Cleveland Modern Dance Association

THE CLEVELAND MODERN DANCE ASSOCIATION (DANCECLEVELAND) WAS ESTABLISHED TO FOSTER AN APPRECIATION OF MODERN DANCE IN THE GREATER CLEVELAND AREA. ITS MISSION IS "TO BRING THE PASSION AND VERVE OF MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY DANCE TO THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF NORTHEAST OHIO." DANCECLEVELAND'S MISSION IS ACCOMPLISHED PRIMARILY THROUGH DANCE WORKSHOPS AND CONCERTS. DANCECLEVELAND DERIVES IT'S REVENUE PRIMARILY FROM TICKET SALES, DONATIONS, AND GRANTS.

DANCECLEVELAND'S VISION IS TO BE A CULTURE-MAKER IN NORTHEAST OHIO AND THE CENTER FOR MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY DANCE IN OUR REGION. BUILDING UPON A 64 -YEAR HISTORY AS A PRESENTER, COMMISSIONER, COLLABORATOR, AND CATALYST, DANCECLEVELAND CULTIVATES A DYNAMIC LEVEL OF ACTIVITY THAT EMBRACES, EDUCATES, INSPIRES, AND SUPPORTS DANCE ENTHUSIASTS AND ARTISTS ALIKE. THE CENTERPIECE OF THIS ENDEAVOR IS DANCECLEVELAND'S ANNUAL CONCERT SERIES FEATURING NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED DANCE COMPANIES, DANCECLEVELAND ENHANCES THE CONCERT EXPERIENCE WITH A ROBUST ARRAY OF SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL EVENTS THAT BREAK ARTISTIC BOUNDRIES AND PROVIDE COMMUNITY ACCESS TO ARTS EDUCATION, PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITY, PHYSICAL WELLBEING ARTISTIC ENGAGEMENTS AND ENTERTAINMENT.

COLLABORATOR: AS A SMALL ORGANIZATION, WE THRIVE BECAUSE OF OUR COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS IN THE COMMUNITY WHICH HAVE THE TWOFOLD BENEFIT OF REDUCING OUR FINANCIAL RISK WHILE MAXIMIZING OUR POTENTIAL TO BRING THE FINEST DANCE COMPANIES IN THE WORLD TO CLEVELAND. WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON BEING ARTISTICALLY BOLD AND FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE, WHICH ENABLES US TO BE NIMBLE AND REACTIVE TO TESTING NEW IDEAS, ENDEAVORS, AND PARTNERSHIPS. DANCECLEVELAND'S VIBRANCY, RELEVANCY, REACH, AND LONG-STANDING REPUTATION OF EXCELLENCE REST ON THE STRENGTH OF A SMALL-YET-MIGHTY STAFF TEAM, A VISIONARY BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AN ARMY OF DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS, AND AN ANNUALLY CHANGING LINEUP OF MODERN DANCE LUMINARIES. CREATIVITY, COLLABORATION, AND SHEER ELBOW GREASE HELP US TO GENERATE AN EQUITABLE VARIETY OF PERFORMANCES, RELATED MASTERCLASSES, DANCE WORKSHOPS AND RESIDENCIES, AND A SUMMER COMMUNITY DANCE DAY ANNUALLY. WE CAREFULLY VET INDIVIDUAL PARTNERS AGAINST RIGOROUS STANDARDS FOR CREATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY AND ENJOY THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH IN-DEMAND ARTISTS WHO CHALLENGE AND INSPIRE THE AUDIENCES WE SERVE. FREQUENT PARTNERS INCLUDE CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE, PLAYHOUSE SQUARE, THE CITY OF CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON, AND CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY. WE FREQUENTLY WORK IN A CO-PRESENTING MODEL, BRINGING OUR CURATORIAL EXPERTISE TO THE TABLE AS WE STRETCH OUR SMALL ORGANIZATION'S RESOURCES THROUGH OUR PARTNERS' MARKETING AND MEDIA BUYING REACH, PRODUCTION AND SPACE RESOURCES, AND HUMAN RESOURCES. CO-PRESENTING ENABLES US TO MINIMIZE OUR FINANCIAL RISK AND EXPAND OUR REACH TO NEW AUDIENCES, MANY OF WHOM GO ON TO BE A LOYAL, REPEAT BASE OF SUPPORTERS. DANCECLEVELAND EXTENSIVELY ENGAGES THE COMMUNITY THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE LOCAL DANCE COMMUNITY, AND AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES THAT SUPPORT ITS GOAL OF CREATING A VIBRANT DANCE COMMUNITY IN NORTHEAST OHIO.

