In Process: the NC Dance Festival podcast

Bringing Season 2 of In Process to a close, Festival Director Anne Morris chats with fellow Dance Project Executive Director, Lauren Joyner, as they reflect on memories and highlights from the second half of the season. They echo ideas from the wide spectrum of guests about establishing a healthy and sustainable dance career, the need for equal access to funding and opportunities, and reexamining what a thriving career in dance can look like. "In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf Info about NCDF call for submissions: https://danceproject.org/ncdf-apply/ To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival Guests featured in this episode: Gerri Houlihan Jody Cassell Rae Cozart MaD O'Brien Kendall Ramirez Faith Fidgeon Jeff Aguiar Princess Johnson Milanda McGinnis April Parker Alexandra Joye Warren Dr. David Popoli Lesa Broadhead Links to episodes mentioned: Gerri Houlihan and Jody Cassell https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-17-The-grace-and-dignity-of-my-years-guests-Jody-Cassell-and-Gerri-Houlihan-e1fmnnn UNCSA 2022 grads (Faith Fidgeon, Kendall Ramirez, Rae Cozart, and maD O'Brien) https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-22-What-is-my-learning-going-to-look-like--Guests-Faith-Fidgeon--Rae-Cozart--Kendall-Ramirez--maD-OBrien-e1j35c3 Jeff Aguiar https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-12-Lean-into-artistry-as-disruption-guest-Jeff-Aguiar-e1dna1i Black Creatives (Milanda McGinnis, April Parker, Princess Johnson, Alexandra Joye Warren) Part 1: https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-15-Speaking-my-truth-part-1-guests-Princess-Howell-Johnson--Milanda-McGinnis--April-Parker--Alexandra-Joye-Warren-e1eqn2b/a-a7ffc5o Part 2: https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-16-Speaking-my-truth-part-2-Guests-Princess-Howell-Johnson--Milanda-McGinnis--April-Parker--Alexandra-Joye-Warren-e1f53u7/a-a7gnb4f Dr. David Popoli https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-21-Its-about-keeping-people-moving-e1ibu93 Lesa Broadhead https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-18-A-culture-of-confidence-and-creativity-guest-Lesa-Broadhead-e1gfrni

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris speaks with four 2022 UNCSA contemporary dance graduates, Faith Fidgeon, Kendall Ramirez, maD O'Brien, and Rae Cozart. As these artists transition out of guided education, we discuss the ways they are trying to deal with that disorientation and take control of their own learning. We'll talk about why it feels like they've been thrown by an elephant, how the pandemic changed their relationship to dance, and the kind of artistic communities they are looking to create, serve and participate in. Links: Come see our guests perform with Chris Yon and Taryn Griggs at ADF this June: https://americandancefestival.org/event/made-in-north-carolina/ Websites for the artists: Rae Cozart: https://www.rachelmcozart.com/ IG: @raecozartt LinkedIn: Rae Cozart maD O'Brien: https://obrienml4.wixsite.com/mysite IG: @madmarshob Faith Fidgeon: https://faithfidgeon.squarespace.com/ IG: @faithfidgeon LinkedIn: Faith Fidgeon Kendall Ramirez: https://kendallramirezartist.squarespace.com/ IG: @kendall_ramirez

