Doolittle+Bird

There’s nothing we love more than presenting dance performances with inspiring folks. THANK YOU to the amazing community who came out and dug in to the second “annual” Motion State Dance Festival. After an inaugural festival in March 2020 and a pandemic pause, it was thrilling to be presenting live and in-person dance again. We’re invigorated by the creativity and conversations and contemplations and challenges, and so grateful to all who helped make it happen. Feeling very appreciative of the artists, crew, supporters and the Motion State Arts team!

Big thanks to the New York State Council on the Arts for their support of Studio Susan Marshall’s Two Person Operating System Type 2, the newest collaboration between choreographer Marshall and visual artist Martha Friedman.

We’re thrilled to have helped Rosy Simas Danse get this vital support from NEFA. It will support Simas’ new work, she who lives on the road to war, an immersive installation and dance performance project created in response to our global loss and the collective need to grieve, to condole, and to come together in peace and reconciliation.

Read the latest blogpost from Meg Foley on the development of her project, Blood Baby.

D+B’s Lila Hurwitz will be co-facilitating a working session on Systems, Structures, and the Entrepreneurial Spirit as part of the Regional Dance Development Initiative (RDDI): New England Now’s Intersections Summit, September 29–October 2. Join us, it’s free!

The Intersections Summit is designed for and with the New England community to amplify the leadership that dance plays regionally alongside industries New England is known for, such as education, the sciences, and political and social organizing. The second of three interconnected components, this curated convening is also an opportunity to foster a culture of abundance through intentional sharing, learning, and community building that reimagines New England dance thriving.

It’s back and under the stars! The Motion State Dance Film Series is only year-long, traveling short film festival in New England devoted to showcasing the diversity of contemporary creative voices exploring choreography for the camera. With films from Hakim Zziwa (Uganda), Alfonso Sales (Philippines), David Comeaux (US), Ali Kenner Brodsky and Andy Russ (US), Genevieve Shultz (US), Jessi Stegall (US), Lindsay LaPointe and Peter DiMuro (US), and John and Susan Mann (US). Produced by Motion State Arts. Big thanks to our sponsors, Mind 2 Body Fitness!

Hot off the presses, check out this fabulous video of Two Person Operating System Type 2—a collaboration between choreographer Susan Marshall and visual artist Martha Friedman. It was an absolute pleasure to help bring this performance to fruition, in person at Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts in June 2021. Can’t wait to bring it to NYC in Spring 2022!

There was—and continues to be!—so much support (and hard work) swirling around New England Foundation for the Arts’ Regional Dance Development Initiative: New England Now, held last week at Bates College during the legendary Bates Dance Festival. Honored to be on faculty with rockstar colleagues supporting 12 inspiring dance artists.

Gestation. Heat. Rocks. Disco! Read Meg Foley’s latest thoughts on process as she builds her performance project, Blood Baby.

It was a total pleasure to present Two Person Operating System Type 2, a collaboration with Studio Susan Marshall and artist Martha Friedman, with collaborating dancers Ching-I Chang, Oluwadamilare Ayorinde, Miriam Gabriel and Luke Miller, at Princeton University’s Hurley Gallery this week. Cannot wait to get this work to the masses in the very near future!

Thanks to Jon Sweeney and Lewis Center for the Arts for this feature—with some great photos and video!—about the premiere.