WHITE WAVE: A Success Story
Dancing on through thick and thin
WHITE WAVE
Young Soon Kim Dance Company
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When WHITE WAVE Young Soon Kim Dance Company relocated to DUMBO, Brooklyn in 2001, 25 Jay Street was a very different place. Over the course of a decade, through dedication and perseverance, Ms. Kim and the WHITE WAVE team transformed what was once a dusty, dingy warehouse, into a shining, beautiful performance space. WHITE WAVE John Ryan Theater became a space that enabled WHITE WAVE to continue its mission of promoting and presenting rising choreographers from around the world.
Unfortunately, the beautiful waterfront location succumbed to tragedy when Hurricane Sandy hit, causing extensive damage to the space, which would cost over 0,000 to repair. WHITE WAVE was unprepared for such a destructive event and the future looked bleak. In April 2013, WHITE WAVE was faced with possible eviction, and the loss of such a space would be an incredible and irreversible blow to both WHITE WAVE and the larger dance community. The organization therefore turned to the people who would best understand the importance of saving WHITE WAVE and the John Ryan Theater: the public.
Through the help of GoFundMe, WHITE WAVE reached out to dancers, supporters, and friends to ask for their aid in saving the space. The campaign was successful in raising 7,500, and garnered countless messages of support and encouragement from well over 100 donors. All of us at WHITE WAVE were deeply moved and revitalized by the outpour of support.
Over the summer, the excitement continued when WHITE WAVE Young Soon Kim Dance Company received the honor of being selected as a participant in the 2013/2014 BAM Professional Development Program (PDP). As a participant, WHITE WAVE will have the opportunity to work with BAM and the DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the Kennedy Center to build the necessary foundations for its long-term success by expanding WHITE WAVE's skill base and increasing its institutional capacity, through workshop sessions in marketing, fundraising, etc. The program culminates with each participating company presenting a self-funded production in the Judith and Alan Fishman Theater Space in 2014.
WHITE WAVE's inclusion in BAM PDP has been the height of the company's successes to date and is sure to be the start of a whole new chapter filled with even greater success. Now, WHITE WAVE is proud to kickoff its Fall Festival Series, including the 13th annual DUMBO DANCE FESTIVAL (Sep. 26-29) and 8th annual WAVE RISING SERIES (Oct. 23-Nov. 10), with its Gala Opening Night Fundraiser on Thursday, September 26th! For more information on these exciting upcoming events, including a downloadable press release and performance schedule, please visit whitewavedance.com.
