Some things—like Fosse’s iconic choreography—never go out of style. One of the latest trends to take over TikTok is the #FosseChallenge, where everyone from pro dancers to amateurs are taking a stab at moves from Sweet Charity‘s “Rich Man’s Frug.” Even some original Fosse performers have been getting in on the action. In what seems […]
Immersive Theater Thrives on Closeness. Where Does It Go From Here?
It’s 9:30 pm on a Thursday night in November; my eyes close as I hear the familiar, haunting notes of the closing music for Then She Fell. Music I’ve heard thousands of times before. Eerie, swelling strings that have signaled the beginning of a dinner break with fellow castmates, or the end of a long […]
When Dance Work Dried Up, This Artist Founded a Nonprofit to Serve Her Neighbors Down the Street
Janice Rosario is a used to having a packed schedule. Pre-pandemic, she juggled teaching at The Ailey School in New York City with traveling throughout the U.S. to guest choreograph and teach at various colleges. “Once the pandemic hit, all these festivals and plans and commissions that I had were postponed or completely canceled,” she […]
I Have No Desire to Produce a Performance, Live or Livestreamed, Until the Pandemic Is Over. I’ll Wait.
Friends, I’d like to deliver some news that might be challenging for you. As much as we have been trained to believe “the show must go on,” I can assure you right now, it will be fine if it does not. I understand. Trust me, I do. The pandemic arrived smack in the middle of […]
For Aakash Odedra, Dance Is a Way of Looking Within and Observing the World
I consider there to be two spheres in my life: the inner world and the external physical world. Most of the time they don’t align. As a child, whenever I heard music, I instantly disconnected from the present and vanished into a world of myth and fantasy. A swing of an arm created a painting […]
Rosy Simas on Using Dance to Unite Identity, Ancestry & Culture
Creating is a spiritual act for me, rooted in nature, formed through my link to the ancestors and the land of which we are made. I weave cultural concepts with scientific and philosophical theories. My work unites themes of personal and collective identity with family, matriarchy, sovereignty, equality and healing that centers the voices of […]
It's Time to Reimagine Dance Funding
It was March 2019. Waiting inside my daughter’s doctor’s office, I scrolled through my email, coming upon a grant notification that seemed hopeful. Usually, I delete email responses to applications, sparing myself the piercing disappointment of “Thank you for your application…We received an unusually high volume of…regret to inform you…” Something about this one seemed […]
Rosy Simas on Using Dance to Unite Identity, Ancestry & Culture
Creating is a spiritual act for me, rooted in nature, formed through my link to the ancestors and the land of which we are made. I weave cultural concepts with scientific and philosophical theories. My work unites themes of personal and collective identity with family, matriarchy, sovereignty, equality and healing that centers the voices of […]
What's Shirlene Quigley's Love Language? Dance
Dance is my love language. It’s the way I spread joy around the world. It’s my superpower, the purpose God gave me and one of the main reasons I smile. I’m full of feelings, although some people may not know it because I am quite reserved, private and almost shy at times. Dance is the […]
What Copyright Protections Do Choreographers Have Over Their Work?
When choreography is created, is it protected by copyright? Yes and no. JaQuel Knight is facing this question today in his journey to copyright his iconic choreographic work with artists like Beyoncé and Megan Thee Stallion. Thanks to U.S. copyright law, the process has not been easy. Through a partnership with the Dance Notation Bureau, […]