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Dance/NYC's 2021 Symposium Full Schedule and Keynote Speakers

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Dance/NYC

Dance/NYC is pleased to announce the full schedule and lineup of speakers and sessions for the 2021 Symposium. The Symposium will take place virtually from Wednesday, March 17 - Saturday, March 20, 2021. As the only gathering of its kind for the dance community in the metropolitan New York City area, the Symposium is an opportunity for the dance field to exchange ideas, expand networks, sharpen organizational practices, and deepen the inquiry around New York City's legacy and trajectory of dance-making.

"For the past five years, I've had the pleasure of spearheading our annual Symposium," said Alejandra Duque Cifuentes, Executive Director of Dance/NYC. "This year it is my immense privilege to hand the reins over to the incomparable Candace Thompson-Zachery, who is creating something truly significant for our community. She has worked with a committee of folks whose leadership and years of care make this another year of a 'for the people by the people' Symposium."

Curated by Candace Thompson-Zachery, Dance/NYC Manager of Justice, Equity and Inclusion Initiatives with advising from the Symposium Programming Committee, this year's theme is Justice. Transformation. Education.Thompson-Zachery shared, 'The 2021 theme works as a call to action inviting attendees across the dance field to reconsider how the field is organized, offering a north star to work towards, a bold statement of change and a commitment towards learning. If every attendee left feeling more connected to this larger community with a sense of the importance of their role as dance workers in creating more just and beautiful societies, we would have achieved our goal'.Content tracks are offered in alignment with the theme and each content track will be accompanied by a thematic guide curated by leading dance practitioners. These guides will feature essays, resource lists with related media, and reflection prompts providing deeper pathways to explore the Symposium topics.

2021 Thematic Guide Curators include Yanira Castro (Transformation), Maura Nguyen Donohue (Education) and Jonathan Gonzalez (Justice). 

 

Keynotes for the 2021 Symposium are as follows:

Symposium Keynote Address Bodies on the Line, Spirits at the Center by
Dr. Aimee Meredith Cox, Director of Undergrad Studies, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Africa, Yale University. This Keynote will ask, "What does it mean to center somatic, energetic and spiritual alignment as our field shapeshifts to address its own imbalances and injustices? How can dance lead humanity through this moment?".

 

A Reckoning of Power, Accountability and Gender Equity, will be moderated by
Lauren Wingenroth, Editor in Chief, Dance Teacher and Dance Business Weekly, Senior Consulting Editor, Dance Magazine.

 

Starting Again: A System Built for Us will be moderated by 
Ni'Ja Whitson, Interdisciplinary Artist.

 

The Studio to Stage Pipeline: a Story of Racism, Tendus and Black Death, will be moderated by
Gregory King, Assistant Professor of Dance at Kent State University.

 

Check out the full line up of sessions at Dance.NYC/DanceSymp.

 

Held this year as a fully digital experience on the Whova digital platform, the Symposium will include panel discussions, interactive workshops, networking sessions, a virtual expo hall and sponsorship opportunities. Attendees will be invited to celebrate at the virtual party hosted by DJ Frank Malloy and to dance at the short daily 'Dance Breaks' led by facilitators including DHQ (Dancehall Queen) Brat and Krishna Washburn. Sessions will include ASL interpretation and closed captions. The welcome event will also feature performances choreographed by students of the Hunter College Dance Dept: Esther Nozea (BA student) and Maiya Redding(MFA Student).

As in past years, Dance/NYC is partnering with cultural, financial, business, legal, and communications professionals to offer free, 30-minute, virtual, one-on-one consultations at the SmART Bar and Legal Clinic. Attendees will have the opportunity to seek support on a range of topics including: board development, fundraising, copyright issues, artist visas, and marketing and communications. The SmART Bar and Legal Clinic is organized in collaboration with Pentacle and the New York State Bar Association's Entertainment, Arts & Sports Law and Intellectual Property Sections.

