Two respected leaders of New York's dance community differ in their accounts of the recent history of The Sun Building at 280 Broadway, the former home of Dance New Amsterdam (DNA), a dance education, development and presenting organizationwhich went bankrupt and shut down last year after a long struggle to renegotiate its lease and pursue a new business plan.
280 Broadway, located across Chambers Street from City Hall, was recently annexed by Gibney Dance Center, an organization that administers Gina Gibney's dance troupe and several rental studios developed at 890 Broadway, a Flatiron District building owned by ballet choreographer/director Eliot Feld. GDC has reconfigured the Lower Manhattan extension for a slate of dance classes and plans to create new spaces for performance at the site. In addition, the organization's well-regarded Community Action program for survivors of domestic violence will be relocated to 280.
On May 14, Lane Harwell, Executive Director of Dance/NYC, contributed a blog post to The Huffington Post about "lessons learned" in the effort to save 280 Broadway for New York's dance community. The essay, which makes no mention of DNA's accomplishments or struggles, begins,
There are lessons for the creative sector in the story of 280 Broadway, whose new tenant, Gibney Dance, opens its doors to the community to shape the future. In a real estate climate where too many are losing space and reporting escalating costs -- real threats to creative life -- some, like Gibney Dance, are making solutions.
Catherine A. Peila, who served as Executive and Artistic Director of DNA from 2007 to 2014, asserts that that organization's "30 years of community building has been disappeared." In her initial response, posted yesterday on Facebook and forwarded to this writer among others, Peila wrote,
Having received phone calls from the cultural community regarding Lane’s blog “Making Space Solutions for Making Arts and Culture,” I must respond. It is imperative that a deeper investigation regarding the 280 Broadway transition from DNA to Gibney Dance be initiated before any attempt of a qualified statement regarding “lessons learned” be made. As the executive and artistic director of DNA, 2007-2013, Lane’s post is devoid of information that sets the stage for the DNA to Gibney transition. DNA’s original renovations, partnership negotiations, efficiency practices and financial modeling, legal battles, bankruptcy filing and its unnecessary dissolution enabled Gibney Dance to “reengage” the 280 Broadway dance space. DNA successfully saved a space in NYC for dance, which represented nine years of unflagging work by its staff and board, thousands of artists, pro-bono lawyers and financial analysts, foundations and individual donors, elected officials, city cultural representatives, and Fram Realty. Gibney’s team received all the benefits without the burden of DNA's renovation debt, which proved to be its ultimate unraveling. Lane omits vital information that shows the cultural, funding and government sectors colluded to transfer the assets of DNA's/Dance Space Center’s 30 years of community building and program development to what they considered to be a healthier business. 280 Broadway is reengaged. I recognize Gina Gibney's commitment, but it is important to publicly analyze 280 Broadway’s transition so a proper list of “lessons learned” will aid in strengthening the non-profit field and this city’s cultural policy.
Yesterday, I reached out to Lane Harwell for a response to Peila's concerns, and he agreed to forward a written reply by 10am this morning. I have not received his response in time to include it in this post. Business travel over the next few days will delay my ability to post a follow-up, but I still hope to receive and append anything that Harwell would like to share with the readers of InfiniteBody.
Lease Is Fresh Step for New York's Dance World Gibney Dance to Take Space Formerly Held by Dance New Amsterdam in Lower Manhattan
by Pia Catton, The Wall Street Journal, January 9, 2014
Dear DNA Community,Today we have reached an agreement with our landlord, Fram Realty, that allows DNA to remain at its current location through mid-October, after which DNA has agreed to leave 280 Broadway. However, Fram Realty has agreed, in good faith, to continue to listen to any viable proposals DNA presents to it. Our agreement is being documented and submitted to the Bankruptcy Court for approval.Classes and rentals will be running through October 13.Know that we continue to work on a solution to support the DNA teachers, students, artist, audiences, etc.; but as of yet, we have not been able to secure a partner or find another solution that would allow us to meet DNA's business responsibilities and remain at 280 Broadway.The DNA Community is more than a 280 Broadway space; it exists regardless of where we work, dance, teach, create, and perform. For our part, we will help keep the lines of communication open between teachers, students, artists, and community supporters while looking for ways to keep our programs alive. In the meantime, please come take class and rehearse!With great respect and awe,Catherine A. PeilaExecutive/Artistic Director
For InfiniteBody's earlier post on the DNA situation, click here.
[SPECIAL UPDATE: Please note that J CHEN PROJECT has secured space for one-night only at Salvatore Capezio Theater at Peridance, Saturday, September 21, 8:30PM. The address is 126 East 13th Street, between 3rd and 4th Avenues. Tickets: http://jchenproject.ticketleap.com/neverwasbroken]
In August 2012, dance artist Jessica Chen of J CHEN PROJECT and Kevin Mills, her boyfriend, drove away from a friend's California wedding, heading for the reception, when a stretch limo sped into their path. As Mills avoided a crash, his evasive action flipped their open convertible three times. Chen suffered extensive wounds and fractures. Airlifted to a hospital, the dancer underwent eight hours of surgery and, for two weeks, was kept in a medically-induced coma. She recovered far sooner than expected with her doctors crediting her dance background for this rapid healing.
"They had no other explanation," she says. "And for me, being able to express myself creatively through this experience has really helped me fully heal, both physically and emotionally."
Preparing an ensemble work for this fall season--Never was Broken: a dance through life and death and life--the resilient, determined Chen now reflects on this trauma, its aftermath and the renewed focus of her work.
Jessica Chen (photo by Paul Dimalanta)
Yaa Asantewaa: The car accident in which you were severely injured–and which inspired your new dance piece--happened just a little over a year ago. How has your life changed since you made your remarkable recovery?
Chen: Anyone looking at my life from the outside, would say it all looks the same. I live in New York. I run my own dance company. I’m working, rehearsing and preparing for a new production. But for me personally, there has been a major shift. My priorities are very clear about what is important. In the past, it may have been hard for me to let go of the small things or find humor in a time of despair or be brave enough to face the truth.
