Sharon Luckman Receives the Dance/USA Trustees Award
Sharon Gersten Luckman, former long-time executive director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, will receive the Dance/USA Trustees Award June 13 at its annual conference in Philadelphia. Catch up with Luckman in an interview with arts journalist Karyn Collins on what makes Ailey such a successful dance organization, what other companies can learn from the Ailey company success, and where she sees the field in the future.
Great Wall Expectations:
China is exciting and chaotic and your dance company should go. Before
you buy your plane tickets, however, it is important to understand the
context of China’s performing arts market in order to manage your
expectations and plan a strategy for touring successfully.
Parsing the Merce Cunningham Dance Company Legacy Plan: A Special Report
On December 31, 2011, the Park Armory in New York was filled with a
wet-eyed crowd of modern dance lovers bidding farewell to the Merce
Cunningham Dance Company. Never before had a legacy company, one that
made its mark over 58 years and changed the way we understood and
created dances, shut its doors in such an abrupt but planned manner.
Cunningham was an iconoclast from beginning to end.
Earlier this
month the Merce Cunningham Trust released a case study detailing the
extensive Legacy Plan crafted by the Cunningham Dance Foundation. The
88-page report provides details on
the controversial arrangement that dismantled the Cunningham Dance Company, shut down the Cunningham Dance Foundation, as well
as closed and sold off of the Merce Cunningham Studio in New York City.
The Sustainability Dance
What does sustainability look like in the making and presenting of professional concert dance? We turned to Dance Exchange for some sustainable practices to consider.
Serious Selling for the Small or Independent Dance Organization
How does a small business artist make it happen? Inspired by Dance/USA’s
article, “Serious Selling,” about the production and profit practices
of the San Francisco Ballet’s merchandising and products, which are sold
in its “Ballet Shop” and on tour, I set out to give inspiration to the
many of us in the arts community who strive to make it happen — on a
far smaller scale. Read on to find out how.
Resources for Touring China
Resources to get you started on your artistic journey to China from cultural exchange broker Alison M. Friedman.
Does a Dance Company Executive Director Need To Have a Dance Background?
Not necessarily, but an honest comprehension of and deep appreciation for dance and dancers is, for most, what compels them to commit to the mission of running a dance company. Read on to hear from directors about their experiences.
The Executive Pas de Deux
Times have changed significantly since George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein joined forces in the 1940s to create the New York City Ballet. Yet the model those two men established for the administration of the American dance company remains: an artistic director reigning over the creative wing of the organization, an executive director administering the business side of things, and a board of directors to ensure fiscal responsibility, remains. Too often an imbalance between those arms of a company develops especially when the push-pull dynamic between the innately challenging AD and ED positions becomes overwrought. But like a strong marriage or a grand pas de deux, many such partnerships do thrive. They take hard work, skillful communication, and an evolving collegial relationship.
Streamlining the Chain of Command: Nashville Ballet
Three years ago, Nashville Ballet moved from a traditional non-profit leadership structure (artistic and executive directors, a board president) into one that looks more like a for-profit company. Artistic Director Paul Vasterling assumed the title of CEO while remaining artistic leader, and reports that the results have been only positive: better communication, efficiency, and cohesion throughout the company. Dance/USA spoke with Vasterling about how it works.
On Mentorship: Dance as a ‘Handed-Down Form’
“Dance is a handed-down art form. We almost take this for granted in the
studio, and don’t even think about it as it is occurring. It is how
young dancers become seasoned and powerful performers; and how
experienced dancers absorb the craft of creating dance work on their
paths to becoming choreographers. But there is a world of opportunity to
pass on knowledge and experience outside of the studio as well, and
this has more to do with opening someone to the possibilities in front
of them – be that artistic or intensely practical.”
