Philadelphia Dance Projects

Projects

Philadelphia Dance Projects supports contemporary dance through projects that encourage artists and audiences to more fully participate and engage in the experience and pursuit of dance as an evolving form. PDP achieves its mission by presenting stimulating performances, workshops, classes, a film series, and dialogs and forums for artists, aspiring artists, students and a broad-based audience. PDP constantly surveys the contemporary dance world, keeping a close eye on current trends in content and style, while actively engaging in and appreciating the depth of work being created today which plumbs dance precursors’ traditions.

PDP Presents

In 2009, Philadelphia Dance Projects launched Philadelphia Dance Projects Presents, a presenting series featuring dance performances, workshops and “informances” by independent dance artists and companies. The second annual series, Philadelphia Dance Projects Presents 2010 featured a look back and a look ahead, pairing the next wave of contemporary dance artists with influential choreographers from the 1970’s and 80’s Philadelphia dance scene.

Motion Pictures

2011 marks the 10th annual Motion Pictures, a PDP presentation that explores how film and video serve as natural collaborative medium for dance, highlighting the power of image and motion in both. Over the years Motion Pictures has featured experimental and innovative shorts, documentaries, “moc”umentaries and animations. There have been documentaries about Pina Bausch, Maya Deren, Carmen Amaya, Geoffrey Holder and Carmen DeLavallade Mark Morris and the Paris Opera Ballet along with imaginative ground breaking work by Pooh Kaye, Hilary Harris and Lloyd Newson among many others.

Education Projects

Since 1996 PDP has presented scores of Dance Classes/Workshops which have served artists and aspiring artists with practical professional development opportunities. Some of the most talented and respected guest artists of our time, from emerging artists to innovative pioneers from a variety of cultural expressions have led the classes and workshops. Since 2008, workshops and classes are now coordinated into PDP Presents each year along with an Informance - artist conversation with an audience about their work, presenting video and live performance elements from their choreographic work.

Local Dance History Project

In  2010 Philadelphia Dance Projects initiated The Local Dance History Project which took an informative look at the development of contemporary dance in Philadelphia through the work of five dance and movement artists who were among the first to explore post modern, improvisation and performance genres in the city during the late 1970s and early 80s. In 1980, dancers Michael Biello and Dan Martin, Jano Cohen, PDP’s Terry Fox, and Ishmael Houston Jones were featured in Dance & Dancers, a sold-out presentation at the Harold Prince Theater at the Annenberg Center for Performing Arts.  The five dancers reunited to reconstruct their work, which was performed by young Philadelphia dance artists at part of PDP Presents 2010.  The Local Dance History Project is currently being planned to go online as a seed to start an online and interactive archive of Philadelphia dance artists and their history.

Local Dance History Project catalogue

*A catalog “Re-Generation” commemorating the Local Dance History Project is available.  Click on cover to see excerpts.      The 36 page catalog has beautiful photos, and insightful commentary by the over 18 artists who participated.   $15.  or  $10. with  DanceUP pass. 

 

Please contact us to receive a catalog:  215.546.2552 or infoatphiladanceprojects [dot] org