During my recovery, I had a lot of time to reflect on my life and the decisions I’ve made thus far. I asked myself to answer honestly if this path I’ve chosen, in the arts, was the right path for me. Sometimes in life we make decisions to prove to ourselves we can do something or we make the wrong decision but have too much face to admit it. So, I was prepared to let dance go if my answer was either of those. But my answer became a realization of the importance the role of dance has played for me in my life. Whenever anything significant ever happened to me, I created a dance. It gives me an avenue to express myself and share my story.
Dance has been a major factor in my recovery, both physically and emotionally. Movement is the best way I know how to understand the world. For instance, a few days after I woke up from the coma, two doctors came in to check on me. They wanted to see if I would be in pain if I tried to sit up. They suggested I turn on my side, put my feet down, then push my body up and I responded as if I was learning new choreography. I said, “Okay, so it’s three moves? What beat is this on? Is it, ba bum ba-bum ba-bum?”
Chen, post-recovery, rehearsing Climb. Is All We Know,
a solo choreographed for her by Nicole Smith
(photos by Vanessa Gonzalez-Bunster)
Yaa Asantewaa: If anyone thought you would not dance again, you proved them wrong several months after that accident and your surgeries. Talk a little about the evolution of your dancing, post-recovery, and to what extent do you intend to continue to dance and make work for yourself or that includes yourself. Do you appear in Never Was Broken?
Throughout my recovery I had amazing medical care. From my initial surgeries all the way through rehab, I had professionals who really invested in me. My physical therapist in California is one I need to thank for pushing me. He is flying to New York City for the September show.
When I started rehab, I was still using a wheel chair and learning how to use my crutches while wearing a huge boot on my right leg for protection. On the day after Thanksgiving, I went in for my physical therapy appointment and my physical therapist said to me, “You’re still wearing that boot? Take it off… ok now walk over there.” I said to him, “Walk? Over there? Okay, how do I do that?” Because in PT they teach you how to do all the exercises before you have to do it. And sometimes they even demonstrate. In that moment my physical therapist said to me, “You just walk.”
Yes, I am dancing in Never was Broken. I am performing a duet I choreographed in 2009 and a new solo my dear friend is choreographing on me. I have taken myself out of ensemble pieces, because it just too hard to see where the piece needs to go when you’re in it. But I said very early on that I am not ready to retire from dance. So, I imagine as my company grows I will be commissioning other artists to set work on my company that I would dance in. I will also continue to make solos and duets for myself.
It was scary when I started dancing again, just like when I had to take my first steps without crutches and without my boot. The thought of moving past your comfort zone is always very scary, but when you do, you welcome new opportunities. So sometimes when you have that scary feeling, it’s safe to say you are really pushing yourself to grow.
Yaa Asantewaa: Has anything changed in the process of how you make work, or your style or aesthetics?
Chen: I didn’t start creating Never was Broken in the studio or in rehearsal. It all started from a dream, a vision in my head. At that point, I was still learning how to walk properly, so I was not able to dance yet. I would imagine the dances in my head and write down my thoughts. I also learned how to paint, so I would use painting to get my creative juices flowing. So when I got to the studio for the first time I had a very clear idea of what I was looking for.
In February 2013, we had our first workshop for Never was Broken. I worked with my dancers intensely for ten days to get all the ideas and thoughts out of my head and into their bodies. I was dancing more then but still limited, so I had them improvise a lot. I would set a structure, intention, direction for the improv and let my dancers do their magic. I filmed them and watched the footage. The idea of the workshop was not to create a product; it was simply to brainstorm and explore the ideas I had.
In May 2013, Broadway Dance Center generously sponsored a work-in-progress showing of Never was Broken. It was their way of welcoming me back to New York City and back to my artistic path. So when I started rehearsals with my dancers for that showing, we had less than a month to create a something to share with our audience. I told my dancers it was going to be a true work-in-progress, and so we should not stress too much about getting it perfect. It was a test run with our closest colleagues, friends and family. It was a beautiful evening, and that night I performed for the first time since the accident.
In general, I am much more specific when it comes to my work. I am interested in the small things that make a huge difference. If I paste a piece together and it’s not feeling right, I’m not afraid to take it apart and try again. That is what rehearsal is for. I’m not so set on getting it right the first time or even being brilliant all the time. I am also creating work that is truly meaningful to me. Yes, I care what the audience thinks, but I won’t let that dictate what I create. I trust myself more. And I believe if I create something that is truly meaningful to me, then it will be that powerful to others (and maybe not everyone, but that’s okay, too). It will be a work that I am proud to call my own.
Yaa Asantewaa: I was fascinated by the gentle sensuousness, literally the touch-oriented nature of your style–even in just the way your dancers warm up for rehearsing. What is the significance of interrelationship, touch and eye contact in your work?
Chen: For me, when I’m creating a piece and/or preparing for the show, I am looking at the piece itself as well as making sure my dancers are connected with each other. I believe that a performance is more powerful when there is a connection on stage. They are comfortable with each other, so when they do a lift or look at each other there is a level of intimacy. That relationship will get translated to the audience, and they will feel that connection as well.
The warm-up you walked into is how we start rehearsals. One dancer lays down and releases their muscles while their partner moves them across the floor. They have to trust their partner and their partner has to pay complete attention to them. Especially when we have an early rehearsal, it gives dancers a chance to really settle into the space and into each other. Also, it grounds them and gently wakes up their muscles.
Yaa Asantewaa: You’ve got a great ear for music. What elements draw you to particular pieces of music?
Chen: Thank you. That is a true compliment, because music is so important to me. I typically scour iTunes to search for music that is emotional and strong, but does not overpower the dance. I’ve also worked with several musicians, and I imagine I will do more of that in the future.
