Chicago Dance Announces Recipients Of Inaugural DANCE FOR CAMERA Residency

See Chicago Dance, the dance industry's leading nonprofit service organization, announced the recipients of its inaugural Dance For Camera Production Residency.

Dance for Camera is designed to create a learning environment where artists can practice the fundamentals of video production for dance, have time to experiment, learn from mentors and peers and plan and create a short dancework for camera. The residency, scheduled for two sessions - spring and fall, began Wednesday, March 21 and will continue through Monday, October 3. More information on the ten participants and their project proposals may be found at SeeChicagoDance.com.

See Chicago Dance created the Dance For Camera Production Residency in response to COVID-19 and its effects on gathering and performing for live audiences within the dance community. Since the onset of the pandemic in 2020, See Chicago Dance has reorganized its programming to cultivate sustainability and resilience in the Chicago dance field, both during and beyond the evolving public health crisis. In 2020, dance companies and artists swiftly transitioned their artistic work onto digital platforms when theaters and studios closed due to COVID-19. The results have been mixed as many companies report a lack of experience and understanding of best practices regarding the digital presentation of dance for devices ranging in size from a smartphone to a tablet/laptop to a large television. Through conversations, convenings and sector-wide conferences, it has become clear that more training would greatly benefit the dance community.

"This workshop series has been a long standing idea and with the aid of the Walder Foundation we are making it happen," said Dance for Camera Senior Project Manager and Producer Surinder Martignetti. "I don't think that there is any other residency available in Chicago with this level of support and mentorship. I am excited to work with the talented artists to not only bring their ideas to fruition but to create a support system for people creating and producing this type of work."

The inaugural participants in Dance For Camera are Leana Allen, Emma L. Barnhart, Brandon K. Calhoun, Corinne Imberski, Shalaka Kulkarni,Cat Mahari,Brian Martinez, Amanda Ramirez, Michelle Reid and Alexandra Webb.

Frank Konrath joins Martignetti as project manager with mentors: David "Enki" Andrews, Millicent Johnnie, Jenny Stulberg and Nejla Yatkin. The project managers coordinate access to knowledge, space, equipment and monetary resources to support participants through their creative processes. From start to finish, participants will also have one-on-one mentorship with industry professionals and structured opportunities for peer feedback from other members as well as a $3,000 stipend.

See Chicago Dance is the leading service organization for dance in Chicago, with a mission to advocate for and strengthen a diverse range of dance organizations and artists through services and programs that build and engage audiences. SCD provides dance organizations and individual artists with increased visibility and expansive performance and audience engagement opportunities. The organization's journalism platform is the most comprehensive source for dance writing and criticism in the city and serves as an essential aspect of SCD's vision to fearlessly inspire an ever-growing inclusive community to share in and spread the power of dance in Chicago. See Chicago Dance strives to provide equitable access to dance experiences for Chicago dancers and audiences, always valuing diversity inall its forms and especially, as it pertains to dance: race, ethnicity, gender, age, ability, sexual orientation, dance genre, history, neighborhood, geography, budget, scale, and experience.

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