USA (7)

COLLECTION ON DAVID'S ZAMBRANO'S WORK ON DANCE-TECH.TV

soul project tour

"an enthralling evening of visceral solos"

 - NY Times

 

SOUL PROJECT
David Zambrano

  

Soul Project, conceived and directed by the legendary David Zambrano, in collaboration with a cast of seven remarkable performers from Mozambique, Slovenia, Greece, Slovakia, the U.S. and Venezuela, invites you to get close with its glorious performers and your fellow audience members as spontaneous solos performed to classic soul tunes erupt all around you. The joy is contagious as dancers strive to embody the dance as deeply and powerfully as soul music greats -- Aretha Franklin, Ike & Tina Turner, Bettye Lavette, Gladys Knight & The Pips among others -- reveal the song.

 
 
DEBUT U.S. TOUR
Produced by MAPP International Productions

 

April 14
Milwaukee, WI

 

April 19 - 21
New York, NY

 

April 27 - 28
San Francisco, CA

 

April 30 - May 1
Austin, TX

 

May 3
Stanford, CA

 

May 10 - 12
Minneapolis, MN

May 17 - 19
Miami, FL
 
 
The U.S. tour of Soul Project is made possible with the support of the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Dance Project of the New England Foundation for the Arts, supported by lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and additional funding provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Community Connections Fund of the MetLife Foundation, and the Boeing Company Charitable Trust. 
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Rhode Island School of Design


Rhode Island School of Design seeks a forward thinking and experienced artist/designer, educator and scholar for the position of Associate Professor in its highly regarded Graduate Department of Digital + Media, with the expectation that this individual will also serve as the appointed Department Head starting July 2011. Established in 2003, the Department of Digital + Media offers an MFA program for approximately 30 students a year who bring diverse research interests and creative explorations of technology and the digital world to the fields of contemporary art/design, and new media practices. It is one of three stand-alone graduate departments at RISD. Because of its interdisciplinary structure and reach, the Department of Digital + Media has developed strong connections to other departments and programs both at RISD and at neighboring Brown University. The position offers a unique opportunity for a dynamic intellectual and pedagogical leader to guide the future of the department in its exploration of advanced art, design and research practices within the current cultural environment of ubiquitous digital media. The successful candidate should be an artist/designer who is engaged in the understanding of emergent, adaptive and social media technologies and their relationship with other media, disciplines and debates within contemporary theory. She/he will foster a department culture of curricular innovation in which faculty are encouraged to develop progressive teaching and research practices. As Department Head, she/he will play a pivotal role in supporting the diverse practices of D + M graduate students and forging partnerships with other graduate programs at RISD, as well as external research partners. She/he will develop the role of the Digital + Media Department as a research incubator and creative forum at RISD, and advance the Digital + Media program within the expanding field of new media and technology in art and design graduate education.

Applicants should have a terminal graduate degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience in art, design, media, computer art, or contemporary theory; at least 5 years of full-time teaching at the college or university (especially graduate) level or the equivalent; a demonstrated background and interest in academic, intellectual leadership in a graduate program; and a strong record of research and creative work.

Applicants should provide a letter of interest; statement of teaching and leadership philosophy in the context of this field of inquiry; curriculum vitae; names and contact information for three references; examples of creative and scholarly work; and selected syllabi from courses taught with examples of student work.

Review of applications will begin immediately, and continue until the position is filled. Candidates who submit their materials by January 5, 2011, will be assured full consideration.

For more information about RISD and to apply online visit http://www.risd.edu/jobs


RISD is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage inquiries from candidates who will enrich and contribute to the cultural and ethnic diversity of our College. RISD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetics, or any other protected characteristic as established by law, in employment, or in our education programs.


About the Department of Digital + Media:

The Department of Digital + Media is engaged in a critical examination and exploration of the dynamic relationship of technology, contemporary culture, media, and physical objects, time and space. It offers a two-year MFA with annual enrollment of thirty graduate students with a diverse range of undergraduate and professional backgrounds. The mission of the department is to create a resonant environment for leading edge creative work and research focusing on the creative potentials of media and contemporary technologies. Embracing the broad and dynamic potential of digital media as a ubiquitous tool across many domains, the department fosters exploratory work that exhibits a high degree of innovative visual, sonic, and/or textual expression with conceptual clarity and technological insight and agility. A continuum between digital media and physical objects, virtual and actual space is emphasized.

