1111 16th Street, NW, Ste. 300
Washington, D.C. 20036
(202) 778-1190
info@dancemetrodc.org
September 7, 2010, Washington, DC.
The White House kicks off a series of dance performances this afternoon and evening, highlighting performance by American companies and a special master class handing down information in only the way dance can, person to person. Today does not mark the first time dance in performance has happened at the White House, but still this feels important, different and a source of pride. For those who live a moving life, this moment that the President and Mrs. Obama have set , with a special tribute to departing Alvin Ailey Dance Artistic Director Judith Jamison should be engraved on a flag and lifted for all to see.
For those of us who live and dance in and around Washington, DC, there should be a companion banner – maybe placed just below the first flag – claiming our everyday presence, our everyday mantra to share with every politician, every executive, every power-seeking individual who claims to speak on the behalf of others. “Move More, Speak Less!” it could say, or “Don’t Just Talk the Talk, Walk, Skip, Jump or Turn the Talk!” “Make A Move, Not Politics!” Or for the combat concerned, “Peace Duets Start With A Reach”. But, to the point, even the words to describe it come off as inadequate and light. This is not how I feel.
I have seen dances accomplish amazing feats- and not just feats physical. Dances can be conciliatory actions. They cull and can organize feelings and passions in a way that spoken language cannot. Dance acts as text, subtext, as metaphor, as visual harmony to assist the intentions of an idea, whether the idea is bad or evil (think Hitler and his attempted manipulations of movement choirs) or for the general good (think the spirit of Woodstock, with or without drugs; think of the current flash mob craze.)
I have seen dance reconcile emotions within people, between people, among peoples. And sure I have been moved in a theatre by works of dancing art for the sheer energy of the dance and the dancers and the simpatico of intention, craft and the experience. This is not about culture with a capitol “K”. This is about allowing what we know as infants, as babies, even, out of the womb: movement has intention, a reach has meaning. That we learn to speak and use verbal skills should not reduce this primary knowledge, but that is often the case.
So, I write this and smile as I sit in our office about four blocks from the White House, as dancers prepare to perform for an enthusiastic President and First Lady – whose own efforts to include movement as part of a healthy balance of diet and attitude for today’s youth aren’t far off as her “Let’s Move” program takes off this fall. Do today’s events make up for a lack of arts funding? No, of course it does not. But what this event, and those that will follow, will allow me, other dancers/movers in the DC region and those all across the country a valid claim. Dance cannot be reduced to a single or just a few purposes as those who would dismiss it would have the verbal-oriented world believe. Dance, all movement - and all its aesthetic, healing, and conciliatory powers - has a place in every American’s home today. It gives me a boost to serve the art form, and serve it from here in Washington.
FALL SEASON ALL DANCE KICK OFF PARTY
September 15th, Wednesday, at SkyBar/Beacon Hotel
(17th and Rhode Island NW)
5:30- 8:00 pm
Share your upcoming season while rubbing elbows with the dance savvy and dance curious at our first ever Dance Season Kick-Off...invite your supporters and those you've been dieing to get to know to join us.
There'll be drink specials, a place to display your season brochures and a sneak peak at the
SHOULD I QUIT MY DAY JOB? DANCE-OFF contestants,
info on the Awards and Velocity, too.
Let us know you are coming: info@dancemetrodc.org
Developing
MegaNew
Definitive
Catalyzing
D/MDC
Info
for 2010/11
Calendar Highlights below ....scroll down!
LIVE! SEE! DO! Dance
www.dancemetrodc.org:
: the new website will debut as soon as we get the new dress we bought for its coming out party altered! Look new and improved ways to list your dance events and more user friendly portals for the general public to get to know you and your work better.
Dance Is The Answer 2011:
: still opens on tax day, April 15th, and this installment reaches out with a theme of Art That Moves! Reach out to your visually stimulated friends as we team up with Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, area studios/galleries- and any empty wall or lobby space you have in your studios or venues- to perform or just promenade through art that takes a literal-to-abstract view to moving, movement, momentum...