This week festival director Anne Morris speaks with Dr. David Popoli, a Sports Medicine physician at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist specializing in Performing Arts Medicine. Dr. Popoli speaks about his dedication to approaching the work of getting artists safely and sustainably back to their artform by considering artist health in a holistic way, from sports medicine to physical therapy to nutrition and psychology. He shares his tactics for providing patient-driven care by learning the language of dance, music, and other arts, and striving to keep performing arts medicine clinics as safe spaces for artists. "In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed Links: IG: https://www.instagram.com/atriumhealthwfb FB: https://www.facebook.com/AtriumHealthWakeForestBaptist/ For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week Festival director Anne Morris speaks with ShaLeigh Comerford, founder, and director of ShaLeigh Dance Works, and Jodee Nimerichter, Executive Director of the American Dance Festival (ADF) in Durham, NC. An annual festival bringing students and dance companies from across the US and internationally, the American Dance Festival plays a particular role in providing opportunities for students and audiences to experience the breadth and depth of modern dance. In this conversation, Jodee and ShaLeigh talk about how much can be learned by driving a bus, the kinds of education many artists are missing, and the importance of building and drawing on artistic networks. Links: Connect with ShaLeigh: Instagram: #shaleighdanceworks Twitter: @ShaleighDance Facebook: @shaleighdanceworks Connect with Jodee/American Dance Festival: Instagram: @americandancefest Twitter: @AmerDanceFest Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmerDanceFest Website: americandancefestival.org For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris speaks with the President of NCDEO (North Carolina Dance Education Organization) and Dance educator, Laura Stauderman. The mission of NCDEO is to support and advance dance education in NC as a component of lifelong learning while providing resources and creating a sense of community for NC dance educators. As a high school dance educator herself, Laura sees firsthand the impact of exposing the next generation to art early on and the social-emotional benefits dance provides. In this conversation, we discuss how those social-emotional benefits became essential during COVID, how art education and experiences are critical even to those not considering a career in the arts, and how connection through dance helps students and educators thrive. "In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed Links from this episode: NCDEO: https://ncdeo.org/ NDEO: https://www.ndeo.org/ FB: @northcarolinadeo IG:@ncdeo Twitter:@ncdanceedo For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week Festival Director Anne Morris speaks with Lesa Broadhead, teaching artist and director of the Dance Theatre of DREAMS, at the DREAMS Center for Arts Education in Wilmington, NC. The mission of DREAMS is to create a culture of confidence for youth and teens through equitable access to arts education. Lesa talks about how she overcame the initial challenge of transitioning from leading college-level dance programs to an after-school dance program, how she collaborates with others in the community to provide pre-professional experiences to her students, and the joy of nurturing the natural creativity and curiosity of young children. "In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed Links from this episode: DREAMS -- https://givetodreams.org/ For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week's episode, adapted from a community conversation at the February 2022 Monthly Dancer Chat, features Jody Cassell and Gerri Houlihan in conversation about aging as dancers. Jody and Gerri share their experiences about their journeys as dancers into their later life and how they maintain their bodies, minds, and spirits to continue feeding their love for dance as their relationship to the art form changes. They provide inspiration on how to nurture the artist within throughout the joys and challenges of aging. “In Process” is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed Listen to the full podcast at: https://danceproject.org/in-process/ Links: Spring Forest Qigong Holden Qigong The Big Red Dance Project Gerri's class at American Dance Festival Studio: https://americandancefestival.org/studios/dancestudios/adult-classes/ For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris continues a conversation with four Greensboro-based artists: Princess Howell Johnson, Milanda McGinnis, April Parker, and Alexandra Joye Warren. In this 2-part conversation, these four women have an honest discussion on what is needed locally and nationally for Black artists to thrive, and the structural barriers that Black artists have faced and continue to confront and overcome. In the second part of the conversation, we discuss the impact that repeated rejection from funding or presenting structures can have on mental health, the ripple effects of being unapologetically true to your authentic self, and practical suggestions to predominantly white-led organizations for sharing resources and taking a step back so Black-led organizations can rise. "In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed Links: Part 1 of this conversation. SoulFlower Wellness/Milanda McGinnis Podcast: Girl You Ain't Crazy Joyemovement Dance Company/ Alexandra Joye Warren Royal Expressions/Princess Johnson Elsewhere Museum/April Parker Black Creatives Revival: May 20-22 For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris speaks with four Greensboro-based artists: Princess Howell Johnson, Milanda McGinnis, April Parker, and Alexandra Joye Warren. In this 2-part conversation, these four women have an honest discussion on what is needed locally and nationally for Black artists to thrive, and the structural barriers that Black artists have faced and continue to confront and overcome. In this first part of the conversation, we talk about the ways these artists create spaces for and by Black artists, and how their feelings about that work have shifted over the years. We also speak on the importance of “who is in the room,” when decisions about funding, artistic opportunities, and more are on the line, and the ways that efforts like the Black Creatives Revival can support Black artists. "In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed Links: SoulFlower Wellness/Milanda McGinnis Podcast: Girl You Ain't Crazy Joyemovement Dance Company/ Alexandra Joye Warren Royal Expressions/Princess Johnson Elsewhere Museum/April Parker Black Creatives Revival: May 20-22 For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week Festival Director Anne Morris speaks with Tarayjah Hoey-Gordon, a dance educator, movement artist, and the founder of Dance Now Cry Later, an organization created to Educate, Elevate, and Inspire the next generation of dancers. Tarayjah shares the creative ways she's finding to mentor young dance artists and describes her drive to create spaces and relationships that she would have benefitted from as she came up in the dance community. Tarayjah provides insight on how we can better respect Street Dance culture and break down the barriers between communities in the dance world, including studio dancers, street dancers, K-12 dance educators, and more. Hear how her position on the border of many of these communities provides a unique perspective and fuels her dedication to feed the NC dance community as a whole. "In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed Links from this episode: Website: www.DanceNowCryLater.com Connect on Social Media: IG: @Tarayjah @DanceNowCryLater FB: https://www.facebook.com/DanceNowCryLater Website: www.DanceNowCryLater.com For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf Info about NCDF call for submissions: https://danceproject.org/ncdf-apply/ To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

