DDP Talks To
"The Devil Ties My Tongue" by Amy Seiwert performed for the SKETCH Series, 2013. Photo by David DeSilva. Courtesy of Amy Seiwert's Imagery
April 22, 2022
Global Update:
Bailey’s Blog
Female Choreography Commissions, World Premieres, and Programming
- Dana Genshaft and Amy Seiwert for Ballet Met – Program: A Celebration of New Works
- March 10, 2023 – March 18, 2023: BalletMet will present 3 world premieres in the program A Celebration of New Works. The program features new works by Dana Genshaft (female) and Amy Seiwert (female) and Leiland Charles (male).
- Asia Bui for Sarasota Ballet- Program: Program 1
- October 21, 2022 – October 23, 2022: Sarasota Ballet will present Program 1 a triple bill featuring world premieres by Asia Bui (female), Ricardo Graziano (male) and Richard House (male).
- Amy Hall Garner for Miami City Ballet – Program: Diversion of Angels
- February 10, 2023 – March 5, 2023: Miami City Ballet will present Diversion of Angels, a quadruple bill featuring world premieres by Amy Hall Garner (female) and Pontus Lidberg (male). The program also features works by Martha Graham and Jose Limon.
- Tsai Hsi Hung for Battery Dance – Program: Hofmann Dances
- May 19, 2022 – May 20, 2022: Battery Dance will present Hofmann Dances. The program features world premieres by Tsai Hsi Hung (female), Saeed Hani (male), and Christopher Núñez (male).
- Gianna Reisen for New York City Ballet – Program: Classic NYCB II
- September 28, 2022 – October 16, 2022:New York City Ballet will present Classic NYCB II a quadruple bill featuring world premieres by Gianna Reisen, and Kyle Abraham (male). The other two works in the program are also choreographed by men.
- Keerati Jinakunwiphat for New York City Ballet – Program: 21st Century Choreography
- February 1, 2023 – February 11, 2023: New York City Ballet will be presenting 21st Century Choreography, a triple bill featuring Keerati Jinakunwiphat’s (female) world premiere work alongside two works choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky (male) and Justin Peck (male).
- Alysa Pires for New York City Ballet – Program: 21st Century Choreography II
- May 4, 2023 – May 16, 2023: New York City Ballet will present 21st Century Choreography II, a triple bill featuring world premieres by Alysa Pyres and Christopher Wheeldon (male) and a repertory work by Justin Peck (male).
- Rena Butler, Makino Hayash, & Helen Simoneau for Oregon Ballet Theater – Program: Made in Portland
- June 8, 2022 – June 11, 2022: Oregon Ballet Theater will present Made in Portland a quadruple bill featuring world premieres bt Rena Butler (female), Makino Hayashi (female), and Helen Simoneau (female), and Samuel Hobbs (male).
- June 8, 2022 – June 11, 2022: Oregon Ballet Theater will present Made in Portland a quadruple bill featuring world premieres bt Rena Butler (female), Makino Hayashi (female), and Helen Simoneau (female), and Samuel Hobbs (male).
Leadership Changes
For continual updates on leadership changes see Dance Data Project® – Artistic Director Transitions 2022 Spreadsheet
Artist Opportunities
This section focuses on new or upcoming deadlines for artist opportunities, in conjunction with our Fellowships, Competitions and Initiatives Guide. For a more comprehensive list of artist opportunities, please see the link above.
*DDP utilizes multiple sources to inform Global Roundups. A comprehensive list of publications, subscriptions & sources can be found here.
Spring 2022 Team Update
Here is an update from our Founder and President Liza Yntema:
On a chorus of very happy notes….
I am absolutely delighted to announce that Rebecca “Becky” Ferrell has joined Dance Data Project® as Research Lead and Programming Consultant. Becky and I were introduced by Greg Youdan, formerly Research Director at Dance/NYC.
Becky will continue to serve in a dual capacity, both at Dance/USA as Director of Programming, and with DDP, with the full permission/blessings of Kellee Edusei at Dance/USA. Pursuing her PhD, while holding down 2 academic positions as well as 2 part-time, but demanding, gigs gives you an idea of the positive energy Ms. Ferrell brings to all of her endeavors.
While we of course miss Michayla Kelly and wish her the best, Becky’s wide network in the dance and academic worlds, and her proficiency with surveys and statistics, are exactly aligned with DDP’s Gender Equity Index project, as well as our 2022-2023 strategic increased focus in the areas of advocacy and programming. Becky and I will be working together to develop substantive online seminars for women interested in becoming artistic directors or assuming other leadership positions. Stay tuned for more on this curriculum as we build it out in response to direct feedback from choreographers, female academics, and other NextGen leaders in the dance world.
