Legacy in Motion: The Happendance 50th Anniversary Choreographic Commission
Call for Proposals
Happendance, Michigan’s longest-running professional contemporary dance company, invites choreographers nationwide to submit proposals for a new commissioned work to premiere at our 50th Anniversary Gala Concert (August 2026). This landmark celebration will gather generations of artists, alumni, and community partners, honoring five decades of bold creativity and charting the path for our next fifty years.
We are seeking a choreographer whose artistic voice resonates with the theme of legacy—whether exploring lineage, intergenerational connection, collective memory, or the ways movement preserves and shapes stories that outlive us.
Commission Details
Commission Award: $5,000
Travel & Lodging: Provided
Rehearsal Period: 20-30 in-person hours to be scheduled in collaboration with the Happendance Professional Company in May of 2026. Non-regional choreographers may fit these hours into one week.
Premiere: 50th Anniversary Gala Concert (August 2026), Michigan State University Floodplains
Submission Requirements
Project proposal (1–2 pages) outlining concept, movement approach, collaborators (if any), and how your work speaks to the idea of legacy
1–3 video work samples (full works or excerpts)
Artistic bio or CV
$50 submission fee
Eligibility
Open to emerging and established choreographers/dance makers working in contemporary, modern, or interdisciplinary forms. Artists from historically underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Submission Deadline: January 24, 2026
Notification: On or Before February 22, 2026
Help us shape the next chapter of Happendance.
Submit your vision. Add your voice to our legacy. Complete the form below.
Questions? Contact RachelM@happendance.org; 517-333-3528, EXT. 201.