My "Greenroom" sessions at Gibney Dance Center

Self-portrait (c)2009, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

In my second series of informal, 30-minute "Greenroom" consultations at Gibney Dance Center (Pitch Your Show to A Dance Writer: Does Your Promotion Work?), I met and worked with everyone from a mature choreographer who said that her projects are often marginalized because critics and presenters see her age before they recognize her innovation to an accomplished performer and producer deeply connected to a network of traditional and contemporary dance troupes from Africa. Not everyone had actual dance shows to pitch to critics; specific projects and needs varied widely.

As with my first series of sessions back in August, I drew upon not only my experience as a dance writer but also my almost equally long experience in intuitive counseling. I tapped into my listening skills and enjoyed the process of helping people to focus, stand up for themselves and their values, and effectively communicate with the world of media, presenters and the public. We discussed new strategies and new media tools as well as the central, perennial importance of putting yourself in the place of the recipients of your message: What do they most need to read, hear, see?

I look forward to future opportunities to offer this service.

After both of these three-hour events, the Gibney folks asked for an impromptu reflection on these sessions for a brief video, and I have just received the link to the August clip on Vimeo. I'll post the link to yesterday's video--which I much prefer to this one!--as soon as I get it from the GDC.

To find out more about Gibney Dance Center's Guess Who's in the Greenroom program or any of GDC's programs and events, click here.