When I’m creating a show, I put together a soundtrack of music that I use during the creative process. I play this sound track as we are building the material. A lot of times it will inspire the movement and the arc of the piece. Once there’s an outline of the work, I look to find the music to match it. And sometimes, a lot of times, the music I end up using was not part of the original playlist.
Yaa Asantewaa: Your bio indicates that you are quite a world-traveler. How has that influenced your tastes and inclinations in the arts?
Chen: When I was nineteen, I sailed around the world through a program called Semester at Sea (SAS). We sailed from Vancouver due west and visited Japan, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Tanzania, South Africa, Brazil, Venezuela and completed our voyage in Fort Lauderdale, where my dad flew to pick me up.
Being on the voyage gave me the courage to go after my dreams. On SAS, I learned that there was no time to waste, and you will never regret a decision that shifted your perspective. So when I graduated from college, I took a leap of faith and moved to NYC to pursue a career as a professional dancer and choreographer.
There’s so much of this world to see and learn from. And I want to use my art as a vehicle to explore and share different cultures, aesthetics and perspectives.
Yaa Asantewaa: I have seen rehearsals of two sections that your dancers are preparing for the premiere–one that looks like a spinoff of the See No Evil, etc. monkeys and another that seems to be an outgrowth of prayer, meditation and yoga practice. Both are gorgeous. From where did these particular ideas derive and how do they fit into the larger context of the piece?
Chen: This show is inspired by life, miracles and reflections. My life completely changed after the accident, only because my perspective shifted. The evening is titled Never was Broken because the idea of “being broken” is only one way of looking at a situation or a person.
I also understand that this shift can be very challenging for everyone, but I don’t believe people need a near-fatal accident to experience that shift. It is a choice--or, actually, a constant choice. Even for me now, it’s not like all moments are full of enlightenment. I have to continue to make this choice to see the bigger picture. It’s not always easy, that is for sure, but we’re all doing our best, and that’s all anyone can expect.
I want to take people on a journey, to see life from a different point of view. The show will ignite emotions that have been hibernating, giving permission for people to be honest, even brutally honest, to themselves, remember that life should not be taken too seriously and that humor can be part of the healing process.
Let Us Pray: My friends and family spent seventeen days in the waiting room of the ICU at Cottage Hospital. They have shared moving narratives with me of witnessing other families entering the same waiting room with similar stories of sudden and unexpected events pushing their loved ones to the brink of life and death. Everyone cried together. Everyone prayed together. Everyone knew how to pray, not through religious impulse or training; in fact, several of the people even claimed to be agnostic. They all prayed because it gave them faith and hope; faith and hope that their loved one would make it through this situation where no one had any control.
I believe this discussion about redefining prayer, so that it is accessible to all, irrespective of religion, spirituality or belief systems, is a burning issue for the times we are living in. It is important for us to find more ways to connect with each other and everyone needs faith. We are human after all, and that means there are many things out of our control, and sending a positive message out to the universe in hopes it gets answered is what our ancestors have used to reach beyond their limitations. The creative process for this piece naturally involved taking the dancers on their own journey to finding their own way to pray.
I asked dancers:
(1) Do you pray?
(2) What is a prayer?
(3) What does it look like to pray?
(4) What does it feel like when you pray?
(5) What do you pray for?
a showing of Chen's "No (evil)" trio at Broadway Dance Center
(photo by Chris Nicodemo)
NO (evil): Yes, this is a spin off of the See No Evil, etc. monkeys.
I think in the Western society, we can understand that saying as turning a blind eye to what is seemingly evil. But in different interpretations, each of the monkeys has a special gift. The See No Evil monkey has a special eye. That is his gift and the way he can contribute to the world. He sees no evil, because he sees potential or possibility or a lesson to be learned. It is also a gift to give someone else the gift of sight, meaning another way of looking at a situation, another way of hearing the message and another way of expressing yourself.
Yaa Asantewaa: Your dancers suit your style very well. How did you assemble this troupe, and how long have you been working together?
Chen: There are seven dancers in this cast. Three of them have danced for me since June 2011, one since last August (who I hired just days before the accident, but stayed devoted to the company even without a director), and three are new from our June 2013 audition.
The dancers go through a pretty hard audition process. They learn phrase work, improvise and fill out a questionnaire. During call backs, they partner with other auditioners, because I want to see how they work with others. I invite a small group of people from call backs to open rehearsals to take them even further into my process. And after a week of open rehearsals I meet with them individually to tell them if I can give them a contract--or not. The last step is the hardest one for me, because I usually get attached to the dancers, and I want to hire everyone. If you’ve made it to open rehearsals, you are automatically part of the J CHEN family, but due to budget constraints, I can’t hire everyone.
When I look for a dancer, I am looking for many things. I am very clear about those qualities when I walk into an audition. They must have a high level of technique. They also have to be professional, dependable and with a stable background. We are a “no drama” company, and I will not tolerate any of that. I also look to see if they have an individual voice as well as an open mind.
I ask a lot from my dancers, we work very hard in rehearsals and, often, they inspired me. They are all individual, but we all get along and have fun together, too. We’re constantly going out to happy hours and celebrating birthdays together. I always like to say, J CHEN PROJECT is a dance company as well as a community of artists.
Yaa Asantewaa: Your company is one of the troupes affected by the recent bankrupcy crisis at Dance New Amsterdam--the downtown dance school and presenter. Do you have new plans for housing your season in another venue?*
Chen: Upon hearing the news, we immediately reached out to leaders, mentors, colleagues and friends of the dance community for advice and assistance in finding an alternative venue. And during our time of duress, we received an immense amount of love and support to help us find different options and a possible new home for our show.
On Thursday, August 29, less than three weeks to our premiere, J CHEN PROJECT company members showed up for rehearsal, discussed the situation and decided that we would continue to rehearse towards our premiere. We hung in there because we knew our hard work would pay off, and we had faith everything would work itself out. As a company, we officially took on the mantra, The Show Must Go On.
