In the densely humid city of DC, I join my host at The Front Page in Dupont Circle. I reunite with some dance friends at the Ritz Carlton in Pentagon City and we journey along the water to find the Swedish House where the Dance/USA 2010 Annual Conference opening reception begins. It is a building with glass walls, a statement that echoes the theme of the conference “beyond borders.”
The Kennedy Center is even grander than I remember it from my 12th grade trip. Dusk casts a soft glow on the water and I feel so tiny in the cavernous arts center. At the theater for the Ballet Across America II program I cross paths with a former ballet camp friend-turned ballerina. Then another dance friend from New York. Big small world. Houston Ballet is pretty in pink during Stanton Welch’s
Falling and the Suzanne Farrell Ballet seems very serious performing two Balanchine works from the 60’s. North Carolina Dance Theater stole the show with John-Pierre Bonnefoux’s
Shindig, performed to the live bluegrass music of Greasy Beans who shared the stage. The flirtatious, knee-slapping dancers breathed life and joy into the theater with plenty of audience members keeping the time tapping toes. This Shindig was a delight. After the performance the dancers and conference delegates had a shindig of their own at the glorious red velvety Kennedy Center.
I spend the night in Forest Glen with my friends who have moved on to the life stage of house, dog, yard. It’s beautiful here.
Convening at the Ritz for the first full day of the conference, The Honorable Louise Slaughter spoke warmly about advocating for the arts, mentioning playfully that “You don’t have to know the numbers, I’ll take care of that!” We spent the morning with groups of delegates who have similar roles within the industry, sharing strategies to balance the integrity of the work with the need to sell tickets, sustain growth and build more meaningful relationships with audience and board members.
A panel moderated by Bay-Area-based Sherwood Chen discussed the management theme “Networking the Next Generation of Leaders Around the World.” In the avatar age you still have to show up in human form sometimes! The recurring topic of using media networks and platforms to connect arts leaders gave way to discussion about extending those efforts to face-to-face dialog for professional development. Ideas included intercultural roundtables, salons that focus on creative process and key partnerships. Using art as a social practice. Among this group there is a desire to maintain creative opportunities, and to empower people within these networks to take action and lead.
The Engaging Dance Audiences session allowed several groups from across the country to briefly present their ideas for engagement projects in creation. These groups have received grants to implement forward thinking audience engagement strategies.
Getting outside the walls of the Ritz for a breather I got sushi with an old friend in Pentagon City. Live music and sunshine filled the plaza.
DC showcased local companies at the Lansburgh Theater in the program Dance: Yes We Can! An Emerging Leaders Networking Event closed the evening at Bar Louie with “speed dating” - pairing those newer to the field with seasoned professionals for brief conversations. The tango dancing had just begun when I headed to catch the last train.
On Friday morning presenters and service organizations discussed the increasing overlap of service roles to support artists and community engagement. The services help presenters build dance literacy in their communities.
During the afternoon a young fresh crew explored Performing Arts Structures, discussing technology as well as the role of augmented reality. Are we interfering with a pure experience? Many cultures eat and talk during performances so is this a version of sharing? The panel echoed the need for some transfer of knowledge in person to be prioritized. Again, you still have to show up in human form.
To Fuze or Not? Fusion and World Dance panel posed many questions: Do you need to master a tradition before you depart from it? How authentic can the dance be when the artist is removed from the source of the dance? Should ceremony or ritual dance be the same for stage or performed at all outside the context? Is the artist a historian or an interpreter? With fusion dance there exists a layering of identities.
The United States Botanic Garden served as a stunning and lush setting for the reception honoring Ernie award winners Richard Caples and Carmen DeLavallade.
“I’ll step forward with my right foot, you step back with your left foot; step to the side.
I’ll step back with my left foot, you step forward with your right foot; step to the side.
Its just a simple box step, but its so much fun when you do it to the music.” – Lar Lubovitch’s speech honoring Richard Caples.
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