Working from a cogent theoretical, historical, and conceptual curricular core, the department is an environment that supports diverse forms of experimentation for students. Students are immersed in a multi-perspective approach to knowledge and contemporary culture with particular relevance to their own areas of interest merged with theory and critique from other disciplines and areas of research. Through a complex understanding of the capacity of digital and new media and social practices through conceptual, critical, social, and cultural inquiry, students pursue ambitious independent work and theses. Multiple, but interconnected, core intellectual values include:

- To know how to use digital (and analog) technologies; study and understand the various perspectives of their histories and how they came to be

- To understand the implications materialized in a device or technology; why they are there and for whom, in order to challenge, critique, and interrogate the embedded assumptions and prescriptions and engage critically with technologies

- To investigate existing or make new technologies from the perspectives of artists and designers rather than from traditionally trained engineers

- To work in the areas of social practice, activist practice, and science, technology, and society studies in both material and community projects

Performance, installation, dance, film, sound, objects, two- and three-dimensions, video, glass, ceramics, architecture – any of these forms and media may be part of students' practice and research, but these forms are not the sole reason the work exists.

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From Chris Elam, director of Misnomer Dance Theater and Founder of the Audience Engagement Platform for the Arts (AEP) www.aeplatform.org

Hi all,

Misnomer is hiring for a Community Manager for the Audience Engagement Platform, based here in NYC. If you or someone you know are interested, we'd love to hear from you.
The description is here:
Here's the description of the Beta service that you'd be participating in bringing to life:
Thanks,
Chris Elam
Artistic Director & CEO
Misnomer Dance Theater
www.misnomer.org
Ph: 917-602-0478

Founder of the Audience Engagement Platform for the Arts (AEP) www.aeplatform.org
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Dance USA “Crossing Borders” Conference was held in Washington,DC at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Arlington,Virginia (suburb of Washington, DC) June 16-19, 2010. The following comments are written by Maida Withers and submitted to Dance Tech-net blog, June 18, 2010

Day One (Wednesday): The opening night.

Maida Withers Dance Construction Company performed a site specific work, Collision Course, for the opening gala for the Dance USAConference, Crossing Borders, at the House of Sweden on the PotomacRiver, Washington, DC. The dancers, Anthony Gongora, Giselle Ruzany,and Nate Bond wore pillows secured on various parts of their body withpackaging tape. Many free pillows werescattered on the lawn. Dancers proceededup the grassy knoll to press themselves along the full-wall glass windows ofthe beautiful House of Sweden. Conference participants were inside the building watching as the dancerspressed their bodies like graffiti along the glass wall. Dancers proceeded to dance freely once theymoved off the glass wall and tumbled down the grassy knoll. The dance concluded with dancers diving ontopillows as they were thrown into the air and crashing to the ground. Collision Course is a site dance that takeson different aspects based on intention and location. Jane Franklin and Daniel Burkholders groupsalso performed.

The food was excellent and the company for the gala very nice and diverse with people from all parts of the USAand abroad. Severalartists/managers were there from Ireland.

Day Two (Thursday):

Attendees broke up into discussion groups/forums in the morning. I attended the session withArtistic Directors with budgets under $300K. It was a very diverse group from directors who had no staff positions toorganizations with budgets over one million dollars. Each member stated what concern they had atthis time. The group leader directed us,then, in our discussion to issues suggested: staffing, boards, touring, and many other management issues related tosurvival. It was a productive meetingwith a somewhat limited agenda that seemed to center on management valuesprimarily. The larger budgets seemed tobe related to schools connected to the Companies or education programs. Compared to the 1960s there seems to be agreat deal of money available to the dance companies (beyond tickets at thegate) such as $30,000 or more from cities or county arts agencies, etc. Several commented on the challenge tomaintain artistic focus on the dance works in this survival process ofdiversification. Dancers always have a good time when they get together....certainly that was true in this case.

It was my pleasure to attend two session on International aspects of dance today.

