MANCC Forward Dialogues

Laboratory | August 11 - 24, 2024

MANCC Forward Dialogues 3

With generous renewed support from the National Endowment for the Arts, MANCC looks forward to hosting the third iteration of its artist laboratory, MANCC Forward Dialogues (MFD), originally postponed because of COVID, to now take place August 11th - 24th, 2024. This year’s MFD will be designed and led by Yanira Castro, Makini and a third professional (tbc), also working in the dance and performance field (bios are included below). 
 
Piloted in 2017 and held again in 2019, this program is designed to support and catalyze the ideas of emergent movement-based artists by providing access to a stimulating environment that encourages experimentation and exploration in a facilitated, process-oriented laboratory setting. Unlike more typical MANCC residencies that encourage artists to work independently, the MFD program is devised for collaborative exchange and dialogue among participants. The program also aids MANCC in developing relationships with the next generation of dance makers by learning about and supporting their evolving artistic practices.
 
Movement-based makers, nominated in consultation with national peers working in dance and performance and prior MFD participants, have been invited to apply. Seven artists, each an early maker, will be selected by the program facilitators to attend. Selection will be based on:

- a demonstrated commitment to artistic practice and experimentation
- a vision for the future of one’s creative practice 
- an openness to discourse and collaborative inquiry, and 
- a strong desire to be part of a working lab with peers that prioritizes the generative exchange of ideas.

Additionally, each applicant is asked to propose one peer to bring with them, in cohort, to MANCC. This creative collaborator can be any artistic and/or intellectual collaborator with whom the applicant wishes to develop ideas at and beyond MANCC. The proposed peer may be a performer, composer/musician, designer, writer, dramaturg, or other creative partner, and can represent a fresh collaboration, a well-established relationship, or anything in between. 

MFD 2024 is currently being designed by this year’s facilitators to foster critical thinking and may include such activities as peer-showings, facilitated dialogue, reflective writing, and explorations in and outside of the studio.

Facilitator bios

Yanira Castro (she/her/ella)
IG @acanarytorsi, acanarytorsi.org


Yanira Castro is a Puerto Rican interdisciplinary artist working at the intersection of communal practices, performance, installation, and interactive technology. She forms iterative, multimodal projects that center collective action in works activated and performed by the public. Since 2009, she’s created and performed with a team of collaborators as a canary torsi. Their recent work includes a performance manual for reckoning; a participatory podcast to rehearse for a collective future; and I came here to weep, a collective exorcism for americans to perform. She has been commissioned and presented nationally and her work has recently been supported by Creative Capital, The MAP Fund, The Alpert Award, MANCC, LMCC, MacDowell, and Yaddo. She has received two NY Dance & Performance (aka Bessie) Awards for Outstanding Production.

Makini
IG @makinimakes, makinimakes.com


I am a choreographer, performer, and video artist, based in traditional lands of Tutelo-Saponi speaking peoples, who grew up dancing around the living room and at parties with my family. My work continues to be influenced by my foundations in those living rooms and parties, early technical training in contemporary African dance, continued study of contemporary dance/performance — especially African and Africanist forms, anatomical trainings with dancer and anatomist Irene Dowd, sociological research of and technical training in J-sette performance with Jermone Donte Beacham. Through my work, I dialogue with Black queer artist folx, create lovingly agitating performances that recognize History as only one option for contextualization of the present, and encourage artists to understand ourselves as part of a larger community of workers imagining pathways toward economic ecosystems that prioritize care, interdependence, and delight.

  • Photos Coming Soon

Laboratory | August 2 - 15, 2019

MANCC Forward Dialogues 2

With generous support from the National Endowment for the Arts, MANCC was thrilled to host the second iteration of its early career artist laboratory, MANCC Forward Dialogues (MFD). Piloted in 2017, this program is designed to support and catalyze the ideas of emergent movement-based artists by providing access to a stimulating environment that encourages experimentation, exploration, and life-long learning.

