BDF is once again teaming up with New York City-based Gibney Dance to host BDF+Gibney Connect, a three-day intensive taking place January 5-7, 2016 at Gibney Dance, 280 Broadway, NYC. This immersive experience will feature technique classes by Kendra Portier, Jennifer Nugent, Dante Brown and Amy Miller with accompaniment by Glen Fittin, and choreography with Kate Weare. Focused around inspired dancing and creative exchange, the day is designed for intermediate and advanced dancers. The early bird fee is $100 before Nov 1. For more information and to register: Gibney Dance

2016 FACULTY ANNOUNCED

We are excited to announce another great line up of master teachers that brings together some of our favorite alums with exciting newcomers. Our Young Dancers Workshop will feature modern classes by Garfield Lemonious and Karl Rogers, ballet with Martha Tornay and Shonach Mirk-Robles, jazz with Courtney D. Jones, hip hop with Shakia Johnson, improvisation with Heidi Henderson and repertory with Dante Brown.

Our Professional Training Program will include the companies of Doug Varone and Kate Weare, post-modern teachers Paul Matteson and Angie Hauser, contemporary African with Michel Kouakou, creative process and repertory with Cuban choreographer Marianela Boan, ballet and Spiraldynamik© with Shonach Mirk-Robles and Rachel List; Contact and improvisation with Chris Ailen, yoga and Pilates with Robbie Cook, plus Dance, Film and Media with Shawn Hove, Business of Dance with Sara Juli and more. Detailed information will be available on our website in mid-December.

NURTURING THE FIELD – INTERNATIONAL VISITING ARTIST PROGRAM

Since 1994 BDF has been offering creative residencies on an invitational basis to promising dance makers from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America. The program offers dancers and choreographers focused time to study, research and build new work, professional development resources, and an opportunity to build relationships with peers in the U.S.

Ima Iduozee

Last December Director, Laura Faure, was invited to ICEhot, the Scandinavian dance platform in Oslo, Norway, to help initiate a new pilot residency exchange between three U.S. dance organizations and the Nordic Dance Network. She discovered and invited Ima Iduozee from Helsinki who performed his extraordinary solo, “this is the title”. Ima conducted a three-week residency at BDF last summer with support from the Nordic Dance Network. Read our blog interview with Ima.

HOME IS WHERE THE ‘ART’ IS

YAP performs Home Is Where the ‘Art’ Is

Last summer our Youth Arts Program (YAP) once again brought exceptional arts learning opportunities to over 60 local kids ages 7-16. The theme around which they built their classes and final production was ‘home.’ Returning faculty Priscilla Rivas did a magnificent job filling in as director and we were thrilled to welcome back YAP founding teacher, Rose Leach. Also joining our faculty to teach hip hop was former Yapper Ryan Morrill. See what the Yappers accomplished last summer in this great mini documentary.

BDF INTERN PROFILES

Photo by Sarah Ellen Miller

Each summer BDF engages fourteen interns to assist and develop expertise in technical production, video and media, dance administration, and dance education. Last summer we had an exceptional cadre of talented interns who complimented our staff and made a critical contribution to the success of the 2015 season. Sarah Miller combined her interests in creative writing and dance as a social media intern, managing the festival’s social media accounts and writing for the blog. Check out her blog about our interns.

2015 FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

Sean Dorsey Dance in The Missing Generation

The 2015 season, our 33rd, brought a wealth of stunning projects to Maine. We were proud to serve as the lead commissioner for Sean Dorsey Dance’s new work, “The Missing Generation,” that takes a poignant look back on the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. A highlight of our season, Dorsey’s East Coast premiere offered audiences a rare look at an important and forgotten era in LGBTQ history. Dorsey’s residency concluded a yearlong series of activities that reached out to a wide variety of Maine people. Watch interview with Sean.

