FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 4, 2021
CONTACT: Johanna Tschebull
Dance/USA is pleased to announce updates to the Archiving and Preservation Fellowship program, which pairs library science students with dance organizations to organize and preserve their archives. The 2021 Archiving Fellows are Sasha Jelan, Sumi Matsumoto, Sarah Nguyễn, and Yvette Ramirez. Read their bios here.
The theme of this round of Fellowships is Honoring Dance Elders and Pioneers, and the organizations working with the Archiving Fellows are AXIS Dance Company, DanceATL, Viver Brasil, and World Arts West. These organizations represent groundbreaking work in physically integrated dance, community-based service, Afro-Brazilian dance, and traditional dance forms, and Dance/USA is pleased to uplift and support their important legacies. Read the Fellows’ blog posts about getting started on their projects in 2020 here.
“I am thrilled our first cohort of Archiving and Preservation Fellows – Sasha, Sumi, Sarah, and Yvette – will have an opportunity to continue supporting AXIS Dance Company, DanceATL, Viver Brasil, and World Arts West,” said Dance/USA Executive Director Kellee Edusei. “The projects they are each working on are fascinating! We’re grateful for the generosity of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and their commitment to supporting the dance ecosystem in this way.”
Dance/USA has adapted the Archiving and Preservation Fellowship Program to support the health and safety of the Fellows and the dance organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic in several ways. The first cohort of Fellows began working on their projects remotely last summer and they will return in 2021 to continue their projects using the virtual model begun in 2020. The transition to a remote-work model required a period of learning, adaptation, and planning which took much of the cohort’s first summer. The extension of their Fellowship period will give the Fellows time to implement and deepen the projects begun last year and allow Dance/USA to lay the groundwork for a new cohort of Fellows in 2022. No new Archiving and Preservation Fellowships will be offered in 2021.
“We are grateful for everyone’s grace and flexibility in adapting to these unprecedented times,” said Imogen Smith, Dance/USA Director of Archiving and Preservation. “We’ve learned valuable lessons about archiving in a virtual world, and we look forward to welcoming the Fellows back for another productive summer.”
New Archiving and Preservation Fellowships will be offered in summer 2022. Artists and dance organizations interested in working with Archiving Fellows will be invited to submit proposals in July 2021. Information on how to submit a proposal will be posted on the Dance/USA website and shared via Dance/USA communications and social media.
The application process for students interested in becoming Fellows will open in January 2022, and information will be posted on Dance/USA’s website.
For information about this program, contact Imogen Smith, Director of Archiving and Preservation, or Hallie Chametzky, Archiving Specialist.
The Archiving and Preservation Fellowship program is generously supported by an award from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
About Dance/USA
Propelled by our belief that dance can inspire a more just and humane world, Dance/USA will amplify the power of dance to inform and inspire a nation where creativity and the field thrive.
Dance/USA is the national service organization for the professional dance field. Established in 1982, Dance/USA champions an inclusive and equitable dance field by leading, convening, advocating, and supporting individuals and organizations. Dance/USA’s core programs are focused in the areas of engagement, advocacy, research, and preservation. Learn more about Dance/USA at danceusa.org.
