Dance Mission Theater: Programs

Down and Dirty Dance Series

Congratulations to the artists selected to participate in Dance Mission's Down and Dirty 2011 Season - DIRT (Dance In Revolt (ing) Times)

STRONGERCircus and The Paper Doll Militia
Kira Kirsch and Rajendra Serber
DIASPORA Dance Company and Steamroller
Jetta Martin and Michael Velez
Tanya Bello and Nol Simonse
OngDance Company
requisitedance

Please click here for the 2011 Down and Dirty Press Release as PDF or as a Word Document

Click here for the press release as a Word Document or as a PDF

Click here for Publicity Photo A - High Resolution: Michael Velez, Photography by Akari West
Click here for Publicity Photo B - High Resolution: Tanya Bello's Project B, Photography by Margo Moritz
Click here for Publicity Photo C - High Resolution: STEAMROLLER, Photography by Wil Waghorn
Click here for Publicity Photo D: Ong Dance Company, Photography by Yi-Chun Wu
Click here for Publicity Photo E: requisitedance, Photography by weidong yang

Dance Mission Theater is an artist-centered space that exists to foster community, encourage innovative collaborations and nurture emerging dancers and choreographers. With this mission, Dance Mission organized the first annual Down and Dirty Dance Series. In these trying times when production is threatening to come to a standstill and funding is being cut every where you look, Dance Brigade kicked up its heels, pushed the dust out of the way and created The Down and Dirty Dance Series. In an effort to keep things moving and art alive, Dance Brigade's Dance Mission Theater gave away five different weekends in 2009-2010 in their 140-seat black box to help offset the costs of creating. Participating artists were selected from a pool of over 70 applicants for what was originally planned to be only three spots in the series. Applicants were based throughout California and the US - and even overseas. According to Krissy Keefer, the Artistic Director of Dance Brigade and the Down and Dirty Dance Series creator, "The talent was fierce and mad diverse, with artists applying in a multitude of disciplines, from Circus to Congolese, Ballet to Bomba. It is clear that there is a need for something like this."

To apply to the series the artists had to submit an argument for why they should get a free weekend at Dance Mission Theater in 500 words or less. That was it. There was no work sample that they had to send, no list of Board of Directors on letterhead, no supporting materials (i.e. press clippings, brochures, reviews etc), no California Cultural Data project summary, no letter of recommendation from a colleague saying that they were better than sliced bread, no project budgets, organizational budgets, proof of 501-c3 status, nor selected bios of project personnel. Keefer purposefully made the application process "down and dirty" because of her own experience in the grant world where she had to gather tons of information and spend weeks trying to sell herself only to get that really thin letter in the mail saying, thanks but no thanks. As Keefer explains, "It is terribly difficult to get started in this world. How does anyone have time to make art if all your energy has to go to fundraising?"

What people are saying about the Down and Dirty Dance Series:
"Dance Mission's Down and Dirty Dance Series has allowed me as a choreographer to bravely and courageously create three world premieres. These would have not been performed without Dance Mission's support and encouragement, especially in these hard economic times. This series was instrumental in the re-launching of my dance company that went on hiatus for four years while I did research in Asia. I am forever indebted to Dance Mission's Down & Dirty Series for believing in my vision. Bravo Down & Dirty Dance Series!!!" - Enrico Labayen, Labayen Dance

Please click here for guidelines as PDF or as a Word Document