#ArtistsAreNecessaryWorkers Conversation Series Continues June 2

Dance/NYC is hosting a twelve-week Facebook Live Series of transparent conversations with arts workers. These discussions highlight the importance of the arts ecology, point to current challenges and offer considerations on our way forward as a field.

Beginning May 21, 2020, this series is a part of #ArtistsAreNecessaryWorkers,a new online and social media campaign dedicated to the acknowledgement, representation and integration of dance and arts workers into the decision-making processes that will envision the future for New York City post-pandemic.

The series launched successfully on Thursday, May 21, 2020, and will continue to take place every Tuesday from 5:30 - 7pm ET through August 4, 2020 on Dance/NYC's Facebook Page.

Upcoming dates include:

Tuesday, June 2, 2020 | 5:30pm - 7pm

Tuesday June 9, 2020 | 5:30pm - 7pm

A Moment to Pause/Dystopia | June 2, 2020, 5:30pm-7:00pm

Join Dance/NYC in a discussion with dance makers who are pausing to grieve, rebuild and practice stillness with Melanie George, Choreographer, Dramaturg, and Scholar; Yo-Yo Lin, Interdisciplinary Artist, Disability Arts; Quilan Arnold, Dance Professional, Camille A Brown and Dancers/Rennie Harris Puremovement/Hunter College; and Leal Zielinska, Artistic Associate, Gibney Company.

Studio Practice Redefined | June 9, 2020, 5:30pm-7:00pm

Join Dance/NYC in a discussion with studio owners, instructors and choreographers about issues of dancer retention, safety and viability in digital instruction and considerations around reopening with Karisma Jay, Founder/Artistic Director, AbunDance Academy of the Arts; Allie Beach, Director of Youth Programming, Broadway Dance Center; Alicia Graf Mack, Director, Dance Division, The Juilliard School; and

Michael Novak, Artistic Director, Paul Taylor Dance Company.

"Thus far, the conversations have been important meeting grounds for the dance field to discuss crucial issues that aren't often addressed on other forums," said Candace Thompson-Zachery, manager of justice, equity and inclusion initiatives at Dance/NYC. "The feedback from our community has been overwhelmingly positive and we hope to amplify the perspectives offered in our advocacy efforts."

More than 150 videos were received from a cross-section of dance workers in all disciplines from choreographer to educator to administrator to fundraiser to be used in the campaign, including Alice Sheppard, Andrea Miller, Donald Borror, Eduardo Vilaro, Ephrat Asherie, Herman Cornejo, Josh Prince, Lane Harwell, Maleek Washington, Marjani Forté-Saunders, Mark Morris, Tiffany Rea-Fisher, among many others. Full list available here.

Artists serve New York City at every level: leading tourism, strengthening education, fueling the economy, and ensuring our health, wellness and imaginations. With this in mind, Dance/NYC has initiated a series of actions to highlight the importance of arts workers; build and amplify solidarity as a dance community and across the arts sector; and reimagine a world that is just, equitable, inclusive, and abundant.

To learn more about why Dance/NYC is advocating for arts workers visit: bit.ly/ArtistsAreNecessaryWorkers