Last year on the podcast, Vania Claiborne, Dance Project staff member, choreographer, and educator, hosted a special conversation focused on the experience of some of the Black dance artists connected to Dance Project and the NC Dance Festival. It is such a rich conversation that we wanted to revisit it this year. Vania speaks with Amelia Renee Byrd and Jordan Booker-Medley about the experiences and mentors that have influenced who they are as artists, what it was like to see themselves reflected on the stage for the first time, how they navigate expectations our culture puts on the artistic work of Black choreographers, and what they are looking forward to exploring creatively. Since this episode was originally released, Jordan has started a new job as Company Manager fellow for Wicked on Broadway. Amelia completed her Artist Residency with Dance Project in December 2021, and you can see and discuss the work she created for the residency in the NC Dance Festival's next Virtual Dance Discovery Club on March 10. Links: Upcoming Virtual Dance Discovery Club: March 10, 6:30-8pm, FREE. Info and register: danceproject.org/ncdf Connect with these artists on IG: Vania Claiborne Amelia Byrd Jordan Booker-Medley Info about NCDF call for submissions: https://danceproject.org/ncdf-apply/ To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, I'm talking with Jeff Aguiar, Theater and Literature Director for the North Carolina Arts Council. Jeff is a performing artist himself, as well as a PhD candidate in Conflict Analysis and Resolution Studies, studying the ways in which art is socially and politically engaged. We discuss the ways that the NC Arts Council is making shifts to be more responsive to artist and community needs and more equitable in their funding practices, the role of art and dance in pushing shifts like these forward, and Jeff's call to artists to be fully present wherever they are in their journey. In the last part of the episode, Jeff describes the grant programs the NC Arts Council is anticipating for 2022-23. "In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed Links from this episode: NC Arts Council: https://www.ncarts.org/ NC Arts Council grants: https://www.ncarts.org/opportunities/grants/grants-organizations Connect on Social Media: IG: @ncartscouncil FB: North Carolina Arts Council For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf Info about NCDF call for submissions: https://danceproject.org/ncdf-apply/ To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris talks with Heather Hartley and Phil Reynolds, the founders of Trillium Arts, a residency center outside of Asheville, NC, that supports artists through a variety of residency and creative exchange programs. They moved to North Carolina a few years ago, from Chicago, where both had extensive experience working in the performing arts sector. Most recently Heather was the executive director of See Chicago Dance, a service and advocacy organization, and Phil was executive director of Chicago Dancers United from 2016 to 2019 and executive director of the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago for 17 years. We'll talk about their hopes for Trillium to be a greenhouse for artists, the need for statewide advocacy for dance, and the richness of the dance landscape in North Carolina. "In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed Links from this episode: Connect with Trillium Arts: https://www.trilliumartsnc.org/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/TrilliumArts IG: @Trilliumartsnc For more information about Artist Residencies and to apply at the February 15 deadline: https://www.trilliumartsnc.org/artist-residencies For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, we are taking some time at the beginning of a new year to reflect back on the past months and look ahead to the future. Since August, this podcast has featured a variety of people across the NC dance community, and in nearly each conversation, we've asked our guests, “what do you think the NC dance community needs to thrive?” Today, we're listening back to excerpts of some of these conversations, drawing connections between the overlapping and intersecting ideas. In a way, we're bringing these guests into conversation with each other, as each of them approaches the question of thriving from a slightly different point of view. We're featuring excerpts from our interviews with Duane Cyrus, Robin Gee, Camerin Watson, Doug Singleton, Helen Simoneau, Zoe Litaker, and Caitlin Dutton-Reaver. We'd also like to ask for your input. First, if you have ideas about what you think the NC dance community needs to thrive, we'd love to hear them! Share them with us as a voice memo, and we may include your message on a future podcast episode. Send your voice memo as an attachment to an email to festival@danceproject.org, with the subject: Podcast message-Thrive. Next, we want to know who else you think we should talk to this season! We already have plans to talk to folks involved in granting organizations, dance education, and presenting, but who else do you think would have a great perspective on the question of thriving as a dance community? You can let us know on our website: danceproject.org/in-process/ Links: Full episodes for these guests: Duane Cyrus: https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-6-You-should-start-with-the-big-toe-Guest-Duane-Cyrus-e19m4nm Robin Gee: https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-5-Reinvent-the-notion-of-community-Guest-Robin-Gee-e1914dv Camerin Watson: https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-2-We-are-our-bodies-Guest-Camerin-Watson-e173ll5 Doug Singleton: https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-9-Its-always-an-evolution-guest-Doug-Singleton-e1bp0ob Helen Simoneau: https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2--Episode-3-Take-space--claim-space--and-relate-to-each-other-Guest-Helen-Simoneau-e17m4va Zoe Litaker: https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-7-A-spontaneous-reaction-to-the-space-we-find-ourselves-in-Guest-Zoe-Litaker-e1achl2 Caitlin Dutton-Reaver: https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-8-There-for-the-joy-of-moving-guest-Caitlin-Dutton-Reaver-e1b39ua For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris talks with Doug Singleton, the Executive Director for the Charlotte Ballet. Doug has been with the Charlotte Ballet since 1996, and the Executive Director since 2005. Doug has a long history in NC, and brings the perspective of a producer and presenter to the question of how to ensure a thriving future for the dance community. We'll talk about how the Alvin Ailey Dance Company changed the course of his life, how Charlotte Ballet works to become a company of creatives, and what he thinks the key is to getting a dance audience to come back again and again. Links from this episode: Connect with the Charlotte Ballet: charlotteballet.org FB: https://www.facebook.com/CLTballet IG: @ cltballet For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival "In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine clinic: Whether you are a dancer, musician, vocalist or artist, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's new Performing Arts Medicine Clinic is designed to meet your needs. We understand your unique demands and want to help get you back to dancing, playing, singing or painting. Our Performing Arts Medicine Program includes physicians, physical therapists, and certified athletic trainers with specialized knowledge and training. Our program is one of very few in the country. Many of our program providers also are dancers and artists. To schedule an appointment with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, call 336-716-3286 or visit WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed.

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris talks with Caitlin Dutton-Reaver, a choreographer, teacher, and administrator who has been one of Dance Project's Artists in Residence this year, and also a teacher for our studio this fall. Caitlin moved to NC from NYC a few months before the pandemic hit. We'll talk about her background in immersive theater, how that informs her perspective on the purpose of performance, what she's been working on during her residency, and the power that connecting dancers can have in helping the community thrive. Caitlin will share her work on December 17 in an informal showing with the other Artist in Residence, at our Greensboro studio. More information and free reservations to attend can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/artist-in-residence-informal-showing-tickets-219988520587 Links from this episode: Connect with Caitlin Dutton-Reaver: www.strayperformanceprojects.com FB: https://www.facebook.com/caitlintothecool To learn more about the December 17 informal showing for our Artists in Residence, visit: danceproject.org/artistres For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris welcomes photographer Zoe Litaker back to the show. Zoe and Anne talked last fall on the podcast, at the beginning of our work on the 30 Portraits for 30 Years series, in which Zoe photographed 30 dance artists who have been influential in the development and evolution of the Dance Festival over the years. Each of these artists is a collection of the moments they've lived, their personal history intertwining with the story of the NC Dance Festival in a variety of ways. Zoe's photos capture them in one moment of time, a glimpse of a whole life in one instant. When we talked last year, Zoe was just beginning this project, which she finished in July of 2021. Now, we are reflecting a bit on the series, on how Zoe grew as an artist in this process, and what makes dance and photography such a rich partnership. Links: Connect with Zoe Litaker: https://zoelitakerphotography.com/ @ zoelitakerphotography To see the 30 Portraits for 30 Years photos or purchase the photo book, click here: https://danceproject.org/30-portraits/ For information and tickets for the NC Dance Festival virtual performance, which will be available for through Nov 29, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf For more information about upcoming Festival events, click here: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris talks with Duane Cyrus, founder and director of Theatre of Movement, and faculty in the UNC Greensboro Dance Department. He has curated an upcoming exhibit at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA) in Winston-Salem – Black @ Intersection: Contemporary Black Voices in Art, which opens November 19. Listen to find out more about Duane's interest in the interplay between different art forms, what a “big toe initiative” is, and how he tries to question ideas about race and gender in his creative work. This episode of “In Process” is sponsored by the UNC Greensboro Dance Department. Links: For more information about the Black @ Intersection exhibit at SECCA, visit: https://secca.org/exhibition-detail.php?LinkId=404980572 Connect with Duane Cyrus: https://www.theatreofmovement.org/ IG: @themove For information and tickets for the NC Dance Festival virtual performance, which will be available for streaming October 23-November 30, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf For more information about upcoming Festival events, click here: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/givencdf Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival Thanks to our sponsor, UNCG Dance! Check out all their upcoming performances at go.uncg.edu/dancetix.

