CUNY Dance Initiative Announces Fall 2019 Calendar Of Events

The CUNY Dance Initiative (CDI), a groundbreaking residency program and incubator for New York City choreographers and dance companies at City University of New York (CUNY) campuses, announces its Fall 2019 calendar of events.

Between now and June 2020, 13 CUNY colleges in all five boroughs are hosting 23 residencies, offering studio and stage time to local dance companies and independent choreographers. Fall performance highlights include the world premiere of Mari Meade Dance Collective/MMDC's immigration stories, an evening of personal anecdotes, music, and dance about the different paths people take to relocate to the United States (September 13 at John Jay College); Melissa Riker/Kinesis Project's Breathing with Strangers, an adventurous outdoor performance that springs from unexpected connections between strangers (October 12 at Snug Harbor Cultural Center); the world premiere of Patrick O'Brien Dance Project's Illicit Acquirement, a dark fantasy on consumer culture (November 14-16 at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center); and a program of repertory by Sidra Bell Dance New York (November 22 at Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture). In addition, Tom Gold Dance will offer an open rehearsal and discussion at Kingsborough on August 15. Details on the performances, which are all open to the public, are below.

In addition to these performance residencies, nine other artists are benefiting from creative rehearsal residencies this fall: Anabella Lenzu Dance Drama, Chuck Wilt/UNA, Dance Heginbotham, Gaby Cook/Wild Rhythm Dance Company, Gierre Godley/Project 44, Jeremy McQueen's Black Iris Project, Kayla Hamilton, Pony Box Dance Theatre, and Vissi Dance Theater.

There is no other dance residency program of CDI's scope and size in the country, and the program's positive impact on a cross-section of the NYC dance community, CUNY campuses, and audiences throughout the five boroughs is remarkable. Since CDI was formally established in 2014, it has subsidized 130 residencies for emerging and established New York City choreographers; granted over 6,000 hours of studio and stage time to artists; sponsored workshops and master classes for more than 3,000 CUNY students and faculty; and attracted more than 11,000 New Yorkers to performances and informal showings.

While CDI is beginning its sixth season, it is also looking ahead to the 2020-21 cycle with an open annual call for applications from October 3 to November 4. Established and emerging New York City choreographers and companies working in a variety of dance styles, from contemporary to traditional and hybrid forms, are encouraged to apply for 2020-21 residencies. CDI is holding an application information session on Wednesday, October 16, at 6:30pm, at Baruch Performing Arts Center in Manhattan.

More information about CDI, the 2019-20 resident artists and public events, the application and guidelines are available online: www.cuny.edu/danceinitiative

To post a comment, you must register and login.