| History & Mission... |
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| DANCE BALTIMORE On June 28, 2002, representatives from the local dance community gathered to discuss the state of dance in the Baltimore metropolitan area and how dance professionals from all areas of the field could share and build audiences. The first Baltimore Dance Summit attracted 35 dance professionals from throughout the area. Ballet, modern, tap, jazz, hip hop, and ethnic dance educators, performers, choreographers, students, studio and school owners, as well as administrators, and local and state government representatives came together to identify issues of concern and develop a plan to share the beauty and benefits of dance to the broader community and enhance the role of dance in the city. The group identified four areas of focus— areas where efforts of improvement could be made to achieve the overall goal. · Audience development · Media visibility · Networking within the dance community, and · Increased performance opportunities Within months of the first gathering of dance professionals, an offer was made to the dance community via the Baltimore Community Foundation from The Hippodrome Foundation, the non profit organization that presents touring Broadway shows in the city and coordinates the activities of The Morris A. Mechanic Theatre. Alliance as well as the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, Maryland State Arts Alliance as well as the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, Maryland State Arts Council, Dance Guild of Baltimore, Towson University, Theatre Project, Baltimore City Public School System, Eubie Blake Cultural Arts Center, Ballet Theatre of Maryland, and many more, it was decided that a major dance event, free to the public, that not only introduced Baltimore audiences to its own dance community but that demonstrated introduced Baltimore audiences to its own dance community but that demonstrated the power of dance was in order. Six members of the group volunteered to serve on a committee to plan and implement the event called Dance Baltimore! The Hippodrome Foundation, Inc. contributed all day usage of The Morris A. Mechanic Theatre on Saturday, April 26, 2003. The day included master classes by Lori Goodman (jazz), Doug Hamby (modern), and Sankofa Dance Theatre (ethnic); a performance featuring six award winning youth dance ensembles and an evening concert with works by select professional companies. The event was “sold out” (all free all tickets distributed) two weeks prior to the event; over 1,300 actually participated—a minimum of sixty (60) were enrolled in each master class, close to 500 attended the youth performance and 1,000 attended the evening concert. Financial contributors to Dance Baltimore! included The Hippodrome Foundation, Inc., The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore City Public Schools, The Baltimore City Foundation, Baltimore Community Foundation, The Community Development Financing Corporation, Inc., and UPS. Administrative support was provided by Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance. Following the great success of Dance Baltimore!, The Hippodrome Foundation offered the usage of The Mechanic Theatre in 2004 and use of the new Hippodrome Theatre in 2005. After the Dance Baltimore! event, dance began to pick up a unique momentum in the city. To continue working towards the four set goals of the dance community, an ongoing dance service effort was continued. Also called Dance Baltimore, the now formalized organization was asked the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts to coordinate local dance programming for Artscape. Other area organizations such as the High Zero Festival requesting new and avant garde music and dance collaborations, and The Baltimore Museum of Art proposing exhibit inspired dance performances also requested assistance. Within months, a major feature in Baltimore’s City Paper was published about the dance effort and an award by Baltimore magazine acknowledging the April 26th event as “Baltimore Best Dance Event” bestowed. Dance Baltimore has become an arts organization that serves as a focal point for the local dance community. |