Wide-Eyed Dance Theatre

Wide-eyed Beginnings

A few weeks ago, Margaret Irving and I sat down together in her hot, muggy apartment and drafted our ideas on to paper. Next, those ideas made it into the computer, then to print, then into the hands of our fellow dancer, Ryan Harkrider. We talked, we thought, we wiggled our toes, we furrowed our eyebrows, and even delicately placed our index fingers just under our lower lips. Something was going to happen... and it did.

Here's the first draft of our new dance company's mission statement.

Mission:
To introduce a NEW theatrical medium – a fusion of dance and theatre - to the Ithaca community, local colleges and universities, and surrounding areas.
To collaborate with local artists on costumes, music, art, scene design, and theatrical content.
To offer affordable (if not free) performances to the Ithaca community.
To compensate those performers/artists involved with the company for their time and services.

Company:
§ Sarah Foster: co-founder, artistic director, choreographer, dancer
§ Margaret Irving: co-founder, executive director, choreographer, dancer
§ Ryan Harkrider: co-founder, business manager, dancer
§ Dancers - TBD

Characteristics
§ Quirky
§ thought-provoking
§ fast-paced/energetic
§ comedic
§ theatrical
§ fusion of various dance/theatre techniques

Rehearsal Space
§ Third floor productions – FREE but small
§ Southside Gym – I think is $10/hour, large space, I would imagine a hard floor
§ CSMA - $20/hour, large space
§ City Health Club - $5/person, if not a member, beautiful studio space
§ To look into – Yoga studio by Wegmans, anywhere that is big and danceable
§ intensive weekends at 171 Cedar Arts Center (just a thought)

Money
§ grants
o Community Partnership
o Cornell something or other
o NFA grants
§ personal donations
§ corporate sponsors


Production
§ depending on the venue, would be advantageous to have sound system
§ lights ( find out where to rent and for how much)

Venues
§ KTC – great lights, sound system, and support staff
§ Third floor productions – smaller, more informal space, simple lights, sound?
§ CSMA - ~200 to rent the space
§ Ithaca High School
§ Local School shows around the area
§ Outside on the commons

Advertising
§ Flyers
§ Word of mouth
§ Arts list serves

Action Plan
Step 1: General flyer to the community introducing ourselves and our mission, who we are and what we want to do. General search for dancers or interested parties.
Step 2: Once we establish a group of interested dancers, find a rehearsal space and set rehearsal schedule.
Step 3: Set performance date, place, time for the end of summer debut. Create timeline for advertising, etc.
Step 4: Rehearse, add new pieces onto our repertory. We have: Mad Science, The Trap, Iron Maidens. Teach old choreography: The Adventures of . . . Anticipating new choreography: Banana Shootout, STALE, and Boomberry Wine.

posted by Sarah Foster @ 12:15 PM