Danspace Project
An experiment in local partnership: PLATFORM: PASS
Danspace Project and the Tisch Initiative for Creative Research initiated a partnership in 2015 which included a two-week Creative Research Residency for students and faculty of Tisch School of the Arts, over May-June 2015 at Danspace Project’s venue in St. Mark’s Church. In conjunction with this partnership, a group of NYU students also participated in a Platform Pass membership program to research and engage Danspace’s programming in greater depth during PLATFORM 2015: Dancers, Buildings and People in the Streets.
Open to a group of 20 Tisch students this year, the Platform Pass provided a discounted opportunity for students to attend and engage with Danspace Project's Dancers, Buildings and People in the Streets series, guest curated by poet and former New York Times dance critic Claudia La Rocco. Utilizing the dance writings of poet and critic Edwin Denby as a launching point, the seven-week Platform examined the overlapping lineages of George Balanchine, Merce Cunningham, and Judson Dance Theater, and their continued influence on choreography today.
New York City Ballet artists and alumni were paired with postmodern choreographers for a series of experimental Dance Dialogues presented over February and March 2015. Hand-picked by La Rocco, the artists are widely renown as dancers, choreographers, and teachers:
- Kaitlyn Gilliland & Will Rawls
- Silas Riener & Adrian Danchig-Waring
- Sara Mearns & Rashaun Mitchell
- Sterling Hyltin & Jodi Melnick
- Jillian Peña & Troy Schumacher
- Emily Coates & Yve Laris Cohen
Platform 2015 also included an open rehearsal & performance event by choreographer Pam Tanowitz; public conversations and workshops with Platform artists Silas Riener, Kaitlin Gilliland and Emily Coates; and a series of online writings by guest respondents.
- Benefits of the Platform Pass included:
- A copy of the PLATFORM 2015 Catalogue, edited by Claudia La Rocco and featuring writing and contributions by: Devin Alberda, Reid Bartelme, Douglas Crimp, Barbara Dilley, Douglas Dunn, Larry Fagin, David Gordon, Christine Shan Shan Hou, Judy Hussie-Taylor, Emmanuel Iduma, Ryan Kelly, Claudia La Rocco, Ralph Lemon, Megan Metcalf, Fred Moten, Eileen Myles, David Parker, Cassie Peterson, Dan Siegler, David Vaughan, David Velasco, Anne Waldman, John Yau, and each of the Platform 2015 artists.
- A year-long Student membership: enjoy $5 off single tickets to Danspace Project performances for a full year.
- One complimentary ticket to any PLATFORM 2015: Dancers, Buildings, and People in the Streets performance.
- Admission to a private discussion with PLATFORM 2015 curator Claudia La Rocco and Danspace Project executive director Judy Hussie-Taylor; as well as a lecture on the history of dance at the landmark St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery, Danspace Project's home for over 40 years.