The State by State Project, through Life as a Modern Dancer:
Throughout 2018, we will highlight one state per week....its arts council, dance education organization, festivals, artist residencies, dance companies, and more. We will link to previous posts of artists based in the state, masters programs, and city guides.
This ambitious feature hopes to highlight the abundance of arts in the United States as well as to challenge us to look at areas of the country seeking more arts and arts education.
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Bates Dance Festival - Bates is one of the longstanding dance festivals and summer training programs in the U.S. As artist Onye Ozuzu shared about her experience there on faculty:
The intensity of the summer festival, in addition to its removal from the day-to-day hustle of fitting dance classes into a full work/life/social regime, is priceless. I have experienced and I have seen dancers experience TREMENDOUS growth during these festivals. Sometimes it is just the opportunity to truly integrate training that has been working its way in for years. Sometimes it is just the slightest shift in approach or style. Whatever the case, it is a fertile environment for breakthroughs to happen in your body and mind as performer and artist. In addition, it is just a great way to meet and know dancers from around the country. We are such a kinesthetic people…dancers that you move with and eat with and see work with one summer become the collaborators that bring you across the country in a few years to present a show together and vice versa. Yes to summer festivals.....go experience.
Laura Faure - artist profile of the longtime Director of the Bates Dance Festival
College programs - undergraduate degrees:
Maine Arts Commission - artist directory, grants, arts education program, and much more
Maine International Conference on the Arts - September 27 and 28, 2018 in Portland, ME. An incredible line up of sessions (see image below).
Plus, here is some information on a new artist residency space in development in Maine:
In 2014, Scott McPheeters, Niki Cousineau, and Jorge Cousineau, co-directors of non-profit dance and installation company Subcircle, purchased a farm in Biddeford, Maine with a dream of developing an artist retreat. The property, located just south of Portland and 3 miles from one of Maine’s largest sandy beaches, boasts 9-acres of land, a 4-bedroom house, and a free standing barn. Currently, the company is in the midst of their Phase-One fundraising campaign to renovate the upstairs of the barn into a large studio space. After more fundraising, they intend to also build an interdisciplinary design lab and additional housing that could accommodate a greater diversity of art disciplines and number of visitors. Their ultimate goal is to be able to offer artists residencies year-round, have regular community arts programming, and maybe even host permaculture education workshops on the farmland. Subcircle looks forward to contributing to the vibrancy of the Biddeford community by facilitating opportunities for local and visiting artists to collaborate and influence each other’s art making processes. If you are interested in learning more about Subcircle’s retreat endeavors and/or would like to send a donation, please visit the company website or send a check to:
Subcircle
946 N. Randolph St.
Philadelphia, PA.
19123
