Connecticut Dance Alliance Invites CT Dancers to Respond to Crises Through Dance
The Connecticut Dance Alliance, CDA, proudly announces a new program that invites dancers from across the state to consider and respond to the question – “What role does dance play in a time of crisis?”
This initiative stems from the current crisis in Ukraine, and from the recognition that the body is central to all human experience. There are many examples throughout history where artists use the work they do to mark moments of distinction in their lives. Artists help individuals and communities come together to celebrate, to uplift, to mourn, to protest, and to pose questions that help us acknowledge the immediacy and physicality of our shared humanity. It is with this spirit, and in keeping with CDA’s mission to serve the statewide dance community, that it is offering a platform for dance artists across Connecticut to imagine how they might use the language of dance to respond to a moment of crisis in their own lives or in response to crisis witnessed elsewhere.
“Giving dancers an opportunity to create will empower dancers/choreographers in all genres to connect to their art, themselves, and to the crisis that surrounds all of us at any given time. It is not a solution to crisis, but an outlet to process and we think that is meaningful and important”, said Linalynn Schmelzer, who is a board member of CDA since 2018.
To participate in this initiative, CT dance artists may submit a 30 second – 2 minute video response by June 30th. The videos will then be woven together and shared on CDA’s YouTube Channel, website and social media platforms. We intend for this initiative to help showcase the diverse range of artists, dance traditions and creative responses from across the CT dance community, thus practitioners in all styles of dance are encouraged to participate. All submissions are being accepted though the Connecticut Dance Alliance website.
For more information, please visit ctdanceall.org or reach out to Linalynn Schmelzer at ctdancealliance@gmail.com
This initiative stems from the current crisis in Ukraine, and from the recognition that the body is central to all human experience. There are many examples throughout history where artists use the work they do to mark moments of distinction in their lives. Artists help individuals and communities come together to celebrate, to uplift, to mourn, to protest, and to pose questions that help us acknowledge the immediacy and physicality of our shared humanity. It is with this spirit, and in keeping with CDA’s mission to serve the statewide dance community, that it is offering a platform for dance artists across Connecticut to imagine how they might use the language of dance to respond to a moment of crisis in their own lives or in response to crisis witnessed elsewhere.
“Giving dancers an opportunity to create will empower dancers/choreographers in all genres to connect to their art, themselves, and to the crisis that surrounds all of us at any given time. It is not a solution to crisis, but an outlet to process and we think that is meaningful and important”, said Linalynn Schmelzer, who is a board member of CDA since 2018.
To participate in this initiative, CT dance artists may submit a 30 second – 2 minute video response by June 30th. The videos will then be woven together and shared on CDA’s YouTube Channel, website and social media platforms. We intend for this initiative to help showcase the diverse range of artists, dance traditions and creative responses from across the CT dance community, thus practitioners in all styles of dance are encouraged to participate. All submissions are being accepted though the CDA website.
For more information, please visit ctdanceall.org or reach out to Linalynn Schmelzer at ctdancealliance@gmail.com