Let’s hear it for DDP Team member Hayley Weber, who has stepped up to help coordinate our ongoing research reports and data bytes, reporting both to me and to Becky.
To deepen and broaden our research capacity, while saving staff time, DDP has also been lucky enough to work with Andrew Hoekstra as a Data Engineering Consultant. A colleague of Advisory Council member Preet Gill, Andrew is consulting with DDP, using AI to automatically scrape financial data from the IRS, thereby initiating cost savings, as well as eliminating consultant/time and errors as we prepare our June ranking and compensation reports, which serve as the basis of our research calendar. With Andrew’s help, we can expand to cover more ballet/modern & contemporary companies within the US and reduce human error in calculations. I would note that the use of big data and AI has been generally acknowledged to be one of the most important trends and advances in current philanthropy. Andrew also serves as the Executive Director of Deos Ballet in Grand Rapids, which was the subject of our 19th Listening Tour visit.
Bailey Walker, originally hired as an intern through Professor Danielle Sheather at Southern Utah University, then promoted to Special Project Consultant, will now be tentatively listed as Archivist & Subscriptions Editor. It is Bailey’s job to review national and international publications, and maintain the database of promotions, new commissions, and hires in the dance world that underpins much of DDP’s expanding global coverage including our Global Resident Choreographer and our Global Artistic Director reports. Realizing that this aggregated information is invaluable, we are starting “Bailey’s Blog” on our website, which will offer all of Bailey’s collected information that she produces for us on a regular basis. Dance fans, academics, and journalists will have an easy update or “one-stop shopping” resource of the latest key comings & goings – more of our “do more with less” and “plug a gap, fill a need” philosophy.
We are thrilled that Nyla Silmon, who joined us this past summer as an intern, through the kind offices of DDP friend and choreographer Stephanie Batten Bland, has been promoted from Intern to Research Consultant based on her consistent, accurate, and excellent research work. Her writing is also currently featured on our website.
Sehaj Gill is our newest intern. She is actually Advisory Council member Preet Gill’s recruiter, as she overheard Andrew and her dad discussing our planned Gender Equity Index and convinced her father to loan DDP his invaluable “big data” and survey creation skills. Sehaj has done a great job working on compiling a spreadsheet of all gender equity indices, for comparison as we plan out our own DDP Index.
We’re so excited to be welcoming this talented new cohort of team members!
April 15, 2022
Global Update:
Bailey’s Blog
Female Choreography Commissions, World Premieres, and Programming
- Bobbi Jene Smith for Paris Opera Ballet
- March 17, 2023- March 30, 2023: Paris Opera Ballet has commissioned Bobbi Jene Smith (female) to create a world premiere work. This is a program dedicated solely to a female choreographer.
- Suzanne Haug for Eugene Ballet – Program: Petrushka
- February 22, 2023 Eugene Ballet: will be presenting a triple bill ‘Petrushka,’ named for the anticipated world premiere of Suzanne Haug’s (female) work Petrushka. The program also features Toni Pimble’s (female) Rite of Spring and Melissa Bobick’s (female) Apollon Musagète
- February 22, 2023 Eugene Ballet: will be presenting a triple bill ‘Petrushka,’ named for the anticipated world premiere of Suzanne Haug’s (female) work Petrushka. The program also features Toni Pimble’s (female) Rite of Spring and Melissa Bobick’s (female) Apollon Musagète
- Azure Barton for Ballet Am Rhein – Program: I Am A Problem
- April 16, 2022- June 5 2022: Ballett Am Rhein will present a double bill program featuring Azure Barton’s world premiere work entitled Baal. This world premiere will be accompanied by a work by Roland Petit (male) but is not a world premiere.
- Michèle Anne de Mey & Hélène Blackburn for Ballet Am Rhein
- June 3, 2022 – June 13, 2022: Ballet Am Rhein will present the program ‘Vier Neue Temperamente’ which features 5 works, 4 world premieres, 2 of which are choreographed by women. Michèle Anne de Mey will premiere Phlegmatic Summer, and Hélène Blackburn will premiere Choleric.