While MANCC has primarily served mid-career professional artists since its founding in 2004, this initiative aids in developing relationships with the next generation of dance makers by learning about and supporting their evolving artistic practices. In August 2019, MANCC Forward Dialogues hosted seven collaborative pairs of artists in a 14-day immersive lab. This year’s pairs included Chicago-based Joanna Furnans and Christine Wallers; Los Angeles-based DaEun Jung and Melody Shim; and New York City-based artists Beatrice Capote and Farai Malinga; Londs Reuter and Jacob Slominski; J. Bouey and Peter Louis 'Tear-Drop' Mercedes-Phipp; Ashley Yergens and Eli Tamondong; and Kim Savarino and Lai Yi Ohlsen. New this year, MANCC also hosted an emerging writer, Melanie Greene (dance artist and contributing writer for The Dance Enthusiast, Dance Magazine, and co-host of the Dance Union Podcast), and an emerging documentarian, Jessica Juachon (2019 MS in Public Interest Media and Communication, with a certificate in Digital Media Production, FSU). All 16 artists worked to further their practices within the larger group setting of the lab.

Movement-based makers were invited to apply based on nominations from field leaders nation-wide and prior participants from 2017. Selection, handled by the program facilitators, was based on 1) a demonstrated commitment to artistic practice, 2) a vision for the future of one’s creative practice, and 3) an openness to collaboration. As a means of fostering a sense of community and building relationships within and across the dance/performance field, each applicant was asked to propose one peer, or collaborator, to bring with them to MANCC. These collaborators, who ranged from performer, composer, visual artist, writer, scholar, Korean opera singer, and DJ, acted as thinking partners to develop ideas at and beyond their time at MANCC.

Facilitating the program were field-leaders in dance and performance: Yolanda Cesta Cursach, who is an independent curator and creative producer, Artistic Director at High Concept Labs, and former Curator of Performance at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago; Gesel Mason, a nationally recognized choreographer and faculty member in dance at the University of Texas at Austin; and Ishmael Houston-Jones, an award-winning choreographer, author, performer, teacher, and curator. Throughout the laboratory experience, participants had various opportunities to engage with and seek feedback from these three highly respected experts in the field. Additionally, New York City based writer, critic, and curator Eva Yaa Asantewaa led a one-day writing ritual for all participants.

Throughout MFD, participants engaged in a process-oriented lab that fostered critical thinking through peer-showings, facilitated dialogue, reflective writing, explorations in the studio, and documentation in order to develop, examine, and articulate their nascent choreographic ideas. They also had opportunities to further their research outside of the studio through tours at the Riley House Museum (a historic home that serves as an archive of Tallahassee’s flourishing African American community in the early 1900s) and The National Magnet Lab at FSU (magnetic research facility that is the largest and highest powered of its kind in the world) . The laboratory culminated with work-in-progress sharings from all of the artists.

MANCC Forward Dialogues was funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for the writing components, as part of MANCC’s Embedded Writers Initiative. Funding was also provided by the Sustainable Arts Foundation to support parent artists in residence.

Participant Resource Packet PDF


   
 