Delfos Danza in When The Disguises Are Hung Up

After many years of collaborating with our Mexican friends, the magnificent teachers and creators, Claudia Lavista and Omar Carrum, we were able to present their company, Delfos Danza Contemporanea, with generous support from Southern Exposure, a program of the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation. Nine stunning dancers performed Delfos’s signature work, “When The Disguises Are Hung Up” to an enthralled audience. Company members also taught a workshop for Tree Street Youth while Claudia and Omar deepened the practice of professional students enrolled in their technique and repertory classes. For a look back at more of our 2015 activities visit our youtube channel.

LEND A HAND

BDF relies on contributions from foundations, corporations, and individuals like you to supply 40% of our annual operating budget. Please consider a gift in any amount to support of our 2016 season. Make your tax-deductible contribution online at NOW.

SUPPORT BDF

The Bates Dance Festival advances the work and life of dance students, professional artists and public communities by cultivating opportunities for learning, creativity and connection in a supportive and diverse dance and performance environment.

Dansens Hus

conveniently located behind our very hip hotel the Scandic Vulkan and next to the fabulous Mathallen Market.

Mathallen Market

We are located in the once industrial Grunerlakke neighborhood which has been marvelously reworked as the home of arts design and all things hip and green. Amazing what can be done in a wealthy country with a great sense of design. Glossy steel and glass buildings weave in and out of restored warehouses, some decorated with fabulous wall art and graffiti.

Oslo wall art

The city feels small — like a series of connect neighborhoods. So far no skyscrapers have been sighted allowing the scale to feel friendly. Downtown is all lit up for the holidays with building facades sparkling and the Christmas Market is in full swing–a modest affair featuring typical Nordic items.

Oslo Christmas Market

Its kind of fun to see the winter gear everyone is sporting although the temperature is a mild 39 degrees today.  In the market every kind of knitted, fleece and leather garment is for sale.

So far the Akerselva River is my favorite place for strolling. It winds north to south through our neighborhood and seems a well worn pathway for the many parents with strollers. Lots of babies here all bundles up in their fancy carriages!

Akerselva River

With only 6+ hours of daylight at this time of year one has plenty of chance to enjoy the night lights but the boats trips to the fjords are sadly not running. This is a place i would revisit in the summer. There are so much natural beauty to explore. Flying in I was amazed by the integrity of the landscape–just miles and miles of thickly forested, mountainous terrain with tall Nordic conifers and roads winding through but no houses at all.

Tomorrow begins the dance watching marathon and thus I will be introduced to a whole new dance aesthetic and community.  The festival has set up a variety of venues where we can munch, meet and greet. They are very organized which we all appreciate.

Calvin Franke, 2014 administrative intern

“This internship has exposed me to so many amazing people that it is almost impossible to not make a BDF connection wherever I go.  Being able to see the behind-the-scenes work that goes into this festival is incredible and a valuable opportunity for anyone wanting to enter this field.” Calvin Franke

The internship application is now available online at: https://www.batesdancefestival.org/internships.php

Jennifer Nugent by Arthur Fink

BDF is teaming up with New York City-based Gibney Dance and The Playground to host a BDF+Gibney Connect, a daylong dance immersion on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at Gibney Dance, 280 Broadway, NYC. The day will feature technique classes by Kendra Portier, member of David Dorfman Dance and founder of bandPortier,  Jennifer Nugent former member of Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company,  Amy Miller, Associate Artistic Director of Gibney Dance, and Gregory Dolbashian, Co-Director of The Playground.  BDF accompanist Glen Fittin will play for Kendra and Jen. Focused around inspired dancing and creative exchange, the day is designed for intermediate and advanced dancers. A reception will conclude the day. The all-inclusive fee is $35 with pre-registration or $42 day of. Registration Info available soon at: http://www.gibneydance.org/explore-classes/workshops/#workshops

Kendra Portier by Sara Crosby

On Sunday, January 11 from 1-3:30pm we will offer a modern technique & composition master class  for teens (14-18 years) taught by LaQuimah Van Dunk at the East Village Dance Project, 55 Avenue C, NYC.  Fee is $15, to register email: dancefest@bates.edu

For Boston area dancers, BDF will join forces with Dance Complex in Cambridge to co-host master classes as part of Winter Wonder Dance Festival, January 2-4. Stay tuned for more info.

