Greeting from the very chilly north. This morning it was a whole 2 degrees when I walked my pooch! After many months of working to develop our new website I am totally jazzed to announce that applications to all three of our training programs are now available. I hope that many of you will join us this summer to celebrate our 30th anniversary season.
On a personal note this summer will be my 25th year as Director of this magnificent event. It has been an incredible privilege and honor to be the conduit and guide for the Festival over all these years and to offer a container in which so much important work has been created. Together with all of you we have crafted something that truly responds to the needs and desires of dancers. Your input along the way has been invaluable and has guided us down the right path. I never imagined a life of such riches for myself. I am so grateful for landing in this charmed spot on earth.
We are totally jazzed about our line up for the summer — welcoming back old friends like Rennie Harris Puremovement to perform greatest hits from their repertory, Keigwin + Company to present the world premiere of Starstruck, and Kate Weare Company to share their newest work, Garden. We will also welcome Kyle Abraham/Abraham.in.Motion to show Live, The Realest MC. And we just got some truly terrific news–this summer we will finally have air-conditioning in Scheffer Theatre, no more sweating through the shows, hurrah!
We will also gather an exceptional faculty and introduce some rad new courses like ZenRaga by Tania Isaac and Transnational Fusion by Donna Mejia. Check out the class schedule for all details.
Meanwhile on a very, very sad note, two days ago we learned of the passing of one of our dear friends, Niles Ford who was to be on our faculty this summer. I am still trying to grasp this news fully. Niles was a young 52 years. He was a rare and much loved member of our community. An extraordinary teacher, choreographer, dj and my friend, Niles will be deeply missed. We are very grateful to Tania Isaac for stepping in on short notice to take Niles’ place on our Professional Training Program faculty.
All winter long as we put together our programs and wade through the administrative process that makes them a reality we look forward to the day when all of you begin to arrive. The landscape of Bates comes alive with creativity, experimentation, new connections and glorious dance.
I look forward to once again hosting BDF’s annual gathering of the dance community and to celebrating our long history together.
