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The Young Choreographers Collective or YC2 (pronounced Y-C-Squared) creates a supportive and collaborative environment for young dance artists to create work. The program helps transition performers with little experience choreographing as well as recent graduates of dance programs into producing choreography in the professional world.

During the beta-run of the program, Micheline Heal, Elizabeth Odell, and Matina Phillips worked together to produce an evening-length concert. In its inaugural year participants will receive a more formal instruction in the business aspects of the dance world through monthly workshops on fundraising, marketing, and public relations. In addition, they will receive the resources to produce works for an evening length concert that showcases their artistic talent. Heal, Odell, and Phillips will serve as an advisory board, establishing a precedent of mentorship that is passed from year-to-year.

Participants Will Receive:

• 1½ hours of rehearsal time per week to work on your own projects.
• Access to highly proficient dancers with advanced technical training.
• 6 workshops covering the business aspects of dance: fundraising (both through grants and individual contributions), marketing, public relations, accounting, and venue applications.
• Free company class.
• A fully produced and marketed concert.

Requirements for Participation:

• Because the goal of this program is to create a supportive environment, each participant will be required to rehearse as a dancer in addition to choreographing. Rehearsals will be held twice a week for 4½ hours at a time. Participation in both rehearsal days is required.
• Participants must attend all workshops.
• Participants must attend related events such as work-in-progress showings.

Program Timeline:

• The program will run roughly from August 2012 to December 2012 with the showcase in December. The timeline is intentionally left open-ended at this time to work with the participant’s schedules.

Program Fee:

• $1250, which the participants will fundraise themselves.
• The fee is broken down into a $250 non-refundable deposit to secure the participant’s spot in the program and an additional due $1000 before the end of the program.
• The program fee will cover production costs (venue rental, costumes, marketing expenses), workshop costs (space and instructor fees), and administrative overhead.

Selection Criteria:

For this application cycle we will be accepting up to 6 choreographers based on the following criteria.

• Suitability for the program as determined by the answers to questions 1, 2 and 3 in the written application.
• Technical prowess as determined by the performance video work sample.
• Choreographic ideas as determined by the answers to question 4 and 5, improvisation work sample and any supporting video work sample.

Application Break-Down:

The application consists of 5 application questions and 3 video work samples. Applicants are advised to keep responses short as answers will be judged not only by content but also on the clarity that it is delivered. Each work sample should consist of footage shot in a single shot of one piece. Rehearsal footage is acceptable. The “Performance Work Sample” should be of the applicant executing a solo piece of choreography about a minute long. The “Improvisation Work Sample” should be of the applicant improvising, also solo about a minute long. The “Choreography Work Sample” does not have to pertain to the proposed work and should be no longer than five minutes in length.

Application Deadline:

• Applications must be submitted by 5pm on April 1, 2011. Late submissions will not be considered without previous approval.
• Please email the completed application form to moc.hsam-hcimnull@2CY.