Dance/NYC Announces 2021 Symposium Full Schedule And Keynote Speakers

Dance/NYC has announced the full schedule and lineup of speakers and sessions for the 2021 Symposium. The Symposium will take place virtually from Wednesday, March 17 - Saturday, March 20, 2021.

As the only gathering of its kind for the dance community in the metropolitan New York City area, the Symposium is an opportunity for the dance field to exchange ideas, expand networks, sharpen organizational practices, and deepen the inquiry around New York City's legacy and trajectory of dance-making.

"For the past five years, I've had the pleasure of spearheading our annual Symposium," said Alejandra Duque Cifuentes, Executive Director of Dance/NYC. "This year it is my immense privilege to hand the reins over to the incomparable Candace Thompson-Zachery, who is creating something truly significant for our community. She has worked with a committee of folks whose leadership and years of care make this another year of a 'for the people by the people' Symposium."

Curated by Candace Thompson-Zachery, Dance/NYC Manager of Justice, Equity and Inclusion Initiatives with advising from the Symposium Programming Committee, this year's theme is Justice. Transformation. Education.Thompson-Zachery shared, 'The 2021 theme works as a call to action inviting attendees across the dance field to reconsider how the field is organized, offering a north star to work towards, a bold statement of change and a commitment towards learning. If every attendee left feeling more connected to this larger community with a sense of the importance of their role as dance workers in creating more just and beautiful societies, we would have achieved our goal'.Content tracks are offered in alignment with the theme and each content track will be accompanied by a thematic guide curated by leading dance practitioners. These guides will feature essays, resource lists with related media, and reflection prompts providing deeper pathways to explore the Symposium topics.

2021 Thematic Guide Curators include Yanira Castro (Transformation), Maura Nguyen Donohue (Education) and Jonathan Gonzalez (Justice).

Keynotes for the 2021 Symposium are as follows:

Symposium Keynote Address Bodies on the Line, Spirits at the Center by Dr. Aimee Meredith Cox, Director of Undergrad Studies, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Africa, Yale University. This Keynote will ask, "What does it mean to center somatic, energetic and spiritual alignment as our field shapeshifts to address its own imbalances and injustices? How can dance lead humanity through this moment?".

A Reckoning of Power, Accountability and Gender Equity, will be moderated by Lauren Wingenroth, Editor in Chief, Dance Teacher and Dance Business Weekly, Senior Consulting Editor, Dance Magazine.

Starting Again: A System Built for Us will be moderated by Ni'Ja Whitson, Interdisciplinary Artist.

The Studio to Stage Pipeline: a Story of Racism, Tendus and Black Death, will be moderated by Gregory King, Assistant Professor of Dance at Kent State University. Check out the full line up of sessions at Dance.NYC/DanceSymp.

Held this year as a fully digital experience on the Whova digital platform, the Symposium will include panel discussions, interactive workshops, networking sessions, a virtual expo hall and sponsorship opportunities. Attendees will be invited to celebrate at the virtual party hosted by DJ Frank Malloy and to dance at the short daily 'Dance Breaks' led by facilitators including DHQ (Dancehall Queen) Brat and Krishna Washburn. Sessions will include ASL interpretation and closed captions. The welcome event will also feature performances choreographed by students of the Hunter College Dance Dept: Esther Nozea (BA student) and Maiya Redding(MFA Student).

As in past years, Dance/NYC is partnering with cultural, financial, business, legal, and communications professionals to offer free, 30-minute, virtual, one-on-one consultations at the SmART Bar and Legal Clinic. Attendees will have the opportunity to seek support on a range of topics including: board development, fundraising, copyright issues, artist visas, and marketing and communications. The SmART Bar and Legal Clinic is organized in collaboration with Pentacle and the New York State Bar Association's Entertainment, Arts & Sports Law and Intellectual Property Sections.