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris talks with Robin Gee, director of the Greensboro Dance Film Festival and faculty in the UNC Greensboro dance department. The Greensboro Dance Film Festival runs October 29-November 6 in a variety of venues in Greensboro, and features dance films by local, regional, and international artists. As the Dance Film Festival approaches, we discuss Robin's entry into filmmaking, how art reflects culture, and how she strives to really engage the community through her work. This episode of “In Process” is sponsored by the UNC Greensboro Dance Department. Links: For more information about the Greensboro Dance Film Festival or to reserve tickets to the screening of “Uprooted” on October 29, visit: greensborodancefilms.org For information and tickets for the virtual performance, which will be available for streaming October 23-November 30, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf Watch the Artist Talk-back on Oct 23rd, 8pm on our website or our Facebook page To register for the November 4th Virtual Dance Discussion Club, click here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEuc-GtqT8uHdJjm-dWjU6AtVQGd4zXmkEI For more information about upcoming Festival events, click here: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/givencdf Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival Thanks to our sponsor, UNCG Dance! Check out all their upcoming performances at go.uncg.edu/dancetix.

This week, Festival director Anne Morris talks with dancer Aparna Keshaviah and musician Atiba Rorie about their creative collaboration as part of the NC Dance Festival performance this past weekend. In bringing Aparna and Atiba together for this project, we explored the contrasts between Aparna's classical Indian dance and Atiba's West African rhythms, and the process of finding common ground. Prior to the October 2 performance, Atiba and Aparna had a few conversations and exchanged a few ideas about rhythms and structure. Everything else came together during the afternoon of the performance, when they rehearsed in the studio together for the first time. This conversation captures the fresh feeling and energy generated by this collaboration, and highlights the connections formed between these two artists. To connect with Aparna, visit her website. Atiba's band, Africa Unplugged is here. For information and tickets for the virtual performance, which will be available for streaming October 23-November 30, visit our website. For more information about upcoming Festival events, click here. To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/givencdf Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, I'm talking to choreographer Helen Simoneau, artistic director of Helen Simoneau Danse, about her dance, Flight Distance I, that she will be setting on a cast of 5 NC professionals for our NC Dance Festival performance on October 2nd. The group will be in residence in Dance Project's studios the week of September 27 as they prepare for performance. This will be Helen's first live performance of her choreography since March of 2020. We'll discuss how Flight Distance turns out to be the perfect choice for the current moment, the new project she's working on, and the importance of momentum in ensuring dancers' careers can thrive. For more information about Helen Simoneau Danse, click here. For tickets to the October 2 performance, click here. For season information, click here. To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/givencdf Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival Thanks to our podcast sponsor, UNCG Dance! Check out all their upcoming performances at go.uncg.edu/dancetix.

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris talks with Camerin Watson, a dancer, teacher, choreographer, and organizer based in Charlotte, NC. Camerin is one of the people helping to coordinate the NC Dance Festival's Statewide Movement Wave on September 18. Along with coordinators in Asheville, Greensboro, Durham, and Wilmington, Camerin is helping pass a wave of movement from one end of the state to the other. People of all ages and abilities are invited to join in the guided movement and be part of the NC Dance Festival's 30th Anniversary season as we celebrate how dance brings us together! We'll discuss why she feels an experience like this is so important for people right now, how to join a wave near you on the 18th, and what that experience might be like. We'll also discuss the power of dancers speaking with a collective voice for funding, resources, and space, and what it means to create and celebrate a truly diverse local art culture. To join or watch the Statewide Movement Wave, click here. To purchase tickets to the NC Dance Festival performance on October 2, click here. To learn more or get involved in the Dance Artist Alliance in Charlotte, you can contact Camerin at camerindancer@yahoo.com For information about BOOM Fest in Charlotte, click here. Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/givencdf

Welcome to the 2nd season of “In Process: The NC Dance Festival podcast”! This season, we'll be guided by the question, “What does the NC Dance Community need to Thrive?” Our conversations this season start with dance and the creative life, but spill into all aspects of our community as we connect, revitalize, and dream together. This week, Festival Director Anne Morris is joined by Dance Project co-director Lauren Joyner, to kick off this second season, talking a little about what to expect from this season of the podcast, and what we have planned for the rest of the NC Dance Festival's 30th Anniversary season this fall. There will be plenty to watch, participate in, and interact with this season, so we hope you can join us! For more information about the Statewide Movement Wave, the October 2 performance, and more, please visit danceproject.org/ncdf Let us know who else we should be talking to on the podcast this season by filling out the form at danceproject.org/ncdf/podcast. The NC Dance Festival 30th anniversary is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the North Carolina Arts Council, and Lincoln Financial Foundation. We need the support of individual donors and business sponsors as well to make possible the innovative work that NC dancers are creating, bring students meaningful experiences with the arts, and strengthen the community through dance. To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/givencdf. Thanks for your support!