Throughout this process, DNA managed to raise their goal of $50K, which was a huge thing for them. The next step will be on Tuesday, when DNA will appear in front bankruptcy court to present a viable long-term business plan to reorganize and emerge from bankruptcy. It is my understanding that if the court accepts their plan, then DNA will remain open until the end of the year.
We are waiting to get updates from DNA as well as pursuing other venues with the help of many in the dance community. We have several options on the table right now, and the dancers are taking the news like champions. So we are pushing on multiple fronts to ensure that Never was Broken goes up as planned on September 20 and 21.* The Show Must Go On!
Yaa Asantewaa: What is one unexpected thing that people should know about you?
Chen: My boyfriend built a special stuffed animal just for me seven years ago. I never had one growing up, and he felt that everyone needed to have a stuffed animal. It has been with me through a lot and has become a very close friend. I had him with me in the hospital and now, when I travel, I carry him in my bag. He gives me security and warmth. Also, when I’m feeling angry and riled up, he will soften me up and give me room to breathe through whatever I’m going through.
Yaa Asantewaa: What is the absolutely most important thing that people should know about you?
Chen: I am a fighter, and I am a rebel. And just to illustrate that, after being in a coma for almost two weeks, I beckoned my boyfriend to come close to me. He was expecting a romantic statement or an embrace. Instead I whispered in his ear, “Get me the hell out of here!” Over the few days after that, I proceeded to try to escape from the hospital. I don’t remember any of this, so I had to ask my friends and family to share stories.
I told my visitors that I was on lockdown, but I didn’t understand why because I only tried to break out once. I kept telling people that I had places to be and things to do, so I couldn’t be lying around all day. They ended up strapping me down on the bed and activating an alarm on my bed.
That experience taught me how to stay still, but it also revealed how much I like to break the rules.
***
*For the latest information on J CHEN PROJECT's Fall season, planned for September 20-21, see the company's Web site. Dance New Amsterdam updates can be found here.
***
BIO
Jessica Chen is the Founder and Artistic Director of J CHEN PROJECT. Her work has been commissioned worldwide, including the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai. Chen has been featured on SinoVision TV as well as numerous publications including World Journal, The Gazette, Wiles Magazine, Clinton Chronicle and Nosotoros.
She was honored as Keynote Speaker at Cornell University for her work in empowering Asian American women to become leaders in their community in 2011. Her work has been selected to appear in various festivals including 2012 Women in Dance Series, Yangtze Repertory Theatre, 6th Annual Asian-American Cultural Festival in Long Island, 2011 Women’s Hall of Fame Event in San Diego, 2010 Amnesty International Arts Festival in Washington D.C., and its full-length productions at venues including Dixon Place have consistently yielded sold-out performances.
Chen will premiere her new work, Never Was Broken: a dance through life and death and life, at Dance New Amsterdam (NYC) as well as Center Stage Theater (CA) this fall.
Chen grew up in California with an evolving curiosity of different cultures all over the world, given her own Chinese-American heritage. She has traveled to nearly thirty countries across Asia, Europe, the America’s and Africa teaching, performing and speaking as well as learning and exploring local dances and traditions. She holds a B.A. in Global Studies from the University of California Santa Barbara and was granted the University Service Award through a nomination from the Vice Chancellor.
J CHEN PROJECT strives to be an artistic force by crossing boundaries and connecting with people around the world through expressive and emotional dance works. The company is fully dedicated to fostering dialogue and bringing social consciousness to issues facing humanity today. Believing in the power of words, sound and imagery, the company engages in dynamic collaborations with poets, recording artists, fashion designers, photographers and filmmakers.
News arrived yesterday of the sudden laying off of Dance New Amsterdam's entire staff as a result of failure to reach an agreement that would keep the 29-year-old educational and presenting organization going through bankruptcy and restructuring. This unanticipated development leaves not only staff, faculty, students and artist residents scrambling for alternatives but numerous dance troupes facing the challenge of securing new venues for upcoming performance seasons in which they had already heavily invested.
InfiniteBody will post links to reports and discussions of this issue and information on resources as these materials become available. Please forward your notes and announcements to infinitebody[at]outlook[dot]com or use the comments section here to share your thoughts, ideas and relevant information.
DNA raises $50,000, will remain open for business at least through next week. Click here for more information.
September 4 update from DNA:
First and foremost, we are working with the court and our landlord toward a definitive date on which we present a viable plan for DNA’s future. We hope to have that definitive date on or before Thursday, September 12, our next court date.
In the meantime, DNA will be fully open through the end-of-day on Thursday, September 12th. We’ll be running with a smaller administrative staff, but our faculty and modern guest artists will be here as usual.
Dear DNA Community,Today we have reached an agreement with our landlord, Fram Realty, that allows DNA to remain at its current location through mid-October, after which DNA has agreed to leave 280 Broadway. However, Fram Realty has agreed, in good faith, to continue to listen to any viable proposals DNA presents to it. Our agreement is being documented and submitted to the Bankruptcy Court for approval.Classes and rentals will be running through October 13.Know that we continue to work on a solution to support the DNA teachers, students, artist, audiences, etc.; but as of yet, we have not been able to secure a partner or find another solution that would allow us to meet DNA's business responsibilities and remain at 280 Broadway.The DNA Community is more than a 280 Broadway space; it exists regardless of where we work, dance, teach, create, and perform. For our part, we will help keep the lines of communication open between teachers, students, artists, and community supporters while looking for ways to keep our programs alive. In the meantime, please come take class and rehearse!With great respect and awe,Catherine A. PeilaExecutive/Artistic Director
To the Students and Community of Dance New Amsterdam:
Many of you have seen the announcement that DNA has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. We'd like to talk to you about what this means for the organization, and how it affects you directly.
First, let me say that DNA isn't going anywhere. Our doors are open, all our classes, workshops, and programs are happening as planned, and the theater is buzzing with performances.
Second, I'd like to shed some light on our current situation:
DNA's financial challenges aren't about the amount of money we take in every year. In fact, what we earned in 2012 completely covered our expenses. Our challenge is past debt.