Tickets are available for groups and individuals including students and members of Dance/NYC Justice, Equity, Inclusion Partners with individual prices ranging from $10 to $140. Ticket sales close March 5. Sponsorship, Ads, and Featured Attendee opportunities are also available through February 15. For more information, visit Dance.NYC/DanceSymp.

The list of featured session curators, presenters and consultants include: (in alphabetical order by first name)

• Aaron McKinney, General Manager, Hi-ARTS
• Abou Farman, (He/Him/His) Assistant Professor, New School; New Sanctuary Movement, Artspace Sanctuary; Immigrants. Dance. Arts. Task Force Member, Dance/NYC
• Ahimsa Timoteo Bodhran, Multimedia artist, poet
• Dr. Aimee Meredith Cox (She/Her/Hers), Cultural Anthropologist, Director of Undergrad Studies; Associate Professor of Anthropology and Africa, Yale University
• Alex Goleman (He/Him/His), Director of Fiscal Services, Pentacle
• Ana Nery Fragoso (She/Her/Hers), Dance Educator and Dance Director for the NYCDOE Office of Arts and Special Projects
• Anahid Sofian(She/Her/Hers), Executive Director, Anahid Sofian Studio 
• Antuan Byers (He/Him/His),Dancer, Movement Director, Founder / CEO, Black Dance Change Makers
• April Biggs, Independent Dance Artist, Choreographer, Teacher I Performer
• Ashley Denae Hannah, Financial Literacy Educator & Advocate, Dance Artist 
• Brittany Wilson, Founder, B. Wilson Producing Scholars
• Carol Foster, Special Programs Assistant for the International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD)
• Carrie Blake, Senior Consultant & Research Director
• Cathy Zimmerman, Engagement Opportunity Strategist, Pentacle
• Cesar Valentino (He/Him/His),Vogue Dance Icon and Pioneer
• Christina Dawkins, Founder of A4Abolitionist
• Christopher Bastardi, VP / Head, Strategy & Crisis, Sunshine Sachs (NY)
• Clarissa Soto Josephs, Associate Director, Pentacle
• Claudia Norman (She/Her/Hers), Producer, Celebrate Mexico Now Festival; Co Founder, The Generators
• Colette Denali Montoya-Sloan, Archivist/Librarian, Adelphi University's Manhattan Center and CUNY's Guttman Community College
• DHQ Brat (She/Her/Hers), Choreographer, Dancer, Teacher, Co-Founder of Queen Moves
• Donald Borror (He/Him/His),Executive Director, Dorrance Dance
• Douglas Scott, Artistic and Executive Director, Full Radius Dance
• Dustin Gibson, Founding Member, Harriet Tubman Collective
• Emily Johnson, Dancer and Choreographer, Guggenheim Fellow
• Esther Nozea, Student, Bachelor of Arts in Dance at Hunter College
• Frank Malloy IV, Musician, Composer, and DJ
• Germaul Barnes (He/Him/They), Choreographer, Director of Viewsic Dance, Curator of Contemporary Improvisation for Black Men 
• Gregory King (He/Him/His), Assistant Professor of Dance at Kent State University
• Iakowi:he'ne' Oakes, Executive Director of American Indian Community House
• Ingrid Silva (She/Her/Hers), Professional Ballet Dancer with Dance Theatre of Harlem, Founder of EmpowHerNY and Co-Founder of Blacks in Ballet
• Jamie Benson (He/Him/His), Marketing Consultant 
• Jane Anderson, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Museum Studies, New York University
• Jane Penn, Executive Director for RIOULT Dance NY
• JaQuel Knight, Director, Creative Director, Choreographer, Image Architect
• Jeffrey Guimon, Co-Founder & Artistic Director, Ball & Socket Arts and Artistic Planning Administrator, New York City Opera
