NEA Awards Irvine Barclay Theatre $20,000 for Dance and Movement Portfolio

National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu has approved more than $30 million in grants as part of the NEA's first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2017. Included in this announcement is an Art Works grant of $20,000 to Irvine Barclay Theatre to support the theatre's Dance and Movement Portfolio.

The Art Works category focuses on the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and the strengthening of communities through the arts.

"The arts are for all of us, and by supporting organizations such as Irvine Barclay Theatre, the National Endowment for the Arts is providing more opportunities for the public to engage with the arts," said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. "Whether in a theater, a town square, a museum, or a hospital, the arts are everywhere and make our lives richer."

"Accepting this prestigious award from the National Endowment for the Arts in support of our 2017 Dance and Movement Portfolio is one of the highlights of our year. We are so grateful and honored that the NEA has seen the merit in our work for the third year in a row," notes theatre President, Jerry Mandel.

Irvine Barclay Theatre's Dance and Movement Portfolio features the presentation of extraordinary national and International Artists including contemporary dance companies Aspen Santa Fe Ballet with a mixed rep program; French/Algerian choreographer Herve Koubi with What the Day Owes to the Night; and tap dance virtuoso Savion Glover performing his show Classical Savion.

International dance continues with a special collaboration of flamenco artists from Spain and the U.S.in a program created specially for the Barclay. Entitled Fin de Fiesta (January 21) the performance celebrates flamenco's most treasured traditions of improvisation and spontaniety.

In addition will be a residency of Backhausdance, a promising home-based company. The company will do multiple outreach activities including a Family Dance Day at the Great Park on January 22nd; a master class for high school students on January 28th; a seminar for university dance majors; and a movement workshop at the Irvine Senior Center. The Backhausdance residency culminates on February 3rd with a public performance of four world premieres with choreography by artistic director Jennifer Backhaus, Ido Tadmor [Israel]; Yin Yue [China/New York]; and Dale Merrill.

These presentations and the residency/performance represent two core tracks of the Barclay's Dance and Movement Portfolio, a comprehensive, multi-dimensional program embracing international dance, cirque and flamenco presentations, creation of new works, artist residences, home-based presentation, related educational outreach and audience engagement activities.

To join the Twitter conversation about this announcement, please use #NEAFall16 or @NEAarts. For more information on projects included in the NEA grant announcement, go to arts.gov/news.

Opened in 1990, Irvine Barclay Theatre has developed into one of California's most imaginative performing arts venues. The 754-seat theater is operated by an independent nonprofit organization in an innovative public/private partnership with the City of Irvine and the University of California, Irvine. Over its 25-year history, the theater has developed a reputation for wide-ranging programming in the fields of contemporary dance, music, and theater arts. Performances take place in Cheng Hall, renowned for its intimate atmosphere, excellent sightlines, and superb acoustics. Visit www.thebarclay.org.

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