September 3, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS CONTACT: LOIS WELK, NYSCI Program Manager
choreoinitiative@danceforce.org
www.danceforce.org
Choreographer Laura Ward (l), a NYSCI 2024 recipient with Mentor Paul Lazar (r)

NYS DANCEFORCE ANNOUNCES 2025 CYCLE
NYS CHOREOGRAPHERS INITIATIVE GRANT PROGRAM

The New York State DanceForce  with the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) announce the 2025 NYS Choreographers Initiative (NYSCI). This program supports professional development for choreographers in 55 out of the 62 counties of New York, working in all dance genres. Eligible regions are Western NY, Central NY, Capitol District/North Country, and Hudson Valley/Long Island. The application portal opens Oct 1, 2024 at danceforce.org. Deadline for proposals: Dec 7, 2024 11:59pm EST.

The New York State Choreographers Initiative is designed to support dance artists in the development of their choreographic skills by providing them with resources that are often unavailable or unaffordable. These resources include a minimum of 20 hours of creative studio time, professional dancers, the guidance of a mentor of their choice, and a $2,500 stipend. This is an opportunity for artists to try new approaches, engage with a mentor, and experiment freely without the pressure of production deadlines.

”Receiving this opportunity has had a huge impact on me. This grant could not have come at a better time. I have been involved in many creative projects but slipping further and further away from choreographing group pieces and working with professional dancers. I feel a reinvigorated commitment to dance, specifically concert dance. The luxury of rehearsal time to play and do research without trying to cram and make finished work is a rare blessing indeed. It is very satisfying to pay dancers a living wage! I can’t say enough how good that feels.” – Laura Ward, NYSCI 2024 recipient

 “The crux of the proposal is the Choreographer/Mentor match,” commented Program Manager Lois Welk. “We encourage applicants to focus first on Mentor selection. NYSCI  staff are available to support that process through Information Sessions and  one on one consultations.”

NYSCI 2025 Information Sessions:

Sat Sep 21, 9:30-10:30am – Register Here
Thu Sep 26, 7:00-8:00pm – Register Here
Tue Oct 8, noon-1pm – Register Here

The New York State DanceForce is a consortium of 22 dance activists committed to increasing the quantity and quality of dance activity throughout New York State. Each of our members receives an annual allocation to create projects that bring dance artists to upstate NY communities in customized residencies. Since its founding in 1994, the DanceForce, through the work of its members, has funded 472 projects, raising more than $4 million in support of these endeavors. The NYS DanceForce is administered by American Dance Asylum, Inc.

The mission of the New York State Council on the Arts is to foster and advance the full breadth of New York State’s arts, culture, and creativity for all. To support the ongoing recovery of the arts across New York State, the Council on the Arts will award $162 million in FY2025, serving organizations and artists across all 10 state regions. The Council on the Arts further advances New York’s creative culture by convening leaders in the field and providing organizational and professional development opportunities and informational resources. Created by Governor Nelson Rockefeller in 1960 and continued with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, the Council is an agency that is part of the Executive Branch. For more information on NYSCA, please visit arts.ny.gov, and follow NYSCA’s Facebook page, on X @NYSCArts and Instagram @NYSCouncilontheArts.

Guidelines are available now at danceforce.org. The application portal will open on the NYS DanceForce website on October 1, 2024. For more information contact the NYS Choreographers Initiative at choreoinitiative@danceforce.org.