  • MANCC Forward Dialogues Welcome Session
  • Melanie Greene speaks with Lai-Yi Ohlsen at the first sharing
  • Beatrice Capote and Farai Malianga demonstrate their process at the first sharing
  • DaEun Jung and Melody H.J. Shim describe their project at the first sharing
  • Participant pair Ashley Yergens and Eli Tamondong at the first sharing
  • Peter Louis 'Tear-Drop' Mercedes-Phipps shares during a group writing activity
  • Kim Savarino and Lai-Yi Ohlsen in their studio process
  • Kim Savarino and Lai-Yi Ohlsen's diagram describing their process
  • Kim Savarino and Lai-Yi Ohlsen working in the studio
  • Kim Savarino and Lai-Yi Ohlsen working in the studio
  • Eli Tamondong and Kim Savarino improvising
  • DaEun Jung and Melody H.J. Shim in the studio
  • DaEun Jung drawing a diagram of her process with Melody H. J. Shim
  • DaEun Jung in the studio
  • DaEun Jung and Melody H.J. Shim in the studio
  • Jung and Shim in conversation with Gesel Mason and Ishmael Houston-Jones
  • Joanna Furnans in the studio
  • Joanna Furnans and Christine Wallers discussing their project
  • Joanna Furnans with Christine Wallers in their first 'Open Studio'
  • Joanna Furnans with Christine Wallers in their 'Open Studio'
  • Eli Tamondong / Ube Halaya applies makeup in their process
  • Beatrice Capote and Farai Malianga working in the studio
  • Facilitators Gesel Mason and Yolanda Cesta Cursach in the studio with Capote and Malianga
  • Beatrice Capote working in the studio
  • Melanie Greene works on her writing practice in the studio
  • Londs Reuter working in the studio
  • Londs Reuter working in the studio
  • Jessica Juachon photographing Farai Malianga with Londs Reuter on her project
  • Melanie Greene and Beatrice Capote move to Farai Malianga's drums
  • Peter Louis 'Tear-Drop' Mercedes-Phipps and J. Bouey in their Open Studio
  • Peter Louis 'Tear-Drop' Mercedes-Phipps and J. Bouey in their Open Studio
  • Mercedes-Phipps and Bouey speak with Houston-Jones, Cesta Cursach, Greene, Capote and Malianga
  • Yolanda Cesta Cursach talks with Melanie Greene
  • Eva Yaa Asantewaa leads the Writes of Passage Ritual
  • Eva Yaa Asantewaa leads the Writes of Passage Ritual
  • Eva Yaa Asantewaa guides a group through storytelling
  • Melanie Greene at work in the studio
  • Melanie Greene at work on her writing and moving practice in the studio
  • Beatrice Capote dances in front of a green screen
  • Forward Dialogues participants visit FSU's acclaimed National High Magnet Laboratory
  • Melanie Greene visiting the Riley House Museum in Tallahassee
  • Londs Reuter in her 'Closing' at the end of the lab
  • Londs Reuter and Jacob Slominski workshop an idea in their 'Closing' at the end of the lab
  • Jacob Slominski (with Londs Reuter) in their 'Closing' at the end of the lab
  • Christine Wallers and Joanna Furnans present research in their 'Closing'
  • DaEun Jung and Melody H.J. Shim sharing their collaborative work at the end of the lab
  • DaEun Jung and Melody H.J. Shim sharing work
  • Kim Savarino and Lai-Yi Ohlsen offering their collaborative work during the lab's 'Closings'
  • Kim Savarino and Lai-Yi Ohlsen sharing work
  • Beatrice Capote (with Farai Malianga) offering their work during the lab's 'Closings'
  • Beatrice Capote (with Farai Malianga) sharing their work
  • Professor Jawole Willa Jo Zollar giving feedback during 'Closings'
  • Melanie Greene and Gesel Mason moving in the studio together during 'Closings'
  • Melanie Greene describing her research
  • J. Bouey and Peter Louis 'Tear-Drop' Mercedes-Phipps offering their collaborative work during 'Closings'
  • Peter Louis 'Tear-Drop' Mercedes-Phipps at work
  • J. Bouey and Peter Louis 'Tear-Drop' Mercedes-Phipps bringing an end to their 'Closings'
  • Eli Tamondong / Ube Halaya offering their performative work during 'Closings'
  • Eli Tamondong / Ube Halaya sharing their work
  • Eli Tamondong / Ube Halaya sharing more of their work
  • Group Photo of most of the MANCC Forward Dialogue artists and facilitators on the lab's closing day
Beatrice Capote, Farai Malianga, Londs Reuter, Jacob Slominski, Joanna Furnans, Christine Wallers, Eli Tamondong, Ashley Yergens, J. Bouey, Peter Louis 'Tear-Drop' Mercedes-Phipps, DaEun Jung, Melody H. J. Shim, Kim Savarino, Lai Yi Ohlsen, Melanie Greene, Jessica Juachon [Artist Participants], Eva Yaa Asantewaa, Yolanda Cesta Cursach, Gesel Mason, Ishmael Houston-Jones [Facilitators]

Laboratory | May 15 - 25, 2017

MANCC Forward Dialogues

As a part of its mission to raise the value of the creative process in dance, MANCC piloted a new program, MANCC Forward Dialogues (MFD), with generous support from the National Endowment for the Arts. This new laboratory program was designed to support and catalyze the ideas of emergent movement-based artists by providing access to a stimulating environment that encourages experimentation, exploration, and life-long learning.