- Vail Dance Festival Choreography and Commissions Lineup
- August 8, 2022: Vail Dance Festival will present ‘Now: Premieres’ Many female artists are to be featured in the program including Bobbi Jene Smith, Festival Artist in Residence Caili Quan creating two new works one of which will be performed to commissioned music by Caroline Shaw (female), Jodi Melnick will also create a new work to commissioned music by Andreia Pinto-Correia (female), Claudia Schreier, and Pam Tanowitz will also be premiering new works.
- August 8, 2022: Vail Dance Festival will present ‘Now: Premieres’ Many female artists are to be featured in the program including Bobbi Jene Smith, Festival Artist in Residence Caili Quan creating two new works one of which will be performed to commissioned music by Caroline Shaw (female), Jodi Melnick will also create a new work to commissioned music by Andreia Pinto-Correia (female), Claudia Schreier, and Pam Tanowitz will also be premiering new works.
- Pam Tanowitz for New York City Ballet – Program: Visionary Voices
- April 22, 2022 – May 1, 2022: New York City Ballet will be presenting a quadruple bill featuring two works by Pam Tanowitz. Her work entitled Gustave le Gray No. 1 will be presented alongside a world premiere work. The other two works in the program are by Justin Peck (male) and Jamar Roberts (male) but are not world premieres.
- April 22, 2022 – May 1, 2022: New York City Ballet will be presenting a quadruple bill featuring two works by Pam Tanowitz. Her work entitled Gustave le Gray No. 1 will be presented alongside a world premiere work. The other two works in the program are by Justin Peck (male) and Jamar Roberts (male) but are not world premieres.
Leadership Changes
For continual updates on leadership changes see Dance Data Project® – Artistic Director Transitions 2022 Spreadsheet
Outstanding Artists (lighting, music, tech, design, etc.)
Artist Opportunities
This section focuses on new or upcoming deadlines for artist opportunities, in conjunction with our Fellowships, Competitions and Initiatives Guide. For a more comprehensive list of artist opportunities, please see the link above.
*DDP utilizes multiple sources to inform Global Roundups. A comprehensive list of publications, subscriptions & sources can be found here.
April 8, 2022
Global Update:
Bailey’s Blog
Female Choreography Commissions, World Premieres, and Programming
- Paul Taylor Dance Company Announces The 2022 Taylor Company Commission Recipients
- April 1, 2022: Paul Taylor Dance Company announced the recipients of the Taylor Company Commissions for the year 2022. Amy Hall Garner (female) and Omar Román De Jesús (male) received commissions to create world premiere works to be presented during the companies fall 2022 season.
- Stina Quagebeur for English National Ballet – Program: Ek/ Forsythe / Quagebeur
- November 9, 2022 – November 12, 2022: English National Ballet will present Ek/ Forsythe/Quagebeur. Part this triple bill Stina Quagebeur‘s (female) work Take Five Blues is an expanded world premiere based on a work choreographed and premiered last year. This work is accompanied by a world premiere by Mats Ek (male) and a work by William Forsythe (male).
- Stina Quagebeur for Northern Ballet – Program: Three Short Ballets 2022
- September 10, 2022 – September 17, 2022: Northern Ballet will present Three Short Ballets 2022 which features three world premieres choreographed by Stina Quagebeur Dickson Mbi (male), and Mthuthuzeli November (male).
- Crystal Pite World Premiere for The Royal Ballet
- October 18, 2022 – November 3, 2022: The Royal Ballet will present a world premiere choreographed by Crystal Pite (female). Regarding this world premiere the Royal Ballet stated, “Crystal Pite returns to the Royal Opera House, transforming her critically acclaimed ballet Flight Pattern into a full-length world premiere” (see link). This is a program dedicated solely to a female choreographer.
- Pam Tanowitz for the Royal Ballet: Everyone Keeps Me / New Pam Tanowitz
- February 4, 2023 – February 16, 2023: The Royal Ballet will present two works by Pam Tanowitz, her 2019 work Everyone Keeps Me, and a world premiere. According to the Royal Ballet website “This mixed programme showcases Tanowitz’s unique modern sensibility deconstructing balletic convention” (see link). This program is a full night dedicated to celebrating a female choreographer’s work.
- Annabelle Lopez Ochoa for Pacific Northwest Ballet – Program: Worlds to Come
- June 2, 2022 – June 11, 2022: Pacific Northwest Ballet will present a triple bill featuring a world premiere work by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa (female), a world premiere work by Kiyon Ross (male) and an “on stage premiere,” (see link) by Edwaard Liang (male).
- June 2, 2022 – June 11, 2022: Pacific Northwest Ballet will present a triple bill featuring a world premiere work by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa (female), a world premiere work by Kiyon Ross (male) and an “on stage premiere,” (see link) by Edwaard Liang (male).