We’re bundling and so can you!
DancePassPRO now does more than get you a seat in the theater!! It will now be available for purchase (to those who qualify) at individual and organization rates beginning later this summer, with an effective start date of September 1.
You’ll still be able to list performances on the website without it, but your upgrade through purchasing DancePassPRO will allow you a bundle of other one-stop shopping perks: special placement for listings and photos, banner ads, multiple listings, as well as discounts to performances as before. More info to come asap!
The 10th MetroDC Dance Awards:
: moves to October, and to the Harman! REAL people winners of the Should I Keep My Day Job Dance Off will join!
VelocityDC Dance Festival:
: once again at the Harman, with performances preceded by the Awards earlier that week.
Dance Town Hall Meetings, Roundtables and Summits:
: are you tip-toeing through the dancing tulips and don’t feel like you have a clue? The Advisory Committee and Staff of Dance/ MetroDC will hold two Dance Town Halls (one each, fall and spring!) so you can be more a part of the process.
Forward 5/Professional Capacity Building Workshops:
: this current crop of F5’s has been experimenting and evaluating processes and products all year. This pilot has taught us a lot, and we will share with you in our Nov and Dec sessions in open sessions for capacity building for all. In the meantime, look to the last weekend of Sept, when we celebrate the beginning of the season.
: the NEXT group of F5’s? Look for application materials to appear early in 2011 for a start time beginning in June!
2010/11 Season Highlights
Dates subject to improvisation and/or choreographic changes: check the website!
September
15th FALL SEASON ALL DANCE KICK OFF PARTY
at SkyBar/Beacon Hotel (17th and Rhode Island NW)
5:30- 8:00 pm
Share your upcoming season while rubbing elbows with the dance savvy and dance curious at our first ever Dance Season Kick-Off...invite your supporters and those you've been dieing to get to know to join us.
There'll be drink specials, a place to display your season brochures and a sneak peak at the SHOULD I QUIT MY DAY JOB? DANCE-OFF contestants,info on the Awards and Velocity, too.
Let us know you are coming: info@dancemetrodc.org
22nd
Learn How to Play Well with Others: a discussion on collaboration co-presented by Artist's Bloc, Eureka Dance Festival and Dance/MetroDC.
Details to arrive soon!!!!!
25th, 26th
Forward 5: Portions Open for Workshop and Public Showing with special guest Liz Lerman
JOIN US for a Dance COmmunity Workshop led by Liz Lerman
1:00- 3:00pm Saturday, September 25th
RSVP to info@dancemetrodc.org
October
3rd
Prelude Honors for the 10th MetroDC Dance Awards/Millennium Stage
6th
FINALS: SHOULD I QUIT MY DAY JOB? DANCE OFF!!!
Ceremony and Honors for the 10th MetroDC Dance Awards/Harman Center
7th,8th, 9th
VelocityDC Dance Festival/Harman Center
November
14th
Town Hall Meeting #1 for Community w/ Advisory Comm 5:30 – 7:30pm
December
3rd 4th
Forward 5: Portions Open for Workshop and Public Showing
AWARDS: NOMINATE EARLY AND OFTEN...Why not nominate Fall performances now, before the Spring gets away from you???
April
15th
Dance Is the Answer: ART THAT MOVES Begins!!!!
May
2nd
Dance Is the Answer: ART THAT MOVES Ends
June
12th
Town Hall Meeting #2 for Community w/Advisory Comm 5:30 – 7:30pm
15th
Awards Nominations DUE
29th
SOLSTICE: Looking Back, Looking Forward PARTY
Buy your Dance Is The Answer T-shirt
$20/Each + $5 shipping fee = $25.00
(make checks payable to DanceUSA)
For order form, please click here
For more info: info@dancemetrodc.org