During the first session, Frank Hodsoll, chaired a committee with cultural representatives from Japan,UK, Mexico,and the USA. Each panelist presented the governmental/nongovernmental approach to international exchange. As a USAcitizen/artist who is mostly interested in international culture exchange, I am hopeful that there will be some development in culturaldiplomacy supported by the US Government/Embassies soon. With the demise of the USIA the USAcontinues to struggle with a systematic way of engaging American artistsabroad. More direct discussion ofparticular programs (Cultural Envoy, etc). will take place on Friday at theconference.

The second international session raised the question of the view of American (United States, actually) dance from abroad. There was a panel led the Chair of the National Endowment for the ArtsInternational Programs with panelists from Mexico,Germany, and Spain. The topic is a worthy one but also achallenge. Mexicospoke about the extensive influence of Limon, Sokolow and others in Mexico. Mexicohas a formalized international program with four regions where a company isable to apply to tour there. Spainand Germanyindicated the recent lack of interest in dance in the USAand the inability to bring companies/dancers from the USA(costs/aesthetics). The United States isa long way away when European countries are so close. However, in Europe it seemed there is also about a lack of interestin what American (United States) dance is doing, it appeared to me. In addition, if the U.S. Embassies do notsupport American artists, there is not much chance of selection in Europe. One audience member indicated “the elephantin the room” was the rude treatment that many American artists receive whenthey are in Europe. Some agreed that this was present for them as well. I thought the conversation in total was toooriented toward Europe/U.S. exchange and not global enough. Also, I feel the idea of an individualcreating new/original work in a democratic process that is free of governmentalcontrol has been embraced globally. Perhaps this means there is not a “dominant” nation in modern orpost-modern dance at this time. Whyshould there be? I recognize this is asomewhat “democratic” perspective, but if there is a U.S. value,individual freedom of expression in dance with no government intervention wouldbe expected. There were many differentvoices heard in the brief one and one-half hour discussion. What was lacking was a two-way perspective ofhow dancers and governments are viewing each other. There was an edge of volatility in the topic I felt.

I am unable to attend the next two day sessions, but there are more discussions/presentations planned with international focus.

The Dance USA Conference was successful in my opinion for day one and day two. There was a great deal of opportunity for people to express opinion and to learn and broaden perspectives. Congratulations to Dance USAstaff and local artists who donated time and energy to receive guest to ourcity. I look forward to reading others blogs covering the final two days.

Maida Withers

Maida Withers Dance Construction Company

Professor, The George Washington University

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Download pdf here

We seek a dance professional who is actively engaged in a combination of creative activity and
theoretical inquiry with an emphasis on video/film and dance (including but not limited to dance
documentaries, experimental dance for camera, and/or dance documentation and archiving). We
welcome a person who is currently connected to the forefront of video art as it relates to bodily
expression and choreographic composition and has established relationships with the professional
field nationally and internationally. We value an artist/teacher with an interdisciplinary perspective
who is excited by the investigation of the full range of possibilities for video as a creative and
practical element of a dance education and career. We strongly encourage applicants who will
diversify our curriculum and our faculty with regard to race, gender, and ethnicity.

Our new faculty colleague will contribute:
In Research: creating, directing or re-imagining dances for the camera, intermedia
performances, or hybrid creative research projects for the web or DVD, and/or ethnographic and
documentary filmmaking as related to dance and choreography.
In Teaching: investigating video as a creative, scholarly, and practical medium in dance,
sharing the fundamentals of choreographic craft for the screen, instructing students in skills
necessary for the documentation of stage performances for professional development and
historical concerns, and contributing in other additional curricular areas as appropriate (such as
production, dance composition, notation, history, theory, or technique). Demonstrated expertise
in the use of digital video equipment for shooting (lighting, camera operation, sound) and a
range of post-production software is desired.
In Service: leadership in undergraduate and graduate programs, curriculum development,
advising, and governance within the department, college, university, and the field at large.

Position: Assistant Professor, full-time, tenure track
Qualifications: Advanced degree preferred, professional experience required
Application deadline: September 20, 2010
Date of Hire: Autumn Quarter 2011

Send Letter of Application, Resume or Vita, and 3 Letters of Reference by September 20, 2010 to:
Norah Zuniga Shaw, Chair, Search Committee
The Ohio State University, Department of Dance
1813 North High Street, Columbus, OH 43210-1307
E-mail: zuniga.11@osu.edu

To build a diverse workforce, The Ohio State University encourages applications from individuals
with disabilities, minorities, veterans, and women. EEO/AA Employer.
students in a comprehensive way within the lively
discourse of a major research university, and
providing multiple avenues toward future careers
within an evolving field.