Leadership Changes
For continual updates on leadership changes see Dance Data Project® – Artistic Director Transitions 2022 Spreadsheet
- Bavarian State Ballet (Bayerisches Staatsballett) Artistic Director Igor Zelinsky Steps Down
- Effective April 4, 2022: The Bavarian State Ballet announced the departure of Igor Zelinsky (male) from the position of Artistic Director of the ballet. According to the press release Zelinsky stepped down “for private family reasons,” and ballet masters Judith Turos and Thomas Mayr will jointly cover and secure a continuity” (see link), during the transition.
- First Female Director of the Edinburgh International Festival
- Effective October 1, 2022: Nicola Benedetti will become the first female director of the Edinburgh International Festival. Benedetti is successor to Fergus Linehan, who has been festival’s director for 8 years. According to Dancing Times Magazine April 2022 edition, “(Benedetti) will be the first female director in the Edinburgh International Festival’s 75-year history” (73).
- Charlotte Ballet Artistic Director Transition
- Effective May 1, 2022: Charlotte Ballet has announced that Christopher Stuart (male) will step down as artistic director and Alejandro Cerrudo (male) will become artistic director of Charlotte Ballet. This is a male to male transitionMost publications are reporting this as a Female (Hope Muir) to male transition.
- Island Moving Company Artistic Director Transition
- Effective September 1, 2022: Island Moving Company has announced that their founding Artistic Director Miki Ohlsen will step down and the current Associate Artistic Director Danielle Genest will become the next artistic director.
- Effective September 1, 2022: Island Moving Company has announced that their founding Artistic Director Miki Ohlsen will step down and the current Associate Artistic Director Danielle Genest will become the next artistic director.
Outstanding Artists (lighting, music, tech, design, etc.)
- Dance Magazine profile: Lead choreographer for 2 new broadway shows Mr. Saturday Night and Funny Girl
- March 24, 2022: Dance Magazine released an article entitled Ellenore Scott: The Dynamo Choreographer With Two New Broadway Shows which profiles Ellenore Scott (female) as the opening nights of two Broadway shows, for which she served as head choreographer, draws near.
- Mr. Saturday Night opened Tuesday, April 5, 2022
- Funny Girl opens Sunday, April 24, 2022
Artist Opportunities
This section focuses on new or upcoming deadlines for artist opportunities, in conjunction with our Fellowships, Competitions and Initiatives Guide. For a more comprehensive list of artist opportunities, please see the link above.
*DDP utilizes multiple sources to inform Global Roundups. A comprehensive list of publications, subscriptions & sources can be found here.
DDP ANNOUNCES 2021 U.S. DANCE FESTIVALS REPORT
Dance Data Project® today announces the third annual report of dance festival leadership and programming. DDP’s 17th report since February 2019, the 2021 US Dance Festivals Report examines gender equity in dance festival performance programming and leadership, finding that female-led festivals program, on average, 49% works choreographed by women, while male-led festivals program only 38% works choreographed by women. Festivals run by women are simply more equitable.
Festivals present an opportunity for new choreographic works to be tested and presented. The most prized and prestigious commissions are world premieres. Of the 2021 festivals examined, DDP finds that 36% of world premieres were choreographed by women, compared to 47% choreographed by men, with the remainder created by gender expansive choreographers or by co-choreographers of different genders.
DDP ANNOUNCES COLLEGIATE DANCE PROGRAMS FACULTY & ADMINISTRATION REPORT
Dance Data Project® today announces the release of its Collegiate Dance Programs Faculty & Administration Report. This Report expands DDP’s widely-cited body of research on the dance economy into the realm of academia. This research analyzes the faculty and administrators of 173 degree-granting collegiate dance programs at public and private institutions in the United States.
DDP Research Lead Michayla Kelly notes, “This Report, our 16th since February 2019, analyzes over 1,600 dance faculty positions at institutions of higher education. Academia hosts a significant number of jobs and opportunities for dance professionals – it is an important aspect of the field, and an avenue which can provide dance professionals with long-term job stability and benefits.”
DDP ANNOUNCES GLOBAL RESIDENT CHOREOGRAPHERS 2022 DATA BYTE
Dance Data Project® today announces its Global Resident Choreographers 2022 Data Byte. This mini-report analyzes the gender distribution of resident choreographers at ballet and dance companies worldwide, examining, in a greatly expanded study, who holds these influential and frequently lucrative posts.