2015 Faculty Announced

As winter approaches with it’s chilly air and bare trees, we are deep into planning another hot summer of inspiring classes at BDF. Bringing together some of our favorite alums with exciting newcomers, our Young Dancers Workshop will feature modern classes by Erika Pujic and Karl Rogers, ballet with Martha Tornay and Shonach Mirk-Robles, jazz with Courtney D. Jones, hip hop with Shakia Johnson (2006 Emerging Choreographer), improvisation with Lida Winfield (2014 Emerging Choreographer), and repertory with Sean Dorsey.

Robert Moses by Arne Folkedal

Donna Mejia by Emmanuel Adero

SeanDorsey by Lydia Daniller

Our Professional Training Program will include modern master Robert Moses, the teams of Kathleen Hermesdorf & Albert Mathias, and  Claudia Lavista & Omar Carrum, as well as  Mary Carbonara; ballet and Spiraldynamik© with Shonach Mirk-Robles and Rachel List; hip hop legend Rennie Harris, Contact Improvisation’s first lady Nancy Stark Smith, jazz artist Autumn Eckman, Choreo Lab and Performance Skills with dance maker David Parker, transnational fusion with Donna Mejia, yoga and Pilates with Robbie Cook, plus Dance for the Camera with Shawn Hove, Rhythm Studies with Shamou, Business of Dance with Kim Konikow and Beyond the Stage with Debra Cash.

Detailed information will be available on our NEW website in mid-December.

Building Connections: Creating Opportunities

At BDF dancers at all stages of their careers make connections that lead to opportunities for professional advancement. Here are just a few of the exciting outcomes from last summer’s Festival:

Omar Carrum & Claudia Lavista by Arthur Fink

Mexican choreographers Claudia Lavista and Omar Carrum were invited to conduct fall residencies at the Boston Conservatory by Dance Chair Cathy Young, and at Smith College by faculty members Chris Aiken and Angie Hauser, all three of whom are core members of the BDF faculty.

Vincent Mantsoe by Arthur Fink

Our 2014 season included a shared concert and classes taught by South African choreographer, Vincent Mantsoe, and Chinese artist, Yin Mei. We just learned that Yin Mei has invited Vincent to perform the same concert program in China this winter. An exciting outcome indeed!

Longtime BDF accompanist and composer, Jesse Manno, joined the backup band for David Dorfman’s performance of “Come And Back Again” during our 2014 season. Consequently David asked Jesse to help create music for the DanceMotionUSA collaboration with Turkish dancemaker Korhan Basaran that took place over four weeks of the Festival. We were thrilled to hear Jesse perform as part of the band for the premiere performance at BAM in August.

Administrative intern, Ashley Yergens served as our social media maven last summer. Her stellar work increased our Facebook likes significantly, brought insightful posts to our blog, and caught the eye of the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s DanceMotionUSA team who were at BDF for the Dorfman/Basaran residency. DMUSA was looking to fill their social media position and in October Ashley moved the Big Apple to join their staff.

Administrative intern, Kristen Bernier was an invaluable member of our staff this summer. We are thrilled to announce that she joined the staff of  MAPP International with whom BDF has collaborated for over 20 years. MAPP is a dynamic producing organization engaged with an international cadre of performance artists creating on the cutting edge. MAPP is also a founding member (with BDF) and administrative home of The Africa Contemporary Arts Consortium.

