PDP presents 2020
A Letter
to Mayor Kenney & City Council, please read here.
DANCE
UP CLOSE
In early March of 2020 we made the decision to postpone the final production of PDP’s Mid-Winter/Mid-Week dance series DANCE UP CLOSE due to a global pandemic.
At that time we thought we could re-set the performances for June or maybe early Fall.
We cancelled our workshops including DanceTAG until further notice.
The season so far had been going very well, with sold out capacity audiences, beautiful performances and excellent press review. (January and February) We were excited about the finale, a mixed program of dance on film and video and live duets and solos. We plan to feature those artists again.
In the meantime you can see the videos of the first two programs of DANCE UP CLOSE 2020 on PhillyCAM. We will post the link soon.
“Curtain”
Call PDP Presents February 2020 Jungwoong Kim, gamin, Juan Castellanos, Marion
Ramirez, Megan Mazarick, Jess Conda, MG Vasio Photo credit: Jano Cohen
As summer approaches, we are stunned by the loss of lives. In so many ways we are still unable to comprehend what has happened, is still happening and what is yet to come.
Usually the Spring in Philly venues and sites are bustling with dance presentations.
Not this spring. This loss feels like it has dispersed our dance community, even more than usual. When will we come together again to see performances and share that experience of either being onstage or in the audience? Dancers and groups have moved to cyberspace to stream works, lead classes or comment with movement on their self-isolation. These offerings are no substitute for “the singular power that can be achieved in real time … before a live audience as witness” as Ben Brantley (NY Times) stated in a recent theater review. We all miss that real presence that is a defining power of dance also.
PDP
Presents February Megan Mazarick
“Boundaries” Photo credit: Jano Cohen
So Philadelphia Dance Projects is in a hiatus of waiting and uncertainty.
The City and State governments have chosen to eliminate arts and culture support from their upcoming annual budgets. The Philadelphia Cultural Fund, a contracted non-profit with the city, has yet to strategize how else it might garner funds to carry on. Our loyal donors may be feeling an economic pinch. All this impacts directly on PDP as well. At the moment we have the capacity to mount another season should that be a possibility. In the meantime the community of artists, presenters and funders ideally need to collaborate in thinking about and realizing possible new ways of sustain the presence of dance in our city.
PDP
Presents January 2020 Tori Lawrence
& Co. Performers: Ellie Goudie-Averill, Jungwoong
Kim, Jenna
Riegel Photo: Jano Cohen
Bill T.
Jones in a recent NY Times interview said:
“I feel that we’re constantly trying to
convince the world that there’s beauty in movement.
That space is an eloquent medium. That
text is not always necessary.”
But now, without physical proximity,
what’s left?:
“That’s what I’ve got to find out,” Mr.
Jones said.
Philadelphia Dance Projects’ Board and
I, as Director, wish to be a part the re-assembling that will be taking place
in the future. We remain dedicated to
independent dance artists and small companies who are mostly under-supported in
every way here in Philly. We know their work to be important.
The inquiry into what can be learned
from the dancing body continues to need to be incorporated in to our daily
life. From the basic experience of well-being and transcendent pleasure, to
more complex study of meaning and esthetics through choreography and
improvisation in performance, dance has an indelible place in our lives. We wish for everyone to know that. We look to Dance in the time of recuperation
and hope for a better future.
Thank you
to everyone who has participated in PDP to date. You have created a rich history with many
memorable experiences. We continue to
value your participation.
We wish
you well.
Terry Fox
PDP Director
Archiving
work on PDP’s Artists History Projects is ongoing
PDP continues to need and welcome your support. THANK YOU.
Terry Fox,
Director & PDP Board: Jeff Cain, Chair, Chris Deephouse, Treasurer, Eun
Jung Choi, Curt Haworth, Stacey Mann, Guillermo Ortega, Alexis Pappas, James
Shelly, Jonathan Stein, Joan Myers Brown, Member Emerita.
PDP gratefully acknowledges support from The William Penn Foundation, The Philadelphia Cultural Fund, the Trust for Mutual Understanding, Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, Henrietta Tower Wurts Memorial, Vanguard Charitable Foundation, Covid-19
Arts Aid PHL, many Individual Donors and community partner Philadanco and Muhely Alapitvany/Workshop Foundation.
More About PDP
philadanceprojects [dot] org
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