the price of a ticket for someone who otherwise could not right here:



Friday, February 7, 2014

Are You A Dancer Moving To A New City?

I know something about starting over as a dancer in a new city.  I got my dance degree in Iowa, joined my first dance company in Minnesota, got my Masters and joined my second company in Milwaukee, moved for my husband's job to Florida, moved for the job marked to Illinois, and have finally settled in Washington D.C.  Each time I've had to make my name ALL OVER AGAIN in a new city.  It's humbling and it always takes longer than you think it should.

Recently, I joined 4dancers.org as a contributing writer and guess what my first post is...
You've got it!  Tips for dancers on the move!

"Now it’s time to pull up your big-girl/boy tights, put on your game-face, and be really, really patient all over again.  Since it’s still considered gauche to have your resume printed on your leotard, here are some things I’ve learned along the way that will help you to hop into your new city’s dance scene as fast as possible"


See what I have to say about cornering teachers after class in order to network, what to put on your website (get one!), and how to survive the long wait between moving and your first dancing gig.
And you know if I'm writing about it, I've done it 8 times and screwed it up 7 of those times.

Thanks for reading, and share with all of those dancers you know that are on the move, forced to move, or just need a change of scenery.  I've got them covered!


Friday, January 31, 2014

February 2014 D.C. Dance Events Guide

WASHINGTON D.C.


Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance
Atlas Performing Arts Center
2/22-3/8, Atlas Intersections Festival, Multiple Atlas Locations
“INTERSECTIONS presents performances in music, theatre, dance, film, spoken word and performance art that offer new ways to see ourselves and to celebrate our community and our world.”

Dance Place
2/7 from 8-11pm, Cuban Dance Social with DC Casineros (All Levels) at the Edgewood Arts Center, 3415 8th St NE
Join the DC Casineros’ company of community DJs and dancers for an evening of Son, Songo, Timba, Guaguanco, Salsa, Cha Cha Cha, Guaracha, and Rumba.”

Joy of Motion
2/22 at 8pm, Shannon Dunne Dance Presents: Sean-Nos in Concert, The Jack Guidone Theater
“Join Shannon Dunne Dance youth and adult companies as they showcase the tradition of sean-nos dance ("old style" Irish dance) through theatricality, choreography and structured improvisations.”

The Washington Ballet
1/29-2/2, The Jazz/Blues Project, The Harman Center, Sudney Harman Hall
“Americana at its finest-the iconic music of Etta James and Charlie "Bird" Parker and world-class dance come together inTrey McIntyre's Blue Until June and Val Caniparoli's Bird's Nest. Along with a world premiere by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa,whose Sueno de Marmol had audiences and critics alike reaching for superlatives last spring and guest appearances by Helen Hayes Award Winner E.Faye Butler and the Howard University Jazz Ensemble, this program promises to be the most exhilarating dance event in town.”

The Kennedy Center
2/1 at 4pm, Ballet 360: Contemporary Dance for Ballet Lovers: Revelations, The Kennedy Center, Terrace Gallery
“In this continuation of the popular Ballet 360° lecture series, dance critic Alexandra Tomalonis uses video of well-known ballets to take us beyond the steps and into the fine craft of making a ballet.”

2/3 at 7pm, Master Class: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, The Kennedy Center, Rehearsal Room - Hall of Nations
“The Explore the Arts master class series gives you an opportunity to take classes led by some of the most talented and creative artists in the world of dance.”

2/4-2/9, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, The Kennedy Center, Opera House
“America's cultural ambassador to the world, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to the Kennedy Center for its annual engagement with its winning combination of captivating new works and enduring classics.”

2/7-2/8, Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company Presents: Modern Dance Concert: Four by Burgess, The Kennedy Center, Terrace Theater
“The Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company performs new works by critically acclaimed choreographer Dana Tai Soon Burgess. He is recognized for his modern dances that sensitively translate the psychology of our human condition.”

2/12-2/13, Bowen McCauley Dance presents: An Evening to Love, The Kennedy Center, Terrace Theater
“Using classical ballet as the point of departure, artistic director Lucy Bowen McCauley creates emotionally charged dances that defy categorization, set to musical scores ranging from Brahms to Stravinsky to country rock legends Jason and The Scorchers.”

2/27 at 7pm, Master Class: Compagnie Kafig/CCN Creteil et Val-de-Marne, The Kennedy Center, Rehearsal Room - Hall of States
“The Explore the Arts master class series gives you an opportunity to take classes led by some of the most talented and creative artists in the world of dance.”

2.28-3/1, Compagnie Kafig/CCN Creteil et Val-de-Marne, The Kennedy Center, Eisenhower Theater
“Compagnie Käfig makes its Kennedy Center debut with Artistic Director Mourad Merzouki's Agwaand Correria. The all-male Brazilian cast performs these celebrated works inspired by hip-hop, bossa nova, and capoeira.”



MARYLAND


Pilobolus
The Clarice Smith Center for the Performing Arts at University of Maryland, College Park
1/31-2/1 at 8pm, David Rousseve/Reality: Stardust, Clarice Smith Center PAC, Kay Theatre
“Choreographed, written and directed by David Roussève, Stardust follows an African American gay urban teenager’s dreams, misgivings and challenges.”
2/8 at 6pm, Maryland Masti 8, Clarice Smith PAC, Kay Theatre
“Maryland Masti 8, the nation’s premiere intercollegiate dance competition features top garba/raas teams from around the nation competing for bragging rights and an invitation to Raas Revolution — The League of Champions in East Lansing, MI.”

Dance Exchange
2/20 from 7-9pm, DX Open Rehearsal, a behind-the-scenes look at our creative process, Dance Exchange in Takoma Park, MD
“Come join us in the studio for an open rehearsal and get an inside look at the beginning stages of a new work-in-progress by Dance Exchange Artistic Director Cassie Meador that looks at the life, legacy, and impact of the writing of environmentalist Rachel Carson.” 

Strathmore
2/19 at 8pm, Krasnoyarsk National Dance Company of Siberia, Music Center at Strathmore
Stretching from the Arctic to the border of China, Siberia is a world of cultures—and this vibrant dance company brings influences from many of them to the stage—from leaping, twirling Cossack soldiers to brightly clad peasant dances drawn from centuries of tradition.

2/26 at 8pm, Pilobolus, Music Center at Strathmore
“Founded in 1971 as a dance collective, this extraordinary and beloved company still, to this day, wears its revolutionary stripes on its sleeves. Its signature style, eerily beautiful and witty formations and movements, contortionist gymnastics, and endlessly inventive works make lifelong fans.”

http://www.strathmore.org/eventstickets/calendar/view.asp?id=9628


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