This week, we're wrapping up Season 1 of “In Process,” the NC Dance Festival podcast, by listening back to a collection of moments in this Dance Festival season. Some of these are favorite moments from conversations, things that I think back to again and again. Some of these give a sense of the range of ways we've engaged artists and audiences in this very different season. All of them bring up questions that the Festival and this podcast have been investigating this season, and really, are at the core of so much that we as dancers do: Who are we? What moves us? How do we move through the world? How do we relate to others, collaborate, share our vision, and inspire each other? Links in this episode: Full episodes mentioned: Episode 2: “Sparking Joyfulness and Fun” Episode 14: “That's when I just fell in love with my Blackness.” Episode 18: “Never rewind what you're doing, keep it moving forward." Watch “Converge,” the dance film we created for our NCDF virtual screening here. Watch all of the microdances from this season: click here. Photos and videos of the LeBauer Park mural project are here. Connect with Tommy Noonan of Culture Mill here. Website Social: @cultmill To register for our Monthly Dancer Chat, click here. The next call will be June 12, 12:30-1:30pm. To make a gift to the Festival Fund, click here.

In Episode 20, we are sharing an excerpt of our recent Community Conversation, titled Connecting Community Through Dance. This virtual conversation, sponsored by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Dance Program, featured dance artists Tamara Williams and Alexandra Joye Warren speaking on how their work through dance builds community, works toward social justice, and gives access and voice to those historically left out. Links in this episode: To connect with the artists: Alexandra Joye Warren: @joyemovement (IG) https://www.joyemovement.com Tamara Williams:@movingspiritsinc (IG) www.movingspirits.org To register for our Monthly Dancer Chat, click here. The next call will be May 8, 12:30-1:30pm. For more information on our Move Together Mini Marathon, click here. To make a gift to the Festival Fund, click here.

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris talks with Gavin Stewart and Vanessa Owen of Stewart/Owen Dance. The couple is based in Asheville, NC, and this year, they’ve really been able to connect with their local arts community in a bigger way than before the pandemic, when their professional lives were full of travel. We talk about the microdance they created for the NC Dance Festival season in the fall, the ways they have created outside of their comfort zone this year, and how they look forward to using technology to get the most out of their performing career. Links in this episode: Watch Gavin and Vanessa’s micro-dance film: click here. Watch “Converge”, the dance film created from all 20 microdances here. Connect with Stewart/Owen Dance: IG: @stewartowendance FB: Stewart/Owen Dance Website To register for our Monthly Dancer Chat, click here. The next call will be May 9, 12:30-1:30pm. For more information on our Move Together Mini Marathon, click here. To make a gift to the Festival Fund, click here.

This week we have a special bonus episode in honor of Dance Project’s founder Jan Van Dyke. Her birthday is today, April 15, and she would have been 80 years old this year! To celebrate this milestone birthday, Festival Director Anne Morris sat down with three long-time Van Dyke Dance Group members, Virginia Freeman Dupont, Kelly Swindell, and Laura McDuffee, to talk about the impact meeting and working with Jan had on their lives and careers, some of the things they learned from Jan that they try to carry into their own lives, and the ways that they are helping bring her work and her influence forward, to the next generation. We also had the pleasure of collecting memories from other former members of Jan’s company, and we’ll share a few of their memories of Jan and her dances throughout this episode. To view a slideshow of photos and video clips of some of the dances mentioned in this episode, click here. Thanks to Alexandra Joye Warren, Bess Park, Emily Daughtridge, and Clay Daniel, whose memories are featured in this episode, and to other former Van Dyke Dance Group members who sent in memories. If you have a memory of your time with Jan that you’d like to share, feel free to send it our way! Voice memos or written memories are welcome at anne@danceproject.org. We’ll be sharing a first iteration of the work Virginia Dupont did with “Five Short Forms” and our Student Performance Company during our upcoming “Move Together Mini Marathon,” a smaller, virtual version of our annual dance party fundraiser, on May 22 from 5-7:30pm. Learn more here. For more on April 18 Community Conversation: Connecting Community Through Dance, click here. To register for our Monthly Dancer Chat, click here. The next call will be May 8, 12:30-1:30pm. To make a gift to Dance Project, click here.

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris chats with Aparna Keshaviah and Audrey Baran, two of the 20 choreographers selected to make a micro dance, a 30-60 second dance film, for the NC Dance Festival’s virtual premiere back in October. For this project, each choreographer was paired with a “choreography buddy”. The intention here was not to create their microdances together, but to provide some creative support throughout the process, and also to get to know artists working in other ways or other parts of the state. Audrey and Aparna were choreography buddies, so we’ll hear how they connected for this project, and how their dances evolved in very different directions. Aparna works from a foundation of Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance, so we’ll discuss how that influenced her micro-dance, and how Audrey drew from a contemporary dance background for her work. Links in this episode: Watch Audrey and Aparna’s dance films: click here. Watch “Converge”, the dance film created from all 20 microdances here. Connect with Audrey Baran on IG: @barandance Aparna Keshaviah’s website For more on April 18 Community Conversation: Connecting Community Through Dance, click here. To register for our Monthly Dancer Chat, click here. The next call will be April 10, 12:30-1:30pm. To make a gift to the Festival Fund, click here.

