Sexism in Dance?

The Jasmin Vardimon Company.
photo by Ben Harries

As a nation we are well supplied with choreographers. Matthew Bourne, Akram Khan, Wayne McGregor, Liam Scarlett, Christopher Wheeldon… the list goes on. All are highly acclaimed, players on the world stage, their services booked for years ahead. So why are their female colleagues struggling for visibility? Why, when British dance was founded by women like Ninette de Valois and Marie Rambert, and has always employed more women than men, are there no high-profile women choreographers?

Read the full article here: Sexism in Dance

The Guardian has an interesting article regarding the lack of high profile female choreographers, particularly in Great Britain. 

Do you think the same holds true for us here in the US? Are male choreographers more regarded, more funded, more praised for their work compared to female choreographers?

Hmm...well...

Food For Thought

Dancers from Trey McIntyre Project

I am increasingly trying to figure out new ways to support myself with Dance. Previously, I didn't like mixing dance and money together; Art should be about the "creation" and "process" not the profit right?
Well, times have changed. If I want to continue to be an Artist I have to figure out how to support myself financially so I don't have to continue with 10 side jobs.
How do you support yourself financially as an Artist?
I found this article today.
Great read!
Why Hewlett-Packard is hiring dancers

Upcoming Dance Performances: Green Space Blooms! 7th Annual Queens celebration of Dance

All Shows @ 8pm* April 12 Kate Corby & Dancers || Katherine Moore || Kate Bishop OPT 1   Ryan McNally || xodus dance collective || Valerie Green/Dance Entropy Barbara Maher Makes Dances  Post Performance Music: Pedro de Alcantara, Cello  April 13 Matthew Westerby Company || Distance Dance || Immersion Dance Company SaraTess Untitled || isadoraNOW || Craig Hoke Zarah || Regina Picker Post Performance Music: Ian Munro, Accordion    * 4/13 also features a family matinee at 1pm. Valerie Green/Dance Entropy will perform  WILD KINGDOM a vibrant, fun-filled afternoon of dance and audience participation. ($10)      April 14 Kendra Pearson || Amanda Hunt || EunSung Lee's Dance || LorenaEganDance Nyane Khosi Dance Theater || Maggie Bennett & Carly Czach TouchTheory Dance Project Post Performance Music: John Sarantos, Native American Flutes  April 19 ArtBark International || Ali Fischer InCorporated: Regina Picker & Verena Fuchs || Janusphere Dance Company Orkesis || cakeface || Jennifer Pommiss  Post Performance Music: Jonathan Saraga, Trumpet  April 20 Zion Dance || Verlezza Dance || LatticeWorks Dance Collective Azul Dance Theatre || Annie Sailer Dance Company Valerie Green/Dance Entropy || Ballet International Africans Post Performance Music: David Soler, Asian Flutes   April 21 Laurie Hockman || Marissa Rae Niederhauser || Schoen Dance  ArtBark International || McKenzie Rose || Rosario || Prashant Shaw   Post Performance Music: Frederika Krier, Violin  Completing each evening is a live music post performance party, sharing music from a different ethnic or classical tradition each night, curated by Open Music Education.

Get Tickets! $15 online pre-sale / $20 at the door

Monday Motivation

Another reason to celebrate 4/20

Spend the day dancing your butt off to some really great music. More details to come!
MELTCHA
Listen to DJ Greg H.'s new mix: Shitsamazing

10 rules for Students and Teachers

The Playground

Photo courtesy of Sydnie L. Mosley Dances
this is us in rehearsal NOT in the playground class to be clear!

I absolutely adore Nicole Wolcott. She has a wonderful approach to teaching, to performance, to discovery, to creativity, etc. Her classes are not only inspiring they are good! She is a dancer, choreographer and performance artists based in Brooklyn, the Assistant Director to Keigwin + Company and has shown her original work all over the place. Her style is post modern, downtown NYC modern/contemporary with sprinkles of 80's references and humor. She also developed this idea of mapping, which for me described a way to investigate with improvisation smarter. Have you ever began an improv sequence but couldn't remember what you did but you knew you liked it? So yeah, that.

She was a guest teacher at the Playground, a monthly dance series created by Gregory Dolbashian and Loni Landon as a place for emerging artist to create and teach in a supportive environment and also gives dancers the opportunity to take classes and participate on a donation basis.
My roommates Kim, Aaron and I took Nicole's class in March.
Below is the video from that class. If you look closely you can see us!
So fun.

Nicole Wolcott/The Playground 3/15/13