Our move to 280 Broadway was filled with delays, cost overruns, and several poor decisions by past management that created close to 4.5 million dollars in debt. That is a big number, and it impacts our ability to solicit funding from foundations and the government.
However, a lot of good things are happening that help chip away at that number. Here are just a few: Thanks to you, class and workshop numbers are strong and steady We've added some new, fantastic folks to our contemporary faculty Applications for our International Student Visa program are way up Our existing partnership with Pace University remains strong, and new partnerships with the Joffrey Ballet School and the Tom Todoroff Acting Studio are diversifying the DNA community. We now have a number of commercial clients who have committed to rehearsal space on an ongoing basis. So why file for bankruptcy? Chapter 11 is a business reorganization process that exists to protect organizations from their creditors while they get back on their feet. It allows us to chip away at that debt faster without the looming threat of eviction. More importantly, it allows us to focus on providing you with a creative space to train, perform, and collaborate with your peers.
Finally, the most important thing you can do to help is to come to class, sign up for a workshop, see a performance, and continue to donate! DNA is your home, and if there's something we can do to make you feel more welcome, please let us know.
We'll continue to communicate updates on our progress, but in the meantime, come and dance!
All the best, Catherine A. Peila Executive/Artistic Director Dance New Amsterdam
For Dance for DNA, a part of the Ideas City 2013festival, numerous choreographers turned out to show short works-in-progress at Dance New Amsterdam. From the building's roomy lobby to a tiny sliver of space inside the women's locker room, DNA was hopping with fresh dance from morning 'til night.
Located just across Chambers Street from City Hall, DNA represents an essential part of New York's dance ecosystem for its extensive education and performance programs as well as its support of young and emerging artists. Well-recognized, award-winning choreographers--such as Ronald K. Brown, Kyle Abraham, Souleymane Badolo, Jonah Bokaer, Bill Shannon, Monica Bill Barnes and Nora Chipaumire--have all found opportunities to develop and showcase nascent work at DNA.
IDEAS CITY explores the future of cities around the globe with the belief that arts and culture are essential to the vitality of urban centers, making them better places to live, work, and play. Founded by the New Museum in 2011, IDEAS CITY is a major collaborative initiative between hundreds of arts, education, and community organizations. This year’s theme is Untapped Capital, with participants focused on resources that are under-recognized or underutilized in our cities.
It’s been a rough few days, thanks to Hurricane Sandy. But we’re
ready to get dancing again, and we’d like to make it a little easier on
your wallet to say goodbye to Sandy.
From Nov 3-10, we’d like to offer you a buy one get one half off
deal on classes. Buy one class at the regular price, get another one
for half off that day. We will be running on a limited class schedule,
so try a new teacher or genre. Anything to get moving again, right?
From Nov 11-17, we’re bringing back our 11 for $11 class card
deal. We think everyone needs a little break at this time, so we’re
going to open this one back up to nonmembers as well as members. DNA
members are eligible to purchase TWO class cards; nonmembers can
purchase ONE.
*Both BOGO classes must be used on the same day. All BOGO classes
expire on November 10, 2012. Limit one 11 for $11 card per nonmember,
two cards per member. Two month use from activation date. One month
extensions are available for a fee. Cards must be activated by January
1, 2013. Sale ends Saturday, November 17 at 11:59pm.
UPDATE: Step right up and meet DNA's new partner, FitEngine!
Fitness @ DNA is designed for the 9-5er, always on the
go and always wishing for a little more time. Who can take an hour off
to go to the gym? Not you. So DNA is offering 20- and 40-minute classes
designed to tone, stretch, and shape your body but not take up your
entire day.
Get a schedule of classes and complete information here.
Collective for Dance Writing and New Media's "From There to Here" event with Rashaun Mitchell, Silas Riener and Nancy Dalva, scheduled for Monday, November 5 at Dance New Amsterdam, has been postponed due to post-Sandy conditions.
We wish the very best to all people affected by this devastating storm.
Get an update on the situation at Dance New Amsterdam at a special town hall meeting this Friday at 4:30pm, just announced:
We know you all have had questions, comments and concerns. So here is your opportunity to talk about it. Come join us to ask your questions and get some answers regarding DNA's progress in our fundraising and our turnaround plans. For more information, please contact Mari Meade Montoya at mmontoya@dnadance.org
Become a member of Collective for Dance Writing and New Media ($20 annual fee) and receive free or discounted admission to our events. For an application, inquire here.
Become an intern in CollectiveDWNM's Leadership Circle and enjoy membership benefits. For an application, inquire here.
It's possible to find yourself completely lost in a work shaped by Tami Stronach. Lost and wondering if you should have brought along some bright red yarn to unspool as you walked so that, later, you could retrace your steps.
Tami Stonach (l) and Lindsey Dietz Marchant and that crazy little bike in Me and Not Me
A kind of poetic disorientation can work to the choreographer's benefit, but not always. When her drive and facility with movement, her fascination with relationships between dancers, run on long, it looks as if she's a little lost, too. But not inMe and Not Me, that brash duet between the choreographer and Lindsey Dietz Marchant, both articulate, masterful performers. Stronach gave this artful piece its world premiere last night at Dance New Amsterdam, along with a solo from repertory (Mother Tongue, with Dietz Marchant dancing like Isadora-gone-postmodern) and a work in progress (Closer, a more lighthearted quartet toying with DNA's space and our focus of attention). If you enjoy dance that treats human nature in its complexity from the inside out, Stronach's evening at DNA could be a wise choice for your weekend.
