Core Dance Celebrates 40 Years Of Art-Making

Core Dancecelebrates the "purposeful artistic risk taking, invention, and community participation," which exemplifies its 40 years of creating dance that is relevant in Houston, Atlanta, and around the globe. An internationally recognized, award-winning contemporary dance organization based in Houston, TX and Atlanta/Decatur, GA, Core Dance builds on a history of original dance works, community-based performances, and outreach. The calendar of performances and programs that celebrate this milestone include:

Performance: "if... a memoir"

October 25-26, 7 p.m.

Finca Tres Robles, 257 N. Greenwood St., Houston, 77011

Choreographed by Co-Founder and Artistic Director Sue Schroeder, "if... a memoir," was created in collaboration with the Dance Artists of Core Dance, Christian Meyer (composer), Simon Gentry (cinematographer) and Sarah Turquety (poet). Itis an evening-length, physical theater choreopoem which addresses the tipping point we as humanity are facing, freedom and limits. At the heart of the challenges, the difficulties we face, how can we develop empathy, continue to be affected, to believe in the capacity of the human being? If...a memoirseeks to create an emotional response between the artists and the audience. The fruit of an artistic questioning and a quest for meaning, If...a memoirreveals what connects us to each other: beauty, weaknesses, vulnerability, and what it is to be inherently human. It will be performed outdoors at an urban farm, Finca Tres Robles, in Houston's Second Ward. Tickets are $15 and are on-sale now at: https://www.giveffect.com/campaigns/11695-if-a-memoir-hou

If . . . a memoirwill also be performed in Atlanta (November 1-2), and Conway, AR (October 15), and will have a residency in Leicester, UK (November 2020).

Program: CoreoLab

November 2019

Core Dance will hostJohn McFallfor the second iteration of CoreoLab. This program is designed for artists to take creative risks and support innovative ideas that redefine artistic boundaries while reshaping the conversation about art and experience. CoreoLab provides three-weeks of access to studio time, studio space, as well as the Dance Artists of Core Dance, without the expectation of producing work for performance or the stage.

Performances: American Playground, The Third Dance, and new work

February 2020

Niv Sheinfeld and Oren Laor'smuch-lauded performances, American Playground andThe Third Dance,will tour to Albuquerque, New Mexico in February 2020. Core Dance will also initiate a new commission by Sheinfeld and Laor with the first creation period scheduled for the same month. Details for the premiere of this new work are to be announced.

Performance: Manifolds

March 2020

Core Dance will premiere an outdoor performance of Manifolds,a new work by Core Dance Artist Rose Shields exploring the interconnectedness of human movement, architecture, and dimensions in relation to our human existence. Performance locations To Be Announced.

Program: Fieldwork Houston, an artist forum

Sessions: September 14, 2019 - April 2020; February 29 - April 25, 2020

Showcase: May 2, 2020; 7 p.m.

In partnership with The Field NYC, Core Dance will offer Fieldwork, a forum for artists of all disciplines to share developing works and exchange feedback with their peers. Fieldwork is for creators - solo performing artists, writers, composers, choreographers, playwrights, multidisciplinary artists, poets, and vocalists ready to take risks. Fieldwork Houston begins on Saturday, September 14 with monthly sessions at Midtown Arts and Theater Complex Houston (MATCH) from 11am to 2pm through April 2020. Spring Bi-Weekly Sessions at MATCH begin on February 29 through April 25. The sessions culminate with the Fieldwork Showcase on May 2, 2020 at 7pm.

Performance: National Water Dance

Saturday, April 18 at 4:00 p.m. EST

Core Dance Artists join 1,500 dancers from across the country to perform in National Water Dance, an artist-driven collective of dancers and educators confronting critical water issues facing the United States. Stretching from New York to Hawaii and from Alaska to Puerto Rico, simultaneous, site-specific performances with movers of all ages and experience will be created and performed. National Water Dance believes that our environment is the most pressing issue of this generation and as dance artists we are using our bodies to create a community that reaches out to take responsibility and action for protecting our water. Core Dance will be performing at Driftwood Beach, Jekyll Island, GA. The event will be live-streamed on Core Dance's YouTube and Facebook Pages that can be found at coredance.org.For a full list of participating cities and states, please visit nationalwaterdance.org.

Program: EnCore Dance on Film

May 2020 Decatur Arts Festival

June 2020 Barnstorm Dance Fest

This annual festival that features short movies by dance filmmakers from around the world, will be part of the Barnstorm Dance Fest in June 2020 and the ArtWALK at the Decatur Arts Festival in May 2020.

Program: Planetary Dance

June 7, 2020

Core Dance Artists will participate in Planetary Dance, an annual all-day ritual of healing and community renewal that brings people of all ages and abilities together in a beautiful setting to dance for a purpose. The Planetary Dance Community invites people all over the world to join in a dance for peace in their own communities and peace with the Earth. The event will take place in Houston, TX and Decatur, GA.

Program: Dance Intensives: DIG! and Teens Activate

July 2020

Core Dance offers the professional dance intensives, DIG!andTeens Activate,a spoken word and movement program.DIG is a summer intensive for professional dance artists. Led by art-makers from around the world, participants will experience a rigorous investigation of the body in space and expand their artistic and movement research practices. Teens Activate is a week-long program designed for young adults age 15 - 18. Integrating the art forms of spoken word and movement, teens will "activate" their ideas, and give voice to their concerns and fears.

Program: Dynamic X-Change

Fall 2019 through Spring 2020

Core Dance continues its transformative community-based initiative, Dynamic X-Change, a healing arts program that uses dance to teach, to question, to connect, and to inspire. Working in partnership with and in service of our communities, this connection of movement and energy cultivates the spiritual, intellectual, emotional, and physical well-being of people of all ages. Community partners in Houston include the Houston Area Women's Center, PAIR (Partnership for the Advancement & Immersion of Refugees) Houston, and Be the Peace Be the Hope.

For more information on these collaborations and performances, and the 2019-2020 season in Houston, Texas, please visit coredance.org.