#Repage | 📸 @cassellinc : 6 years ago, the dance to the people seed started sprouting. How could there be a model in the dance world (hadn't considered yet that our problems were shared by other arts) that would allow for organically horizontal growth? No more pyramidal models in the access of funding, visibility, and support. We, Maira Duarte, Geneva Manley, Trina Hines, and some others, were dance educators and artists and performers, and it was feeling like we could only be one of those. At that point CUNY was launching for the first time the CUNY Dance Initiative @cdi_dance . A program meant to connect dancers with un-utilized spaces in the university’s campuses. We got that for three semesters, at the College of Staten Island. George Emilio Sanchez choose our project and asked very few questions after. We had a space to create. That year, the Ballet Trocadero de Montecarlo also got the same grant, I thought, wow, how democratic! (That was the first and last institutional grant/funding we’ve received) I posted several calls for collaborators and participants on Dance NYC, and these wonderful people jumped into the boat: Miu Soda, Michelle Applebaum, Joanna Stone and Pavel Machuca. We’ve been doing some fun stuff since and growing our connections with other artists and collectives through donation based classes, performance parties, and Trash Outings. 5 years ago we also made The Woods (@thewoods1826) our home, and only last year, I, Maira Duarte with Alex Romania took over the management of the space, so it wouldn’t be lost to the community. We need spaces to create. And we need people to create. I’m thankful that NYC has provided both. Support artists that create no matter the funding. Support independent spaces that support artists’ ideas, no matter the level of “emergence” they are. #dancetodance #dancechallenge #dancersofinstagram #artofdance #danceartist #danceart #dancetothepeople #dancetothebeat #dancetothemusic #editorialphotography #editorialphotoshoot #editorialportrait #pursuitofportraits #minimalaesthetic #minimalstyle #minimalmood #neutraldecor #neutralstyle #inspirationalquotes #movemore #supportthearts (at New York, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/CChUqOJA6I3/?igshid=1swjg7tkdi1ti