The title, Me and Not Me, hints that the two characters might be two sides of the same woman, as easily as they could be a literal Self and Other. It also suggests the rejection of something inside a person that she does not want to see and accept. The piece pits a fairly well-rooted (and ferociously energetic) Stronach against the irrational vision of Dietz-Marchant, a full-grown woman making her wobbly and crash-prone way, 'round and 'round, on a small child's bike, strewing aromatic yellow flowers (that made me sneezy) and, when she is not astride the bike, clinging to, pawing at and struggling with the choreographer. (I made a note: "So, Tami, who was the impossibly difficult person in your life?") The women handle each other with stubbornness, resistance and deep need. Jane Shaw contributes a resonant sound design--a mixtape of gorgeous Czech folk and pop--now, I'll need to seek out more music by Karina Denike--interspersed with the grating, repetitious streaming of anxiety and OCD. Go-to lighting guy Joe Levasseur, once again, works his painterly magic against the women's skin.
Catherine Peila, Executive and Artistic Director of Dance New Amsterdam, discusses the current challenge for this educational and presenting organization and the action that community supporters must take to help ensure its survival and future.
DANCE NEW AMSTERDAM ANNOUNCES FIVE YEAR RECOVERY PLAN
Current Situation Still Challenging Immediate Needs Totaling Nearly $150,000
NEW YORK, September 12, 2012 – On the heels of winning a 3-year battle to renegotiate new lease terms which substantially reduce its monthly rent obligations, Dance New Amsterdam (DNA), NYC’s foremost progressive dance education and performance center, releases the outline of its 5-year Recovery Plan. The announcement coincides with the opening of its 2012-2013 DNA PRESENTS Season and the introduction of strengthened educational offerings. Initiated by Executive and Artistic Director Catherine A. Peila, the plan is already actively being implemented and outlines key initiatives the organization is taking to achieve financial stability within three years and create income surplus within five years. Shaped by community concerns for public access and stability for artists’ careers, the plan incorporates cultural entrepreneurism and the economics of culture connected to the revitalization of Lower Manhattan/Tribeca. By serving more than 35,000 individuals yearly and providing over 650 arts-related jobs, DNA bolsters local businesses and greatly adds to the dynamic downtown cultural scene.
Since 2011, Michael M. Kaiser of the Kennedy Center’s DeVos Institute/Bloomberg Philanthropies has been working with the DNA team to offer greater insight into a successful turn around. Development of the plan included ongoing input from NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, a broad spectrum of key business representatives and cultural advocate Paul Nagle. State Senator Daniel Squadron, aligned with state and local elected officials and strategic cross-sector advisors, was also included in the conversation.
"DNA has been an integral part of Lower Manhattan's recovery, and critical to our neighborhood's emergence as one of New York's burgeoning cultural centers. In June, we reached an agreement to ensure that DNA remains in its home in ourLower Manhattan community. And now, DNA deserves another round of applause for continuing to work to forge a strong, viable, and dynamic path forward withtoday's strategic plan," said Senator Daniel Squadron. "I'm proud to stand with DNA, and the many community-based cultural organizations that make New York so great. Thank you to DNA for your invaluable work, and to all of our partners who helped make this strategic plan a reality."
The plan identifies four major strategic objectives:
1. Lower monthly lease costs and negotiate a settlement on arrears (achieved)
Peila announced on June 1, 2012 that new lease terms lowered DNA’s rent by an average of $30,000 per month through 2020. Additionally, the renegotiation resulted in the forgiveness of rent arrears debt.
2. Practice effective business operations
Under Peila’s direction, DNA has responsibly reduced general operating and programming expenses from $3.6 million to $2.3 million annually. The organization has implemented programmatic and curatorial changes and strengthened educational offerings. These restructured production and education programs expand artist services and include fitness, teen and children’s programming. DNA has also implemented energy efficiency measures and initiated restructuring plans to bring on new upper management hires with diverse cross-sector skill sets. The plan also puts keen emphasis on increasing thenumber of board embers by two to three times.
3. Build capacity through key partnerships to increase earned revenue and contributed income
4. Restructure the existing debt burden to create manageable payment schedules
DNA’s success in lowering the monthly facility lease payments means it is now in a position to move forward on restructuring its debt through a mixed model of refinancing, forgiveness of contributed investments and increased revenues. Under Peila’s leadership the organization has already cut deficits by $1.2 million and increased individual and philanthropic giving by 45% and earned income by 25%.
CALL TO ACTION:
The plan’s four objectives are focused on stabilizing DNA’s finances and operations. DNA projects $2.1 million for 2013 programming and facilities operations. The loss of a large rental client has recently created an unexpected income gap for the organization. An immediate call to the community to meet DNA’s first target goal of $150,000 by September 15, with the larger goal set at $450,000by the end of the current fiscal year (June 2013) is necessary to keep programs running and meet strategic milestones. A multi-year target of an additional one million for the next three years and a benchmark constant income goal of $3.5 million during years four and five are also part of the plan to create a surplus.
“I’m incredibly proud of the progress DNA has made over the past four years; especially when the future looked dismal. Already, DNA has achieved more than expected without sacrificing our mission,” said Executive and Artistic Director Peila. “Our success thus far is due to the stability of our creative and educational programming and the energy and commitment of DNA’s staff, students, artists, funders, audiences and partnering organizations. However, even after all this hard work the recent unexpected income gap could result in Lower Manhattan losing one of its few ‘public access’ cultural centers and incubator art spaces. We moved to Lower Manhattan to be a part of its revitalization. We call upon the philanthropic community and government representatives to join the community and ensure DNA meets our immediate goal - and to further support the long-term solutions in this strategic plan, propelling DNA to a place of sound fiscal health thus creating a stable environment for artist works and the birth of new ideas. ”
DNA’s Strategic Plan FY2013-2018, represents the organization’s commitment to offering the highest caliber of dance programming, continuing DNA’s 28-year tradition of supporting the life, career and longevity of dance artists. Upon accepting the leadership position in 2008, Peila began turnaround initiatives advised by Arts ActionResearch and supported by funds from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. In 2010, as part of a Bloomberg Philanthropies grant, DNA attended the DeVos Institute of Arts Management Capacity Building Arts Advancement Initiate conferences. In 2011 Ms. Peila initiated further development of the 5-year plan working closely with Kaiser, local elected officials, DNA partners, while reaching out to funders and the community. The organization is not only developing a strong strategy to become financially stable but anchoring a downtown cultural campus that encouragesentrepreneurial spirit, provides a space for arts incubation and fosters collaboration.
