Here at SeattleDances, we want to do everything we can to support dance happening in Seattle. We write previews, reviews, and editorials. We host the most comprehensive dance calendar in the city. Last year we organized a free press workshop for artists and began our monthly Dance CHAT program to facilitate dialogue around Seattle dance. We see it, write about it, and talk about it. It seems fair to say, we LOVE the dance happening in Seattle. And there’s a lot of it. But we’ve been wondering lately, how come there are so few opportunities for this great work to be recognized?
SeattleDances is thrilled to announce DanceCrush, a new program designed to recognize and support achievements in local dance. Starting in 2016, SeattleDances will annually honor dancers, choreographers, and productions we have a total crush on. But aside from our affections, what will recipients of a DanceCrush receive? Each artist will be honored at a SeattleDances event in early 2017, followed by a feature article on each Dance Crush published throughout the year in an effort to sustain dialogue and publicity surrounding their work. It is our hope that these recognitions will help promote individual artists and create prestige for the dance community as a whole among other arts genres.
Because our goals are to support the dance scene, we are avoiding the traditional “best of category” format that can create contention and competition. Instead, since our writers collectively see so much dance, we are choosing to recognize what stood out to us over the year, and why. Did one performer execute a diversity of roles with aplomb? Did a certain show use the space with innovation? Did a choreographer find a compelling way to use narrative? SeattleDances is not interested in determining an objective “best.” Instead we will honor what inspires us, subjectively.
In addition, we will be presenting a Reader’s Choice Award picked from nominations submitted by YOU, the Seattle dance community. So go see some dance and take notes, because we’ll be asking for your submissions–who you think deserves recognition and why–in October.
DanceCrushes for 2016 will be announced in November, with performances happening in November and December 2016 eligible for 2017’s DanceCrush.
Dates and venue for the event are still to be determined, but stay tuned at seattledances.com for the most up-to-date information. In the meantime, keep on dancing, Seattle!
