The History of 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.
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 then Morris A. Mechanic Theatre. The Hippodrome Foundation, Inc. contributed all day usage of The Mechanic on Saturday, April 26, 2003 for the first event called, Dance Baltimore. The day included master classes, a youth |
performance featuring six award winning 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 audience members attended Dance Baltimore—a minimum of sixty (60) students were enrolled in each master class, close to 500 attended the youth performance and 1,000 attended the evening concert. Financial and in kind 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 the 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 Baltimore 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 by the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts to coordinate local dance programming for Artscape, the nation’s largest, free arts festival. 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 is now an arts organization that serves as an umbrella group for the local dance community. (Above Photo: Dance & B'More) (Below photos by Tisa Della Volte) |
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2003
The Morris Mechanic Theatre Dance Baltimore! The first dance event which led to the forming of the organization, Dance Baltimore. |