MASTER CLASSES: EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS LIES IN OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE DIRECT AND FREE HANDS-ON DANCE EXPERIENCES AT THE ADVANCED PROFESSIONAL LEVELS TO DANCERS IN OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL AS SPECIAL CLASSES FOR EARLY DANCE STUDENTS. PROFESSIONAL, PRE-PROFESSIONAL AND STUDENT DANCERS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND FREE MASTER CLASSES LED BY MEMBERS OF THE VISITING DANCE COMPANIES WE PRESENT, THEREBY HONING THEIR TECHNIQUES, ENHANCING THEIR EXPRESSIVENESS, AND NETWORKING WITH THE VERY BEST IN THEIR FIELD. COMMUNITY PROGRAMS: HUNDREDS OF MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AS WELL AS INTERESTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE INTRODUCED TO DANCE THROUGH COMMUNITY RESIDENCIES THAT INCLUDE MOVEMENT CLASSES, DEMONSTRATIONS AND CONVERSATIONS WITH VISITING ARTISTS. OUR ANNUAL COMMUNITY DANCE DAY BUILDS ON THIS WORK BY OFFERING FREE OUTDOOR EXERCISE CLASSES, DANCE DEMONSTRATIONS, COMMUNITY DANCE LESSONS, AND A SHOWCASE FOR STUDENT DANCERS. AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES: EACH PERFORMANCE IS ACCOMPANIED BY AN INVIGORATING SERIES OF AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES, WHICH WILL ENHANCE THE PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE AND ENABLE AUDIENCE MEMBERS TO ESTABLISH SPECIAL CONNECTIONS TO THE VISITING COMPANIES THROUGH INFORMATIONAL ONLINE VIDEOS AND INFORMATIONAL EBLASTS, PRE-PERFORMANCE LECTURES, POST-PERFORMANCE Q&A SESSIONS AND THE BEHIND THE CURTAIN FEATURES. ADVOCACY: WE ARE NOT AN ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION, HOWEVER, WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE A VOICE TO OFFER RELATING, IN PARTICULAR, TO PUBLIC FUNDING FOR THE ARTS. WE REGULARLY REMIND OUR AUDIENCES AND SUPPORTERS ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FUNDING WE RECEIVE FROM CUYAHOGA ARTS AND CULTURE, THE OHIO ARTS COUNCIL AND THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS. THROUGH THESE EXTENSIVE EFFORTS, DELIVERED DIGITALLY AND IN PERSON THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AS WELL AS PARTNERSHIPS WITH ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE AREA, DANCECLEVELAND ANNUALLY ENGAGES MORE THAN 15,000 ADULTS AND STUDENTS FROM THROUGHOUT AND BEYOND THE 12-COUNTY NORTHEAST OHIO REGION TO ITS PERFORMANCES, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES.

PRESENTER: DANCECLEVELAND IS PROUD TO BE ONE OF JUST A HANDFUL OF STAND- ALONE, DANCE ONLY PRESENTERS IN THE US. OUR SUCCESS OVER 66 SEASONS IS EVIDENCED BY THE NEARLY 400 WORLD-CLASS DANCE COMPANIES THAT HAVE PERFORMED HERE IN OUR CURATED SEASONS. DANCECLEVELAND'S HISTORY MIRRORS THAT OF THE ART FORM ITSELF, HIGHLIGHTED BY THE COMPANIES WE HAVE PRESENTED AT THE HEIGHT OF THEIR ARTISTIC TRAJECTORIES. WE HAVE REMAINED ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF THE ART FORM AND PRIDE OURSELVES ON THE OPEN, COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS WE HAVE WITH OTHER PRESENTERS AND ARTISTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WHICH ENABLE US TO CONTINUALLY KEEP OUR FINGER ON THE PULSE OF WHAT IS NEW IN MODERN DANCE AND WHAT OUR AUDIENCES WILL BENEFIT FROM SEEING. OUR CURATORIAL PROCESS INCLUDES A FOCUS ON PRESENTING ARTISTS WHO ARE OFTEN UNDER-REPRESENTED IN THE FIELD, INCLUDING ARTISTS OF COLOR AND FEMALE DANCE MAKERS. DANCECLEVELAND IS COMMITTED TO EQUITY, ENSURING THE DIVERSITY OF OUR NORTHEAST OHIO COMMUNITY IS REFLECTED ON STAGE. DANCECLEVELAND IS COMMITTED TO BUILDING NEW AUDIENCES FOR DANCE BY CREATING BRIDGES OF UNDERSTANDING ABOUT CONTEMPORARY DANCE AS WELL AS THE CREATIVE PROCESS. DANCECLEVELAND REACHES AN AUDIENCE WITH A GREAT DIVERSITY OF AGE, ETHNICITY, PHYSICAL ABILITY, LIFESTYLE, SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS, AND EXPERIENCE WITH THE ART FORM OF DANCE. THE JOYFUL, EXPRESSIVE ATTENDEES OF OUR PERFORMANCES HAVE OFTEN BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTS PRESENTERS AS ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUELY FUN AND ENGAGED BASES IN THE PERFORMING ARTS WORLD. WE CREATE A WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE PERFORMANCE SERIES BY KEEPING TICKET PRICES STRATEGICALLY LOW, OFFERING FREE TICKETS TO EACH PERFORMANCE TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN OUR REGION, PLANNING FAMILY-FRIENDLY MATINEES AND PRE-PERFORMANCE FAMILY ACTIVITIES (FOR SELECT ENGAGEMENTS), OFFERING FREE COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND BY TAPPING INTO THE RESOURCES OF PLAYHOUSE SQUARE TO OFFER A FULLY ACCESSIBLE EXPERIENCE FOR GUESTS WITH DISABILITIES.