Tickets are available for groups and individuals including students and members of Dance/NYC Justice, Equity, Inclusion Partners with individual prices ranging from $10 to $140. Ticket sales close March 5. Sponsorship, Ads, and Featured Attendee opportunities are also available through February 15. For more information, visit Dance.NYC/DanceSymp.

The list of featured session curators, presenters and consultants include: (in alphabetical order by first name)

1. Aaron McKinney, General Manager, Hi-ARTS

2. Abou Farman, (He/Him/His) Assistant Professor, New School; New Sanctuary Movement, Artspace Sanctuary; Immigrants. Dance. Arts. Task Force Member, Dance/NYC

3. Ahimsa Timoteo Bodhran, Multimedia artist, poet

4. Dr. Aimee Meredith Cox (She/Her/Hers), Cultural Anthropologist, Director of Undergrad Studies; Associate Professor of Anthropology and Africa, Yale University

5. Alex Goleman (He/Him/His), Director of Fiscal Services, Pentacle

6. Ana Nery Fragoso (She/Her/Hers), Dance Educator and Dance Director for the NYCDOE Office of Arts and Special Projects

7. Anahid Sofian(She/Her/Hers), Executive Director, Anahid Sofian Studio

8. Antuan Byers (He/Him/His),Dancer, Movement Director, Founder / CEO, Black Dance Change Makers

9. April Biggs, Independent Dance Artist, Choreographer, Teacher I Performer

10. Ashley Denae Hannah, Financial Literacy Educator & Advocate, Dance Artist

11. Brittany Wilson, Founder, B. Wilson Producing Scholars

12. Carol Foster, Special Programs Assistant for the International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD)

13. Carrie Blake, Senior Consultant & Research Director

14. Cathy Zimmerman, Engagement Opportunity Strategist, Pentacle

15. Cesar Valentino (He/Him/His),Vogue Dance Icon and Pioneer

16. Christina Dawkins, Founder of A4Abolitionist

17. Christopher Bastardi, VP / Head, Strategy & Crisis, Sunshine Sachs (NY)

18. Clarissa Soto Josephs, Associate Director, Pentacle

19. Claudia Norman (She/Her/Hers), Producer, Celebrate Mexico Now Festival; Co Founder, The Generators

20. Colette Denali Montoya-Sloan, Archivist/Librarian, Adelphi University's Manhattan Center and CUNY's Guttman Community College

21. DHQ Brat (She/Her/Hers), Choreographer, Dancer, Teacher, Co-Founder of Queen Moves

22. Donald Borror (He/Him/His),Executive Director, Dorrance Dance

23. Douglas Scott, Artistic and Executive Director, Full Radius Dance

24. Dustin Gibson, Founding Member, Harriet Tubman Collective

25. Emily Johnson, Dancer and Choreographer, Guggenheim Fellow

26. Esther Nozea, Student, Bachelor of Arts in Dance at Hunter College

27. Frank Malloy IV, Musician, Composer, and DJ

28. Germaul Barnes (He/Him/They), Choreographer, Director of Viewsic Dance, Curator of Contemporary Improvisation for Black Men

29. Gregory King (He/Him/His), Assistant Professor of Dance at Kent State University

30. Iakowi:he'ne' Oakes, Executive Director of American Indian Community House

31. Ingrid Silva (She/Her/Hers), Professional Ballet Dancer with Dance Theatre of Harlem, Founder of EmpowHerNY and Co-Founder of Blacks in Ballet

32. Jamie Benson (He/Him/His), Marketing Consultant

33. Jane Anderson, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Museum Studies, New York University

34. Jane Penn, Executive Director for RIOULT Dance NY

35. JaQuel Knight, Director, Creative Director, Choreographer, Image Architect

36. Jeffrey Guimon, Co-Founder & Artistic Director, Ball & Socket Arts and Artistic Planning Administrator, New York City Opera

