Community Dance Project
Community Dance Project 2010
Now in its fifth year, the Community Dance Project (CDP) offers free modern dance performances in three very different venues throughout the Lansing area. All performances are free and open to the public.
Community is the focus of CDP as it works to demystify modern dance for audience members, nurture Lansing area choreographers and dancers, and foster partnerships with arts organizations in the area. Prior to the presentation of each dance, the choreographer verbally shares his or her intentions and process with the audience. At the conclusion of the show, dancers and choreographers answer audience questions in a talk-back session. The dialogue enriches the experience of watching and critiquing dance in an open, casual environment. Project partners with Happendance include Lansing Community College Department of Arts and Humanities, Terpsichore’s Mentor, Jazzfest, and Scene Metrospace.
Special to the project this year is a dance for 40+ community people, led by Happendance founder Diane Newman, who received an Individual Artist Grant from the Arts Council of Greater Lansing to mount this ambitious work titled Everybody Dance Now. Other choreographers include Jessica Shank, a home-grown artist that got her start in high school as a Happendance School student, studied at LCC, became involved with CDP, and is now a Happendance professional dancer and choreographer. Cameron Spitzfaden is CDP’s youngest choreographer at 14 years old. University of Michigan dance faculty member, Bill DeYoung, has also donated choreography in support of the project that features two recent high school graduates in a powerful duet. In all, there are 14 dances and 50 local dancers and choreographers involved.
"The Community Dance Project is the most important event we produce at Happendance,” says Community Dance Project artistic director Missy Lilje. ”It welcomes people with all levels of background -- choreographers and dancers alike -- to express, observe and dialogue through modern dance. As far as we know, this project is unique in Michigan.“
The activities of Happendance and the Community Dance Project are made possible in part by funding from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, the Arts Council Center of Greater Lansing, and private contributors. The Community Dance Project, sponsored by Happendance, presents an hour-long concert of modern dance by both seasoned and novice choreographers and featuring 40 community dancers to present these exciting new works. Shows are immediately followed by an informal talk-back session with the artists and Artistic Director, Missy Lilje. Performances are free and open to the public. Venue is handicapper accessible.
~See photo of past CDP shows here.~
The mission of the Community Dance Project is to enhance the understanding and accessibility of the modern dance genre by providing the foundation to share knowledge between novice and experienced choreographers, to expose audiences to the choreographic process, to strengthen relationships among various community dance agencies and to perform in a variety of venues that bring modern dance to the Greater Lansing community.
The Community Dance Project (CDP), founded by Happendance in 2005, is a unique venture that strives to bring the art of modern dance to the forefront of community arts experiences. Through a variety of summer activities, CDP endeavors to make modern dance accessible on several different levels.
- First, novice choreographers are given the opportunity to work with experienced choreographers that may not have previously been accessible to them. Novices are each paired with a professional choreographer who guides them through the choreographic process as well as rehearsal strategies and production considerations.
- Second, CDP strives to make modern dance more understandable to the public. Within the informal performance structure, each choreographer shares his/her inspiration and creative process with the audience, including how ideas change and develop thru the course of the creative and rehearsal process.
- Additionally, CDP connects dance artists from various community dance agencies/businesses. This is not a forum for a company director to showcase his/her company, but rather, an opportunity for dancers and choreographers, who may be new to each other, a chance to work together.
- And finally, CDP continually seeks summer performance venues throughout the Greater Lansing Area thereby bringing modern dance to smaller localities as well as local festivals.
Happendance, in partnership with Lansing Community College’s Dance Program and Terpsichore’s Mentor (a local business), orchestrates the management of the Community Dance Project each year. The CDP Leadership Team includes members from these sponsor agencies as well as the current CDP artistic director.
New sponsors (agencies who offer their time and resources to the Leadership Team) as well as new supporters (communities or businesses who offer their facilities for rehearsal and/or performance, or other resources) are welcome.
Historically, the project has received mini-grants from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs for minimal production costs and guest artist workshops. Participating local dancers and novice choreographers are not paid for their involvement in CDP. However, with the attainment of grant funds, professional artists, mentors, and the production staff may receive a nominal stipend.
