Arts Umbrella’s Post

When creating competition routines, the health and safety of young dancers should be a top priority. Definitions of “age-appropriate” choreography vary widely across the competitive-dance scene. It takes a concerted effort to shape pieces that push young dancers artistically and technically while avoiding steps or thematic elements that are too sensual or adult. How have you approached this issue in your own choreography? Share your experiences in the comments. Here, learn 3 keys to creating age-appropriate competition routines, as well as some tips for judges: https://lnkd.in/enjmywWj 📸 : Woodbury Dance Center Inc students in a piece choreographed by Jessie James, Katia Bode, and Faith Wlaschin. Photo by Masquerade, Courtesy James. 📝 : Haley Hilton #CompDancer #CompetitionDance #Choreography Media description: (1) Text reads: Teachers and choreographers, what measures do you take to ensure your competition routines are age-appropriate?

THE SECOND BIGGEST HOLIDAY 🎃👻🍬 Most arts organizations recognize the importance of Christmas 🎅=💵 But more and more of them are starting to understand Halloween. After Christmas, Halloween is the holiday buyers spend the most on. And savvy arts programmers are leveraging it for the benefit of the organization. Titles this year that have shown incredible box office across the arts: Harry Potter 🧙 Nosferatu 🧛 Rocky Horror 🧟♀️ Disney's Fantasia🧹 Nightmare Before Christmas 🩻 Off-broadway there's Teeth - which I saw earlier this year. It's a rollicking, blood soaked musical with some truly inspired prop work. I will leave it to you to google the plot. 🩸 All this to say, decades ago ballet companies discovered the importance of Nutcracker in balancing the budget for the year. Programming titles that fit the need of the moment helps pay for other shows with perhaps greater artistic merit, but less demand. 💰 It gets back to relevance. Have I missed an important Halloween title, you've had success with? Share it below ⤵️

"Dance consulting is a specialized field that offers professional guidance and support to dancers, choreographers, dance companies, and other stakeholders in the dance industry. Dance consultants can help with various aspects of dance production, such as artistic direction, marketing, fundraising, education, outreach, and evaluation. Dance consulting is important because it can enhance the quality, impact, and sustainability of dance projects and careers. Some of the benefits of dance consulting are: - It can provide expertise and experience that may not be available within the dance team or organization. For example, a dance consultant can help a choreographer develop a clear vision and strategy for their work, or advise a dance company on how to reach new audiences and funders. - It can offer fresh perspectives and feedback that can challenge and inspire the dance creators and performers. For example, a dance consultant can offer constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement, or introduce new ideas and approaches that can enrich the dance work. - It can foster collaboration and networking among the dance community and beyond. For example, a dance consultant can facilitate communication and cooperation between different dance groups or genres, or connect the dance project with potential partners and collaborators from other fields and sectors." "The average salary for a Dance Instructor is $33.50 per hour in Washington, DC. Commercial dancers are paid as independent contractors by the producing organization of a project. The average hourly pay for a Dancer in Washington is $16.63 an hour. In general, most dance studio employees are not full-time. This means they are paid by the hour or per class instead of earning an annual salary." https://lnkd.in/g5Qs4YCm #pdc #communication

Are the arts getting priced out of NYC? It's a long-standing concern, and one that's gained new urgency post-pandemic. I just did an interview for Picture This Post about how the CUNY Dance Initiative is one possible solution to this issue: we provide much-needed rehearsal and performance spaces to NYC choreographers and dance companies via a consortium of 13 colleges across the The City University of New York system. We've helped jump-start choreographic careers, introduce public university students to dance, and -- big picture -- support our city's creative economy. READ the article: https://lnkd.in/gehK8Sgv