• Jesse Phillips-Fein (She/Her/Hers), Choreographer, performer, and dance educator
• Jessica Massart (She/Her/Hers), Management and Marketing Professional
• Jody Arnold, Founder, Dance Education Laboratory; Producer, PS Dance
• Jonathan González (They/Them/Theirs), Transdisciplinary Artist, Educator
• Joti Singh (She/Her/Hers), Artistic Director, Duniya Dance and Drum Company
• Dr. Julia Iafrate, Sports Medicine Specialist
• Julian Schubach (He/Him/His), Vice President, Wealth Management, ODI Financial
• Kevin Gotkin (He,They), Co-Founder of the Disability/Arts/NYC Task Force and Visiting Assistant Professor, New York University
• Kimberly Marcotte (She/Her/Hers), Fiscal Associate at Pentacle/Danceworks Inc.
• Krishna Washburn (She/Her/Hers), Artistic Director of The Dark Room Ballet
• Krista Martins, Choreographer, Founder of Wukkout!®
• Lady Krow, Dancer and Visual Artist
• Laurel Lawson, Choreographic collaborator, Dancer, Designer, and Engineer with Kinetic Light
• Lauren Slone (She/Her/Hers),Director of Grants + Research, Map Fund
• Lauren Wingenroth (She/Her/Hers), Editor in Chief, Dance Teacher and Dance Business Weekly, Senior Consulting Editor, Dance Magazine
• Linda Kuo (She/Her/Hers), Director, Dancers Unlimited
• Linda LaBeija, Artistic Activist, Transgender Advocate, Performance Poet
• Luba Cortés, Immigrant Defense Coordinator, Make the Road New York
• Mariclaire Hulbert, Owner of Mariclare Hulbert Consulting
• Maiya Redding, Student, Master's of Fine Arts in Dance at Hunter College
• Maura Nguyen Donohue (She/Her/Hers), Associate Professor, Hunter College, City University of New York
• Melanie George (She/Her/Hers), Dance Project & Associate Curator at Jacob's Pillow
• Melissa Riker (She/Her/Hers) Choreographer, Kinesis Project dance theatre/Founder and Collective Member, Dance Rising
• Michael Manswell (He/Him/His), Choreographer and Teaching Artist, Something Positive, Inc. 
• Nel Shelby, Founder and Principal of Nel Shelby Productions
• Nelida Tirado (She/Her/Hers), Artistic Director and Teacher of Nelida Tirado Flamenco
• Ni'Ja Whitson (They/Them/Theirs) Interdisciplinary Artist 
• Nicole Macotsis (She/Her/Hers), Cultural Worker and Founder of Traditions in Motion
• Nicole Wallace (She/Her/They/Them), Managing Director, The Poetry Project
• Nijeul X. Porter, ArtEquity, Cultural Organizer, Educator, and Producer
• Niya Nicholson, Managing Director of MOVE|NYC
• Olivia Mode-Cater (She/Her/Hers), Founder and CEO, Dance Ed Tips
• Perel (They, Them, Theirs), Interdisciplinary Artist, Choreographer, & Writer 
• Dr. Renee Ortega, Dance/Movement Therapist and Occupational Therapy Assistant
• Rodney Eric Lopez (He/Him/His), Principal, Rodney Eric Lopez Enterprises
• Romola Lucas, Principal, Law Office of Romola O. Lucas
• Sandy Garcia, Director of Booking, Pentacle
• Sue Latham, Vice President of Development, Citymeals on Wheels, Pentacle
• Sydnie Mosley, Artistic Director, Sydnie L. Mosley Dances
• Tiffany Rea-Fisher, Artistic Director & Choreographer, Elisa Monte Dance
• Ximena Garnica (She/Her/Hers),Artistic Co-Director, LEIMAY
• Yanira Castro (She/Her/Hers), Independent Artist, a canary torsi
• Yo-Yo Lin, Interdisciplinary media artist

 

About Dance/NYC

Dance/NYC's mission to promote and encourage the knowledge, appreciation, practice, and performance of dance in the metropolitan New York City area. It embeds core values of justice, equity, and inclusion into all aspects of its programs and operations.