Our department is staffed by 14 resident faculty,
adjunct educators, guest artists, visiting scholars,
and 15 graduate associates. We serve 100
undergraduates in the BFA program, 35 graduate
students in MFA or PhD programs, 80 dance
minors, and 500 students each quarter in the non-
major program.

About the College
The Arts are housed within Arts and Humanities
inside Arts and Sciences at OSU. It is a
comprehensive visual and performing arts
institution, with departments of Art, Art Education,
Dance, Design, History of Art, and Theatre, along
with the School of Music, and the Advanced
Computing Center for Art and Design (ACCAD).

About the University
The Ohio State University was ranked 18th among
public universities in U.S. News and World Report’s
2009 edition of America’s Best Colleges.

About Columbus
Columbus, Ohio is the 16th largest city in the U.S.,
and was recently ranked as one of the top ten
cities for the arts by American Style magazine.
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Zis Landmass Zat Loov

Baywood, CABaywood, CAMontaña de Oro, CA (Spooner's Cove)Bishop's Peak, San Luis Obispo, CAMorro Bay (Morro Rock), CASan Luis Obispo, CA1.4.2009Wow, I can’t believe I have not written. Life really does fly by. I have been the laziest son well… daughter of a bitch. (That sounds bad... sorry mom.) I mean I’ve been doing a lot… a lot of hanging out. A lot of exercising and be in my optimum dancer body, sans studio and indoor rehearsals... A lot of buying things that I don’t need, then going through my storage unit and keeping everything. I am trying to get rid of some nick-knacks and sentimentalities, but it’s not working. I look at the things I own and think… “Someday, when I have a house, I will put this in it somewhere and use it.” I don’t want to bring anything back to NY because my roommate will just throw it away. I can’t trust him around objects. But I can’t keep all of my things in a vault.Everything has been in storage for almost four years. That’s a long time to be separated from a life that was not quite right--without a thorough visitation. Graduate school was such a dream. Things were set-up and people just did a lot of thinking and made art and worked on papers. It was really hard, I don’t want to make it sound simple or easy… I honestly thought it would lead me to something, like a job. I’m still trying to understand what I gained from my experience there, besides debt. I know. I remember now. One of my crucial decisions in going to school there was because it was close to my grandparents.......I keep asking myself what’s wrong with me? The past 8 months on the road those questions surface… what’s wrong with me? For many years it is easy to blame others for personal or professional misfires, but when one spends so much time alone that question is both surprising and inevitable amidst the bliss of such a trip. The travel. The life. The past 8 months have been the best of my life, which states much. I have traveled in Nepal and hiked in the Himalayas. I have spent three-months living in London and a month in Vienna at a fantastic dance festival. And many other events which could lead to a full anthology of Berkeley, Olympia, Seattle, Portland, Columbus, San Luis Obispo and now New York/Brooklyn/Dominicahassidica.The past months brought me something that I have been missing my whole life, a true connection with this landmass. I was able to see such amazing natural beauty, ponder the people of this land, spend time with Isadora, go wherever I wanted when I wanted, and figure my artistic body and expand my choreographic voice. The independence was exhilarating. In NY I am depressed roughly fifty-probably-sixty percent of the time, while traveling, toward the end, when I was used to seeing new things all the time and could anticipate my encounters, then my depression entered the van. That’s when I stopped blaming anyone else but myself. The depression changed into a puzzle. What did I do? How could I change it? Could I change anything? Do I care? I like the way I am, why would I want to change? I am still pondering these things and wondering if the energy I put into thinking about other people is a personal barrier. Or is it just the way I look? I’ve wondered that too. I’m not pretty, I’m not ugly; although, I know can be beautiful in the right light. My body is not great. Perhaps I’m just so averagewowmid-sentence I fell asleep for 45 minutes. Not very interested in non-existent issues. Many other things to think about, or just sleep. Sleeping is an entirely acceptable place to go when pondering one’s own looks.Onward and outwardMorro Bay (Morro Rock), CAAvila Beach, CASan Luis Obispo, CA... Sunrise... with Isadora
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