
Year: 2024-2025
DanceForce Member: Sukanya Burman
Partnering DanceForce Member: Ivan Sygoda
Artist: Barkha Patel
Community Partners: Chautauqua Regional Community Foundation; Sheldon Foundation; Reg Lenna Center for the Arts; National Comedy Center; Jamestown Community College; Wegmans Jamestown
Audience: 658
Counties: Chautauqua, Steuben
The Jamestown Dance Festival, with its debut presentation from September 6-9, 2024, became a transformative milestone in Chautauqua county.
The nine-month planning process for the Jamestown Dance Festival was a comprehensive and collaborative effort led by a dedicated committee with Sukanya Burman Dance leading the process. The festival started with the Dance Film Screening and Panel Discussion on Friday, September 6, held at the Student Union Hall of the Jamestown Community College. It engaged participants through a free session featuring Obsessed with Light, exploring dance and technology.
Community Dance Workshops involved participants aged 11 to 60, offering Kathak, Flamenco, and Tap sessions led by Barkha Dance Company and Soles of Duende on September 7 and September 8 held at the Chautauqua Regional Youth Ballet Studios. Beginner-friendly classes encouraged engagement and learning across all skill levels.
Professional performances at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts attracted many attendees over two nights on September 7 and September 8. Five companies, including Barkha Patel Dance Company, Sandip Mallick Dance, Soles of Duende, Biodance and Sukanya Burman Dance, showcased traditional and contemporary works, drawing audiences from local communities and neighboring cities like Cleveland, Buffalo, Erie, and Rochester.
This project further received funding support from local foundations and businesses like the Chauuqua Regional Community Foundation, Sheldon Foundation, LiveChq, and Wegmans. Significant marketing and promotional support were provided by the National Comedy Center, The Post Journal, WRFA-Radio, Erie News Now and the Bufallo Hive. The weekend long event had 15 volunteers help out with audience management, backstage support and artist travel coordination. Reg Lenna Center for the Arts generously provided reduced rental fees for the venue and helped with outreach. The YWCA Jamestown Race Equity Program facilitated outreach to underserved Latinx and Black communities, while Arts Services Inc. WNY helped provide free and sliding-scale tickets through its Arts Access program. Additional support came from Chautauqua Regional Youth Ballet Studios, which hosted the workshops.
Central to its mission, the project intentionally engaged with the BIPOC communities, including Latinx, Black, and South Asian residents of Chautauqua County, who often face limited access to culturally representative artistic experiences. Additionally, the festival introduced dance to new audiences, who participated in workshops and attended performances. Senior citizens were incentivized to attend through discounted ticket options, encouraging intergenerational participation. Out-of-town attendees from cities like Buffalo, Erie, and Rochester expanded the festival’s reach, while low-income residents benefited from free and sliding-scale tickets offered through the Arts Access program. ASL interpretation was provided by Deaf Access services.
‘Very much enjoyed it! I have never attended anything like it before, and the production of all were top notch. Was extremely impressed with not only the physical talent of the dancers, but also the storytelling and the use of sound, light, and music to complement and enhance the experience.”