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About Dance New Amsterdam
Founded in 1984, DNA provides a community hub for the highest quality dance training, choreographic exploration and innovative performance, developing new audiences and bridging communities. It provides valuable opportunities for the aspiring, emerging and established artist, including daily classes, certification courses, commissions and artistic residencies, along with studio and administrative office subsidies. DNA encourages professionalism, entrepreneurial cross-disciplinary initiatives, community engagement and diverse artistic expression. It was the first nonprofit arts organization to move to Lower Manhattan after 9/11, serving as a renewing force in NYC's cultural landscape. To learn more about DNA and supporting its programs through charitable donations, visit www.dnadance.org
DNA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and its 2012-2013 programming is made possible through the generosity of its supporters. As of July 2012, public funding provided by: New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council; and New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. Private funding provided by: Bloomberg Philanthropies, with support from the Kennedy Center/DeVos Institute; The MAP Fund, a program of Creative Capital supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation; Mertz Gilmore Foundation; Jerome Robbins Foundation; Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; and FJC, a Foundation of Philanthropic Funds. In-kind support from: Arts & Business Council, Fox Rothschild LLP, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, and Materials for the Arts. Additional support provided by our Advisors, Programming Partners, Neighborhood Partners, International Partners, and DNA’s community of individual donors. Dance New Amsterdam is part of The Lower Manhattan Arts League and its downtown festivals, made possible by generous support from The New York Community Trust – LuEsther T. Mertz Advised Fund. For a full list of DNA’s partnerships, visit www.dnadance.org.
State Senator Daniel Squadron at DNA press conference (photo by Eva Yaa Asantewaa)
l-r: State Assemblywoman Deborah Glick; Squadron; Community Board 1 Chair Julie Menin; DNA's Executive/Artistic Director Catherine A. Peila; Board of Directors Co-Chair Martha Chapman (Photo by Joon Shin)
Supporters, advisors and colleagues of Dance New Amsterdam's unsinkable Executive/Artistic Director, Catherine A. ("Kate") Peila, gathered at the studio, theater and exhibition center on Friday to learn how, after three years of dogged work, DNA had finally reached agreement with landlord Fram Realty for a substantial decrease in its rent and debt. Removing the threat of eviction from this institution, hit hard by the economic downturn, is not only a big win for the dance community but also for Lower Manhattan, where many small arts groups--such as 3 Legged Dog and Access Theater--maintain a tenuous hold in a high-stakes environment dominated by financial institutions.
"What we did was, basically, whatever it took," said State Senator Daniel Squadron. "At the end of the day, [Fram] did the right thing."
Peila exulted in her center's new, 10-year lease on life, the possibility to move forward with plans to restructure its educational department and engage artists with visions for the future of dance. Moreover, she said, the organization's new-found stability means that donors--some who stayed and others who chose to withdraw--can be assured that "their money will not disappear. We will be here."
The organization will still need to raise the more than $1.2 million needed annually to maintain its facilities.
DNA has 18 full-time employees and extends programming that supports 400 artists in commissioned and produced work. The organization also services over 11,000 individual students and dance company members yearly. Its location in The Sun Building includes six studios, a 130-seat theater, two art galleries and artist administrative space. DNA provides jobs for over 650 teachers, choreographers, technicians, visual artists and musicians through its programming. Dance education programs, performances and rehearsals are estimated to reach more than 11,000 students and dance company members along with the 20,000 plus community visitors resulting in an economic benefit of over $1 million to local businesses, MTA and the government.
While celebrating DNA's survival, State Assemblywoman Deborah Glick delicately noted the ever-present threat.
"This is a tough city in many ways," she said. "We do not do enough to nurture the soul of the city. It's a tough place because real estate runs this city."
That was the underlying theme of an informal roundtable following Squadron and Peila's press conference, attended by representatives of several at-risk arts groups from Lower Manhattan. Speakers questioned how public officials and funding agencies can expect artists to be "more entrepreneurial" with odds stacked against them and little practical support.
Participants described a long-standing atmosphere in which artists, having pioneered and transformed New York's neighborhoods, are considered, at best, temporary place-holders, at worst, barriers to economic progress. Public officials, paying lip service to the notion of helping small businesses, actually give zoning preference and tax breaks to corporate tenants with big pockets. There's little recognition of the prominent role that the arts have always played in driving New York tourism as well as stabilizing and developing neighborhood communities.
While DNA's 2010 crisis, now resolved, served to identify powerful allies such as Squadron, Glick, former City Councilmember Alan Gerson and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, arts organizations will need to educate and sensitize many more public officials and mobilize communities to demand respect for the artists who make their neighborhoods more vital, safe and nourishing places to live and work.
Sign at 2010 press conference/support rally for DNA at City Hall (Photo by Eva Yaa Asantewaa)
Almost exactly two years ago, Dance New Amsterdam (DNA) informed the public that we were threads away from eviction. DNA’s current space, which was renovated and made possible as a result of post 9/11 revitalization efforts and more than $4 million of contributed and public funding along with DNA programs revenue, was not affordable. The community supported DNA with more than 4,000 signatures of support to Mayor Bloomberg. A vow of support from the DNA dance community was further showcased on the steps of City Hall including dancing and speeches in the pouring rain.
After three years of appeals to landlord Fram Realty LLC and Abro Management, building owner, Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), Department of Design and Construction (DDC) and the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) – and with the help of extraordinary political leaders State Senator Daniel Squadron, Assemblymember Deborah Glick, City Council Member Margaret Chin, Community Board 1, Congressman Jerrold Nadler, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, former council member Alan Gerson and advocates Dance/NYC and policy expert Paul Nagle,– DNA was able to secure an affordable amended lease and reduce debt. None of which would have been possible without our dedicated pro bono lawyer Meredith Kane of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP as well DNA Board Co-Chair Richard Reice of Fox Rothschild LLP. Additionally many city agency leaders committed their time and energy to supporting DNA in finding creative solutions to our lease and cash flow conundrum.
