Steps Beyond Foundation to Kick Off New Season with 'Ask the Pros' Artist Talk

The Steps Beyond Foundation, Steps on Broadway's non-profit arm which connects artists and community through dialogue, performance, and artistic collaboration, will curate a comprehensive and extensive season of interactive events, September 2017 to June 2018.

Through a series of riveting industry discussions that promote networking and interaction, and a collection of creative performance opportunities for emerging and established dance makers, the Foundation will present monthly programming and special celebratory events that cover a wide spectrum of topics and resources.

The Foundation will kick off the new season on October 21 with Artist Talk: Ask the Pros. This year's panelists include Camille A. Brown, Kurt Froman, and Grover Dale who will discuss such topics as breaking into the business, steps to establishing a professional career, and keeping relevant in an industry that is always changing. In November the Foundation will seek hip-hop, tap and world dance choreographers to create new works for a Performance Lab that will highlight and compare t technical differences and similarities, music and production. The Artist Talk: From Ballet to Broadway will ring in 2018 with a panel of dancers who have worked in both the concert and commercial world, giving an insight into the training pathway, and the trasition of technique acorsss different audiences.

In the months to follow, discussions will include Contemporary choreographers making dance for Broadway, the ins and outs of dance partnerships and what makes them work, and insider tips on booking the job. Lastly, a March Lab will invite dance makers to cross genres, exploring ballet, Broadway, and contemporary vocabularies and how they can interact with each other in re-defining the works and genres of our time.

"With the dance community looking to the foundation as a source of information, networking, and guidance, it is our responsibility to curate a well-rounded season of programming," comments Diane Grumet, Artistic Director of the Steps Beyond Foundation. "We will cover trends and techniques and their effect on the creation of dance works and bring together artists from all disciplines to reflect and celebrate the versatility of our community."

The Artists Talk Series is a collection of special events designed for the larger dance community, dance students, as well as for those interested in a performance career. The series consists of discussions with internationally renowned industry professionals, book signings, film screenings, and milestone celebrations. The series fosters a creative and provocative learning environment, and the opportunity to network with dance, theater, and music professionals.

To both complement and demonstrate the Artist Talk Series topics, the Performance Lab offers artists an opportunity to showcase their work in various stages of development. This gives artists, both established and emerging, an opportunity to show their work in a studio setting, a chance to implement new concepts into their works, and to take audiences on a journey from concept to exhibition, and participate intimately in the creative process through a post performance Q&A and artists reception.

STEPS BEYOND FOUNDATION EVENT SCHEDULE:

October 21 - Artist Talk: Ask the Pros

November 18 - Performance Lab: Exploring Hip Hop, Tap, and World Dance

January 13 - Artist Talk: From Ballet to Broadway

February 17 - Artist Talk: Contemporary Choreographers to Broadway

March 17 - Performance Lab: Ballet and Contemporary Take on Broadway

April 21 - Artist Talk: Building a Successful Dance Partnership

May 18 - Artist Talk: Getting the Job

*Dates subject to change.

Steps on Broadway is located at 2121 Broadway at 74th Street and is accessible by the 1,2, and 3 trains. For more information, or for updated scheduling, visit stepsnyc.com/steps-beyond.

Launched in 2015 and directed by Diane Grumet, The Steps Beyond Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and sustaining dance artistry and cultivating supporters of the dance community. The Foundation offers collaborative opportunities among established and emerging artists through community engagement, dance scholarships, performances and special events.