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris shares short interviews with two of our current Artists in Residence, Jen Guy Metcalf and Bre Forbes. As artists in residence, Jen and Bre have access to a certain amount of free rehearsal space in our Greensboro studio, to use for the development of their creative work during the 2021 calendar year. In these conversations, we’ll hear how each is developing their artistic work, how dance communicates where words sometimes fail, the unique power of dance to illuminate and transform community spaces, and how these artists live dance in every aspect of their lives. Links in this episode: To read more about our 2021 Artists in Residence, click here. For more on April 18 Community Conversation: Connecting Community Through Dance, click here. To register for our Monthly Dancer Chat, click here. The next call will be April 10, 12:30-1:30pm. To make a gift to the Festival Fund, click here.

This week, we’re returning to a conversation we hosted on Facebook live back in January. With the current limitations on presenting performances in traditional studio and theater spaces, artists are increasingly turning to alternative, often outdoor, performance sites, but this way of working is not new. Durham-based SITES has long been a platform for dance artists to shed light on necessary issues and create accessible, shared experiences with art. This roundtable discussion in January was moderated by SITES founder/curator Stephanie Leathers and featured a number of artists in multiple disciplines who shared their work as part of the SITES:Reset performance installation in Durham on February 27. We’ve edited the conversation a bit for this podcast, in which these artists discuss what equitable art can be, what their creative process looks like, and how their art is responsive to the here and now. To connect with SITES on social media visit @sitesinthecity on IG and Facebook. To see upcoming NC Dance Festival events, click here. To make a gift to the Festival Fund, click here.

To close out Black History Month, we have a special conversation hosted by Vania Claiborne, focused on the experience of some of the Black dance artists connected to Dance Project and the NC Dance Festival. Vania speaks with Amelia Renee Byrd and Jordan Booker-Medley about the experiences and mentors that have influenced who they are as artists, what it was like to see themselves reflected on the stage for the first time, how they navigate expectations our culture puts on the artistic work of Black choreographers, and what they are looking forward to exploring creatively. Links mentioned in this episode: Upcoming workshop: Deep Care for Self and Community, March 7, 4-5:30pm. More info here. To make a gift to the Festival Fund, click here. Connect with these artists on IG: Vania Claiborne Amelia Byrd Jordan Booker-Medley

This week Festival Director Anne Morris chats with choreographers Vania Claiborne, Taryn Griggs, and Laura Gutierrez. We have a candid conversation about the realities of being a dance artist during the pandemic, the connection between dancing and processing current events, the cost of the gig lifestyle as a choreographer, and what to do if you eat, sleep, breathe dance. These artists share how they are starting to answer some of the questions that the pandemic has raised about what is important in a dance career, and we discuss the new workshop Dance Project is starting February 14, called Maker’s Space. Taryn Griggs will facilitate this workshop for dance makers, designed to reconnect artists with their creative practice and with each other. Links mentioned in this episode: More info on Maker’s Space: danceproject.org/makers Upcoming workshop: Deep Care for Self and Community, March 7, 4-5:30pm. More info here. To make a gift to the Festival Fund, click here.

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris chats with Tommy Noonan, one of two directors of Culture Mill, a performing arts laboratory in Saxapahaw, NC. Tommy will be leading a workshop for the NC Dance Festival on February 6 via Zoom, titled “Movement for Movements”. We’ll discuss how questions of social justice and sustainable working practices are entwined in Culture Mill’s DNA, how to dance through administrative work, and what it means to be part of a creative ecosystem. Links mentioned in this episode: Upcoming workshop: Movement for Movements interactive workshop, February 6, 3pm. Register to join via Zoom. Upcoming workshop: Deep Care for Self and Community, March 7, 4-5:30pm. More info here. To make a gift to the Festival Fund, click here.

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris chats with Hannah Sutton, the video editor who created our dance film, Converge, out of the 20 microdances choreographed by NC Dance Festival artists this fall. We’ll discuss her shift from being a dancer in front of the camera to being behind the camera, the most challenging film project she’s worked on before, and how she got unstuck in the process of combining 20 dance films into one. To see the 20 individual microdances that NC Dance Festival artists created, visit our artist page on our website. Links mentioned in this episode: SITES: Accessible Art in Alternative Spaces, January 23, 12:30pm. Live on Facebook. Movement for Movements interactive workshop, Feburary 6, 3pm. Register to join via Zoom. To make a gift to the Festival Fund, click here.

This week we have a little bit of a different episode for our 10th episode, and the first show of 2021. Lauren Joyner joins Festival Director Anne Morris in this conversation as we close out the very strange and challenging year that was 2020. Lauren and Anne are both Executive Directors for Dance Project, and Lauren directs our School while Anne directs the NC Dance Festival. In this conversation, we reflect on what we’ve learned this year, look forward to new adventures, and answer an assortment of listener questions, including the weirdest dance performance we’ve ever been a part of and what we might find ourselves doing in an alternate universe. Links mentioned in this episode: Monthly Zoom chat for Dance Artists: January 9, 12:30-1:30pm. Click here for the Zoom link. January 23rd Community Conversation: SITES: Accessible art in alternative spaces Saturday, January 23, 12:30-1:45pm, Live on Facebook Make a gift to the Festival Fund here.