37. Jesse Phillips-Fein (She/Her/Hers), Choreographer, performer, and dance educator

38. Jessica Massart (She/Her/Hers), Management and Marketing Professional

39. Jody Arnold, Founder, Dance Education Laboratory; Producer, PS Dance

40. Jonathan González (They/Them/Theirs), Transdisciplinary Artist, Educator

41. Joti Singh (She/Her/Hers), Artistic Director, Duniya Dance and Drum Company

42. Dr. Julia Iafrate, Sports Medicine Specialist

43. Julian Schubach (He/Him/His), Vice President, Wealth Management, ODI Financial

44. Kevin Gotkin (He,They), Co-Founder of the Disability/Arts/NYC Task Force and Visiting Assistant Professor, New York University

45. Kimberly Marcotte (She/Her/Hers), Fiscal Associate at Pentacle/Danceworks Inc.

46. Krishna Washburn (She/Her/Hers), Artistic Director of The Dark Room Ballet

47. Krista Martins, Choreographer, Founder of Wukkout!

48. Lady Krow, Dancer and Visual Artist

49. Laurel Lawson, Choreographic collaborator, Dancer, Designer, and Engineer with Kinetic Light

50. Lauren Slone (She/Her/Hers),Director of Grants + Research, Map Fund

51. Lauren Wingenroth (She/Her/Hers), Editor in Chief, Dance Teacher and Dance Business Weekly, Senior Consulting Editor, Dance Magazine

52. Linda Kuo (She/Her/Hers), Director, Dancers Unlimited

53. Linda LaBeija, Artistic Activist, Transgender Advocate, Performance Poet

54. Luba Cortés, Immigrant Defense Coordinator, Make the Road New York

55. Mariclaire Hulbert, Owner of Mariclare Hulbert Consulting

56. Maiya Redding, Student, Master's of Fine Arts in Dance at Hunter College

57. Maura Nguyen Donohue (She/Her/Hers), Associate Professor, Hunter College, City University of New York

58. Melanie George (She/Her/Hers), Dance Project & Associate Curator at Jacob's Pillow

59. Melissa Riker (She/Her/Hers) Choreographer, Kinesis Project dance theatre/Founder and Collective Member, Dance Rising

60. Michael Manswell (He/Him/His), Choreographer and Teaching Artist, Something Positive, Inc.

61. Nel Shelby, Founder and Principal of Nel Shelby Productions

62. Nelida Tirado (She/Her/Hers), Artistic Director and Teacher of Nelida Tirado Flamenco

63. Ni'Ja Whitson (They/Them/Theirs) Interdisciplinary Artist

64. Nicole Macotsis (She/Her/Hers), Cultural Worker and Founder of Traditions in Motion

65. Nicole Wallace (She/Her/They/Them), Managing Director, The Poetry Project

66. Nijeul X. Porter, ArtEquity, Cultural Organizer, Educator, and Producer

67. Niya Nicholson, Managing Director of MOVE|NYC

68. Olivia Mode-Cater (She/Her/Hers), Founder and CEO, Dance Ed Tips

69. Perel (They, Them, Theirs), Interdisciplinary Artist, Choreographer, & Writer

70. Dr. Renee Ortega, Dance/Movement Therapist and Occupational Therapy Assistant

71. Rodney Eric Lopez (He/Him/His), Principal, Rodney Eric Lopez Enterprises

72. Romola Lucas, Principal, Law Office of Romola O. Lucas

73. Sandy Garcia, Director of Booking, Pentacle

74. Sue Latham, Vice President of Development, Citymeals on Wheels, Pentacle

75. Sydnie Mosley, Artistic Director, Sydnie L. Mosley Dances

76. Tiffany Rea-Fisher, Artistic Director & Choreographer, Elisa Monte Dance

77. Ximena Garnica (She/Her/Hers),Artistic Co-Director, LEIMAY

78. Yanira Castro (She/Her/Hers), Independent Artist, a canary torsi

79. Yo-Yo Lin, Interdisciplinary media artist