While MANCC has primarily served mid-career artists, this new initiative aids in developing relationships with the next generation of dance makers by learning about and supporting their evolving artistic practices. MANCC Forward Dialogues hosted nine collaborative pairs of artists in a 10-day immersive lab. Candidates were invited to apply based on nominations from field leaders nation-wide. Selection was based on 1) a demonstrated commitment to artistic practice, 2) a vision for the future of one’s creative practice, and 3) an openness to collaboration. As a means of fostering a sense of community and building relationships within and across the dance/performance field, each applicant was asked to propose one peer to bring with them, in cohort, to MANCC. Collaborators ranged from intellectual to artistic, including performers, composers, designers, writers, filmmakers, and dramaturgs, who acted as thinking partners to develop ideas at and beyond the time spent at MANCC.

Selecting the participating pairs and facilitating the program were field-leaders in dance and performance: New York City based writer and critic Eva Yaa Asantewaa; Curator of Performance at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago Yolanda Cesta Cursach; and choreographer and Assistant Professor of Dance at University of Colorado-Boulder Gesel Mason. Participants engaged in a process-oriented lab that fostered critical thinking through peer-showings, facilitated dialog, reflective writing, explorations in the studio, and documentation in order to develop, examine, and articulate their nascent choreographic ideas.

MFD participants were provided the following resource packet at the beginning of the lab, which provides an overview of the intentions of the lab and schedule of activities as well as the bios and headshots of all the participant artists and facilitators. Participant Resource Packet PDF

 

  • MANCC Director Carla Peterson welcomes the group to Tallahassee at an opening night reception.
  • Collaborative pair Santoli & Shapiro (both NY) share their intersecting interests with the group on day 2.
  • Collaborative pair Vince Johnson and Francois Zayas (both PA) share their work.
  • Collaborative pair Vince Johnson and Francois Zayas (both PA) share their work.
  • Participants share feedback on each other's work.
  • Facilitator Yolanda Cesta Cursach leads a group discussion.
  • Participants Fana Fraser and Maya Jordan work with facilitators Gesel Mason and Yolanda Cesta Cursach.
  • End of day wind-down / dance party.
  • End of day wind-down / dance party.
  • Nana Adusei-Poku (Netherlands) and NIC Kay (NY/IL) share a site-specific performance with the group.
  • Peer-cohort Nana Adusei-Poku (Netherlands) and NIC Kay (NY/IL) discuss their piece with the group.
  • Choreographer Vince Johnson (PA) collaborates with peer-cohort and composer Francois Zayas (PA).
  • Aimee Plauche (FSU BFA '10) and Megan Carvajal (FSU MFA '16) discuss their collaborative process.
  • Participant Megan Carvajal (FSU MFA '16) experiments with improvisational scores.
  • Peer-cohort Sarah Rose (FSU MFA '19) and Ross Daniel (FSU MFA '17) explore movement vocabulary.
  • Sarah Rose and Ross Daniel share work.
  • Participant Maya Jordan (CA) shares her work.
  • Participants join in a work process led by Maya Jordan.
  • Participant Maya Jordan (CA) performs an improvisation with the group.
  • MFD participant Fana Fraser (NY) creates new work in the studio.
  • Lisa Harris, Georgia Wall, Megan Carvajal, and Aimee Plauche with facilitator Gesel Mason.
Lily Bo Shapiro, Julia Santoli, Georgia Wall, Lisa Harris, Vince Johnson, Francois Zayas, Evvie Allison, Lora-Faye Ashuvud, Maya “Mayanicol” Jordan, Sonia Malfa, NIC Kay, Nana Adusei-Poku, Fana Fraser, Roya Carreras, Aimee Plauche, Megan Carvajal, Ross Daniel, Sarah Rose [Artist Participants], Gesel Mason, Yolanda Cesta Cursach, Eva Yaa Asantewaa [Facilitators]

Featured Artist

Faye Driscoll

Weathering
February 22 - 24
Carolina Performing
Arts, UNC Chapel Hill

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