Presentation Grants are an opportunity for organizations in South Arts' nine-state region to receive fee support to present Southern guest film directors, visual and performing artists, or writers from inside or outside of the presenter's state. Grants up to $9,500 are available. Projects must include both a public presentation (film screening, performance, reading, or exhibition) and an educational/community engagement component. These grants are limited and very competitive. Based on the artist fee, the maximum request is $9,500 for modern dance and contemporary ballet or $7,500 for other artistic disciplines. The grant requires a dollar-for-dollar cash match (for example, an applicant that requests $7,500 must provide a $7,500 cash match for a project with a $15,000 artist fee). Applications must be submitted on or before March 1, 2024. https://lnkd.in/dt_Xtc7s

I've published my first book! Please check it out. "Post-choreography Jérôme Bel’s Choreography and Movement in Malfunction" By Shuntaro Yoshida, Routledge, 2025 https://lnkd.in/dqMt8Ci6 "This book sheds light on the practice of French choreographer Jérôme Bel, who is active in the fields of performing arts and contemporary art. Shuntaro Yoshida examines a case study of collective creation involving the choreographer and a group of amateur workshop participants. The focus is on Atelier Danse et Voix (Dance and Voice Workshop) (2014) and workshops held with local diverse participants in Brussels, Venice, and Munich after the cancellation of the Dance and Voice Workshop. This study elucidates Bel’s creative method by exploring the relationship between choreographer and participants in a situation where the typical framework of actors has been expanded. The focus of the case study is not so much the choreographic methodology itself, but the relationship between the method and the participants and the ways in which the choreographer cedes creative decision-making power to participants. In order to investigate Bel’s creative method, this study makes use of participant observation field notes taken during a rehearsal. Additional data sources include Bel’s emailed materials, performance programs, and interviews with participants.This book will be of great interest to students and scholars in theater, performance, and dance studies."

A simple way to introduce choreographic ideas is to teach your students to find and honor their inspirations. Many professional dance artists have been pioneering in the site-specific realm, find creative fodder in other art forms outside of dance. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gdwuH2Qr #danceteacher #choreography #teachingmethods

What exactly is contemporary? Contemporary dance doesn’t have a codified technique. True to its name, it looks remarkably different now than it did 10 or even five years ago. Here, three competition-dance educators share how they’ve seen the genre evolve: https://lnkd.in/e-he8ivk #dance #contemporarydance #compdance

Exciting news for dance artists and companies! The National Dance Project awards 20 production grants annually through a competitive process. The support package includes $45,000 for new project creation, $10,000 for general operating expenses, $10,000 for production residency/community engagement, and $35,000 for a U.S. tour. Funds are paid directly to artists/companies or their fiscal sponsors. Works must not premiere before October 1, 2025. Residency/engagement funds cover activities supporting project realization during a residency and community engagement. $35,000 for U.S. tours is distributed to subsidize NDP-funded project presentations. Projects funded in 2025 have a sharing period from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2029. Learn more at the National Dance Project website! To be eligible to apply for a Production Grant, applicants must: Be professional choreographers or companies. Preference is given to U.S.-based dance artists and companies, but artists and companies based outside the U.S. may apply. Propose a new dance project to be developed and toured/shared. Works may be interdisciplinary and can include creators in other artistic forms. At the time of application, works may be in an early, mid, or late stage of development so long as it does not premiere before October 1, 2025. Submit or appear in only one application per choreographer or company, including applications for a project that will be created by a guest choreographer on another company. If you are company interested in submitting an application with a guest choreographer, please be in touch with that choreographer to ensure that they themselves will not be applying or that they have not given permission to another company.  Work with a U.S. organizational partner committed to supporting the development and/or presentation of the proposed new work. Have nonprofit status or a nonprofit fiscal sponsor who will act on their behalf. If you are not a 501 (3) c organization*, then you should list a non-profit organization, with 501 (3) c status, who agrees to be the fiscal sponsor as the ‘Payee‘ in the form, and upload their completed and signed W-9 form**. Please do not ever upload a W-9 form with your personal information. Fulfill the Requirements & Reports for Grant Recipients (see below), if awarded. #DanceGrants #ArtsFunding #CreativeOpportunities