2014 Festival Recap

The 2014 season, our 32nd, brought a global feast of projects to Lewiston, ME. David Dorfman Dance conducted a month-long creative residency teaching classes, performing “Come And Back Again” with a live band that featured three Festival musicians (Jesse Manno, Shamou and Adam Crawley), and delving deeply into process to develop a new work with Turkish choreographer Korhan Basaran and five dancers from Turkey and Armenia as part of Dance Motion USA a cultural diplomacy program of the U.S. State Department that is administered by Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Korhan Basaran & David Dorfman by ArthurFink

Here’s what the ever exuberant David Dorfman said:

“Bates is always alive for me – this summer it was on fire! Through DMUSA, I had the opportunity to work with incredible dance artists from Turkey and Armenia on a daily basis, in addition to the wonderful BDF students and faculty – what a dream come true! Aside from our intense and productive rehearsals – to see our guests take classes, hang out with each other and their fearless leader Korhan at night, and then inspire the next generation of dancers the next day – was fabulous!”   Watch residency video

On the international front we also hosted a creative residency for Flavienne Lago from the Ivory Coast, a former member of Compagnie Tche Tche. In an informal showing Flavie shared an excerpt from her heart wrenching work dealing with the loss of her parents to civil war and the struggle as an African woman to become an artist. For American students being confronted with this graphic and personal story of loss bought the harsh realities of life in a war torn country into sharp relief. There were many tears and much support offered to Flavie whose emotional performance was akin to re-living the horrific experiences.

The Festival also took dance off the stage and into the public realm with site performances in the Lewiston and Portland communities. A talented core of Maine and N.E. dancers including Meredith Lyons, Annie Kloppenberg, Betsy Miller, Jessamyn Schmidt, Amanda E. Hamp, Audrey Ouellette and Charlaine Katsuyoshi, performed “Horses” in windows of Portland Public Library during the First Friday ArtWalk on June 6. “Horses” was created by BDF faculty, Kathleen Hermesdorf and Albert Mathias during a spring residency at Bates College.

In July our fabulous Young Dancers Workshop counselors performed an improvised score during the Lewiston Friday Art Walk.
Here’s what three 2014 artists in residence had to say about BDF:

“It is a rare occasion for young artists like ourselves to be seen, celebrated and asked to grow the way we were at Bates. We were immersed in the world of dance for three weeks in the way we all hope to be, but struggle to do, in our own communities. We left Bates with a sense of joy, creativity, clarity and community that is often easy to lose track of as an independent artist.”– Emerging Choreographers Lida Winfield & Ellen Smith Ahern

“The more I reflect on it the more I realize how much teaching at BDF has changed my life and expanded my dance world.” – Ballet faculty, Rachel List

“These past three weeks were incredible for me.  I felt such support and inspiration from each fellow artist.  The time we spent together fed me and made me feel grateful for the possibility of creating lasting relationships and collaborations in a field where resources are so scarce.  Often we feel so isolated in our struggles … to see how each of us is creatively finding our way makes a huge difference.” – Improvisation faculty, Chris Aiken

Support the Bates Dance Festival

BDF relies on contributions from foundations, corporations, and individuals like yourself to supply 40% of our operating budget. Please consider a gift in any amount in support of our 2015 season. Make your tax-deductible contribution online at NOW.

Support BDF

The Bates Dance Festival advances the work and life of dance students, professional artists and public communities by cultivating opportunities for learning, creativity and connection in a supportive and diverse dance and performance environment. 

I was drawn to the name of this blog as I have always had great respect for the notion of craft or mastery and the dedication and time required to cultivate it.  In my lifetime I have watched the reverence and practice of craft decline as our global, technology laden world drives us to immediate gratification and more, more, more.

Thank you Michael for focusing a lens on those who still cultivate craft!

Organizing a festival on this scale is a huge endeavor that keeps us running all year long to plan the program, identify the faculty and artists, attract the participants, raise the money, publicize the events, and get a zillion details confirmed. Its fun, challenging and exhausting but….. all completely worth it when excited, new spirits show up on campus to share the essential human expression of movement with each other. Let the dancing begin!