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris chats with Zoe Litaker, a photographer based in Durham, NC. Zoe takes photographs in a number of settings, but dance is an area of primary interest for her. Her photo book and exhibition Durham Dances came out last fall, featuring dancers in a variety of dance styles in iconic locations around the city of Durham. This year, as part of the 30th Anniversary season of the NC Dance Festival, we have asked Zoe to take a series of portraits of 30 of the many dancers and choreographers who have been instrumental in establishing, defining, and evolving the Festival over the years. In this conversation, we chat about the magic and the challenge of photographing dance, Zoe’s love of art history and the ways that shows up in her work, and photography as a time-travel machine. The NC Dance Festival 30th anniversary is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the North Carolina Arts Council, Lincoln Financial Foundation, Ecolab Foundation, and Stearns Financial Group. We need the support of individual donors and business sponsors as well to make possible the innovative work that NC dancers are creating, bring students meaningful experiences with the arts, and strengthen the community through dance. This December, you can help us get one step closer to an even stronger, more resilient, more innovative, and more accessible year of dance. Visit our website at danceproject.org/onestepcloser to take a look at some of the ways you can help us make this vision a reality. From student scholarships, to new technology to adapt to dance in the midst of a pandemic, to creative projects with professional artists, you can help build a stronger community through dance. Thanks for your support! Links mentioned in this episode: Monthly Zoom chat for Dance Artists: January 9, 12:30-1:30pm. Click here for the Zoom link. Dance Project Mailing List Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube!

In this episode, Festival Director Anne Morris talks with with Dylan Reddish, one of Dance Project’s school coordinators, about a project that she brought to our student performance companies this fall. Dylan and the other performance company teachers supported the students in the process of making their own microdances on the model of the short dance films created by professional choreographers for this year’s NC Dance Festival. Just like the prompt for the professionals, these students selected a few images from a collection of 30 from the Festival’s history, and used those images as a starting place for their own dance. You’ll also hear from Sophie Kohlphenson and Clare Scott, both 12 year old dancers at Dance Project who participated in this project. Both are members of our Junior performance company and the pre-professional Rise company. Watch Clare and Sophie's micro-dances here. The NC Dance Festival 30th anniversary is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the North Carolina Arts Council, Lincoln Financial Foundation, Ecolab Foundation, and Stearns Financial Group. We need the support of individual donors and business sponsors as well to make possible the innovative work that NC dancers are creating, bring students meaningful experiences with the arts, and strengthen the community through dance. This December, you can help us get one step closer to an even stronger, more resilient, more innovative, and more accessible year of dance. Visit our website at danceproject.org/onestepcloser to take a look at some of the ways you can help us make this vision a reality. From student scholarships, to new technology to adapt to dance in the midst of a pandemic, to creative projects with professional artists, you can help build a stronger community through dance. Thanks for your support! Links mentioned in this episode: Monthly Zoom chat for Dance Artists: December 12, 12:30-1:30pm. Click here for the Zoom link. Artist in Residence applications accepted through December 18. Click here for more information and application form. SITES: reset call for artists; submissions due December 15. Details here.

In this episode, Festival Director Anne Morris talks to Christopher Fleming, Technical Director at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, or UNCG. For the last 3 years, Chris has also been the Tech Director and Lighting designer for the NC Dance Festival tour. In this conversation, we’ll talk about how Chris got his start as a lighting designer, what has been providing some hope in this challenging time for dance departments, with the coronavirus pandemic, how he strives to create the world he wants to live in inside of his theater, and why he’d like his students to sit outside for 24 hours. Chris mentioned the UNCG Dance Department’s Fall Dances concert that is livestreaming this weekend, November 21st. To view the concert, featuring the dance film that Chris Fleming and Robin Gee that is mentioned in this episode, click here. Be sure to join our mailing list from our website at danceproject.org and follow Dance Project on social media to keep up with upcoming Festival events and other Dance Project news. You can find us on Instagram and on Facebook. Short video excerpts of our podcast episodes are on our Youtube channel. Check them out!

This week, we’re bringing you a conversation with Helen Simoneau, artistic director and choreographer of Helen Simoneau Danse. As part of our NC Dance Festival activities this season, we hosted a virtual Community Conversation with Helen on October 23, titled “Finding Your Own Way through the Dance Industry.” During this community conversation on Zoom, we discussed Helen’s beginnings in dance, how to create your own opportunities in the dance world, how the pandemic has shifted Helen’s way of working, and the powerful nature of collaborations in the creative process. You’ll hear questions from some of our attendees and Helen’s advice and insight. In the live conversation, we also had the opportunity to view a short excerpt of Helen’s most recent dance, DARLING. You can view an excerpt here. We had such a great time talking with Helen, and wanted to share this conversation more widely. We’ll have more community conversations on other topics throughout the spring of 2021. Be sure to join our mailing list from our website at danceproject.org and follow Dance Project on social media to keep up with upcoming Festival events and other Dance Project news. More about Helen: Helen Simoneau, a native of Rimouski, Québec, is the artistic director and choreographer of Helen Simoneau Danse. Described as “a Choreographer-on-the-rise” by Dance Magazine, Simoneau creates work that exists at the intersection of intent and impact. Her commissions include The Juilliard School, Oregon Ballet Theatre, the American Dance Festival, UNC School of the Arts, The Yard, Springboard Danse Montréal, The Ailey School, the University of the Arts (PA), and the Swiss International Coaching Project (SiWiC) in Zurich. Simoneau was a resident artist at Baryshnikov Arts Center, NYU/Tisch, Bates Dance Festival, New York Dance Lab, The National Choreographic Center in Akron, the University of Buffalo via the Creative Arts Initiative, and has received fellowships from The NYU Center for Ballet and the Arts, the Bogliasco Foundation, and twice from the North Carolina Arts Council. Her work has been presented nationally and internationally at The Guggenheim Museum (NYC), Dance Place (DC), Joyce SoHo (NYC), Tangente (Montréal), The Aoyama Round Theatre (Tokyo), the L.I.G. Art Hall Busan (South Korea), Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out (MA), PACT-Zollverein in Essen (Germany), Athens International Dance Festival (Greece), and the Shanghai Dance Festival (China). Simoneau was awarded 1st place for Choreography at the Internationales Solo-Tanz-Theater Festival in Stuttgart, Germany. She was recently a Fellow at Ailey’s New Directions Choreography Lab and is the current Choreography Fellow at New York City Center. Follow Helen on social media: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/helensimoneaudanse Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/helensimoneaudanse