DNA is forging ahead powerfully, building relationships and partnerships with other community arts and cultural groups. We are working personally with Michael M. Kaiser of the DeVos Institute (supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies) who is renowned for assisting world-class cultural institutions to build business models that provide the healthy atmosphere necessary for artists to thrive. We are in partnership talks with cross-discipline cultural and academic organizations, along with cross-sector businesses and institutions – allowing DNA to support and augment college accredited courses, film and acting related connections for dancers.
We are also building international contemporary partnerships that not only support the training and creation of jobs for artists but also help artists legitimize their own contemporary dance styles. We are increasing our network within the contemporary dance world and the entertainment industry such as Broadway, television and film. We are also developing an innovative entrepreneurial program that provides tools and practices to artists for developing and sustaining a creative career including merchandising and sales. We expect to announce further details within the next few months on many of these initiatives.
However, with this good news, DNA is not out of the water. Still to tackle is our debt from the original build-out (which was fraught with set-backs) and bridge loans (a result of delays and recalling of promised funding due to the economic downturn). The news of a possible eviction resulted in loss of support from funders wary of awarding grant monies to an organization that may not exist in the near future thus resulting in a severe cash-flow strain along with a reevaluation and redevelopment of budget projections, programming and administration. Today’s news is one more nod towards DNA’s commitment to thrive in New York’s dance community. It is also an opportunity to reiterate how vital DNA is to incubating and supporting dancers, choreographers, related visual and complimentary discipline artists as well as presenting innovative cultural programming and artist commissions, quality dance education and resource sharing for dance artists of diverse dance genres.
We also hope that today’s press conference will make a statement that DNA is here to stay – we will not give up on artists whether it be lengthy multi-year negotiations, debt consolidations or loss of funding. DNA’s staff is working tirelessly to keep our doors open and we are restructuring so our programs are relevant in today’s environment. DNA’s mission is to support the development of the whole dancer through educational and creative opportunities and in a professional atmosphere – from studio-to-stage and beyond. We’ve refined our schedule of core classes and increased contemporary workshops led by Guest Artists who are active in the field of education and performance. We’re committed to artists through long-term (multi-year) residencies from conception to final product focusing on projects beyond DNA – we encourage development of touring and merchandise development and sales along with career development through cross-sector collaborations. DNA continues to offer opportunities for artists to create and be presented at DNA, to seek and develop partnerships with our cultural neighbors and businesses, advocate for arts institutions as sustainers of communities, and increase our creative and economic footprint in Lower Manhattan and New York. DNA is here to stay - and we dance on.
Banana Gakuen Theater Company, which says it hails from "dangerous Japan," will mark the one-year anniversary of the Japanese tsunami with a special free event at Dance New Amsterdam (DNA), including a performance, screening and discussion.
Sunday, March 11, 7pm
Free admission. Cash bar proceeds will be donated to disaster relief.
And, while you're at it, why not help DNA fix the longstanding problems with its bathrooms? Click here and find out how you can do a good deed for dance!
In an intense, jam-packed season like this--and that's just what's happening on New York's dance scene--it's easy to overlook smaller events and developing artists who might not yet have the bucks and big p.r. power to push them. Keeping an eye on how dance is shaping up takes a lot of running around, but DNA certainly wants you to make it one of your go-to places.
Its latest SPLICE program--which brings together pairs of choreographers with a common thread--concludes today at 3pm with a work apiece by choreographers Joanna Kotze and Benn Rasmussen.
Francis Stansky and Joanna Kotze in "Between You and Me" (Photo: Erika Latta)
Benn Rasmussen and Arletta Anderson in "Black Ground" (Photo: Erika Latta)
Kotze's duet, Between You and Me, sports one of the most elegant and dazzling--and fragile! watch your step!--sets I've seen at DNA, and one that's quite nicely adaptable to DNA's columns. (The design is by Jonathan Allen and Kotze.) She has won some fans for her aggressive, space-grabbing style, but my favorite takeaway was actually something far more subtle--the horizontal ripple that, every now and then, runs through Francis Stansky's shoulders like some mischievous and sensuous contradiction as he trots forward. The demarcated performance spaces--his and hers--eventually give way to theirs, and there are the peripheries in which the energetic dancers veer close to audience, kind of a jolt.
I'm not at all sure I've got the key to Rasmussen's quartet, Black Ground--with its over-sized black books that cushion heads, connect hands and get slammed to the floor--but I do like the pristine visual style with which Rasmussen crafts that mystery, and his ambitious fledgling troupe, Ardent August, has very promising performers in Arletta Anderson, Julia Kelly and Edward Rice.
Final performance today at 3pm. Click here for information and tickets.
And while you're there, you can view photo portraits by multidisciplinary artist Ryutaro Mishima--Before and After the Performance--in DNA's Gallery, now through October 30. Click here for information.
Choreographer Laura Shapiro just sent in this note of invitation:
Dear All,
Dance New Amsterdam is having a Day of Remembrance and
Reflection for the dance community on September 11, 2011. DVD of the
performance of Clear Skies, Sun Shining, a piece for five dancers that premiered on September 11, 2009, will be screened there.
I am grateful to Uttara Asha Coorlawala, Tatyana Kot-Diaz, Ingrid
Kullberg-Bendz, Trayer Run-kowzun and Mari Sakahara, the performers who
journeyed with me in the creation of the piece as well as to cellist
Madeleine Shapiro (no relation) through whom I found Matthew Burtner's Fragments from Cold
(for cello and electronics), a recording of which became the sound
score for the piece (with Shapiro on cello); and to NYFA for providing me
with a Special Opportunity Grant to support the performance of the piece.