In Episode 5, Festival Director Anne Morris interviews 3 more of the 20 choreographers selected to create a microdance (30-60 second dance film) for the NC Dance Festival's virtual season. We'll hear from Renay Aumiller as we chat about trusting your collaborators, how music influenced her creation process, and what the pandemic means for dancers who work closely with the community. Then, Anne talks to Chris Yon and Taryn Griggs about how it feels to shift to a virtual format, talk honestly about what we miss about dancing in person right now, and how the medium of film changes the creative relationship between the two of them. To read more about Renay, Chris, and Taryn, visit our website. You can see their work in our October 24th virtual premiere, which will screen our website at: danceproject.org/ncdfpremiere and we'll be providing glimpses of all the choreographers' work on social media. You can find us on Instagram @danceprojectinc and on Facebook @NCDanceFestival. The NC Dance Festival 30th anniversary is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the North Carolina Arts Council, Lincoln Financial Foundation, Ecolab Foundation, and Stearns Financial Group. We need the support of individual donors and business sponsors as well to make possible the innovative work that NC dancers are creating, bring students meaningful experiences with the arts, and strengthen the community through dance. To make a donation toward this season’s Festival Fund, please visit www.danceproject.org/givencdf

In Episode 4, Festival Director Anne Morris interviews 3 more of the 20 choreographers selected to create a microdance (30-60 second dance film) for the NC Dance Festival's virtual season. We'll hear from Vania Claiborne about how this project required her to work in a different way than usual and how she ended up with a dance that she says “feels like her.” Then, Anne talks to "choreography buddies" Michael Rank and Jiwon Ha about the warm and generous partnership they created in this process, and the ways history shows up in the present. To read more about Vania, Michael, and Jiwon's backgrounds, visit our website. You can see their work in our October 24th virtual premiere, and we'll be providing glimpses of all the choreographers' work on social media. You can find us on Instagram @danceprojectinc and on Facebook @NCDanceFestival. The NC Dance Festival 30th anniversary is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the North Carolina Arts Council, Lincoln Financial Foundation, Ecolab Foundation, and Stearns Financial Group. We need the support of individual donors and business sponsors as well to make possible the innovative work that NC dancers are creating, bring students meaningful experiences with the arts, and strengthen the community through dance. To make a donation toward this season’s Festival Fund, please visit www.danceproject.org/givencdf

In Episode 3, Festival Director Anne Morris interviews Sarah Council and Kate Shugar, two of the twenty choreographers selected to make microdances (30-60 second dance films) for the NC Dance Festival's virtual season. For this project, each choreographer was paired with a “choreography buddy,” and Kate and Sarah were "buddies" in this process. The intention here was not to create their dances together, but to provide some creative support, and also to get to know artists working in other ways or other parts of the state. We provided the choreographers with 30 images drawn from the 3 decades of the Festival’s history, and each pair of choreographers chose 5 images to act as a starting place for their microdances. Kate Shugar and Sarah Council talk about the relationship they built, the challenges of making a 1 minute dance, and the hidden influences on their creative work. To read more about Kate and Sarah's backgrounds, visit our website. You can see their work in our October 24th virtual premiere, and we'll be providing glimpses of all the choreographers' work on social media. You can find us on Instagram @danceprojectinc and on Facebook @NCDanceFestival. The NC Dance Festival 30th anniversary is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the North Carolina Arts Council, Lincoln Financial Foundation, and the Ecolab Foundation. We need the support of individual donors and business sponsors as well to make possible the innovative work that NC dancers are creating, bring students meaningful experiences with the arts, and strengthen the community through dance. To make a donation toward this season’s Festival Fund, please visit www.danceproject.org/givencdf

In Episode 2, Festival Director Anne Morris interviews Amanda Miller, Director of Programs and Marketing for Greensboro Downtown Parks, choreographer Alexandra Joye Warren, and visual artist Darlene J. McClinton about the collaborative mural installed in LeBauer Park during National Dance Day. We discuss how true collaboration and partnership is not like ordering off a menu, how the process of creating the mural required translating between dance and visual arts languages and finding a shared language, and how the mural can welcome anyone and everyone to move in their own ways. To see photos of the mural and video clips of some of the NC Dance Festival dancers' movement responses, visit our website. To see the incredible videos Paul Byun shot and edited for National Dance Day, they are all on the Greensboro Downtown Parks website. We'd love to see how the mural makes YOU move! If you visit LeBauer Park, take a picture or a video of your journey through the mural and post it to social media. Tag us so we can see your movement response! @danceprojectinc @greensborodowntownparks @joyemovement @djm_visualartist The National Dance Day mural project was supported by the Ecolab Foundation, the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro’s Public Art Endowment, Arts Greensboro, the Weaver Foundation. The NC Dance Festival 30th anniversary is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the North Carolina Arts Council, Lincoln Financial Foundation, and the Ecolab Foundation. We need the support of individual donors and business sponsors as well to make possible the innovative work that NC dancers are creating, bring students meaningful experiences with the arts, and strengthen the community through dance. To make a donation toward this season’s Festival Fund, please visit www.danceproject.org/givencdf

In this first episode, NC Dance Festival director Anne Morris lays out what's in store for this season--the start of the Festival's 30th Anniversary season. Anne gives a brief history of the Festival, insight into the themes and threads that connect the different parts of this season – now mostly virtual– and a preview of what this podcast will feature in the coming weeks. Whether you’re a dancer yourself or just curious about the who, how, and especially the why of dance, we’re glad to have you along for this journey. For more information about the NC Dance Festival's season, visit danceproject.org/ncdf2020.