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Dance Journal Featured Authors, Reviews & Columns

Note: Click on any author’s name in red to view all of their writing for The Dance Journal. Interested in writing for us, click here.

Lew Whittington

  • Shut Up & Dance Virtual 80s Dance Party 2020

    June 3, 2020 0
    by Lewis J Whittington for The Dance Journal On a frigid winter night in Philadelphia in 1993 at the Trocadero in Philadelphia, the dancers of the Pennsylvania Ballet launched the first or second (no one can remember) Shut Up & Dance benefit for MANNA, the organization that was delivering meals to people trying to survive HIV-AIDS. At the time, the dancers were grieving at yet another death of a colleague from a disease that had [...]

  • Philadelphia’s Asian-American Artists contend with loss & racism in the wake of Covid-19

    May 21, 2020 0
    by Lewis J Whittington for The Dance Journal May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month but celebrations have been canceled because of social distancing and current stay-at-home restrictions. On top of all of the uncertainties, loss, and strife of dealing with the Covid-19 outbreak, Asian-American communities have had to contend with increasing incidents nationwide of harassment, violence, and racial hatred. In Philadelphia’s Chinatown district, even before the restrictions were in place in March, Asian restaurants were [...]

  • CRITIC’S CHOICE: Dance Reading Worthy Of Catching Up On

    May 2, 2020 0
    by Lewis J Whittington for The Dance Journal Looking for a break from that pent-up feeling of make-shift home studio class and workouts, not to mention giving your eyes a break from internet screen time?  As live performing arts remain in a virtual lockdown, it could be the perfect time to catch up on the dance books you haven’t had time to read. Here are some notable titles to recommend. MERCE CUNNINGHAM REDUX | by [...]

Olivia Wood

  • Starving Artist During the Quarantine?

    May 15, 2020 0
    by Olivia Wood for The Dance Journal | photo credit Mike Hurwitz I’ve never liked the term, “starving artist.” It implies failure, a lack of purpose, and disconnection. To me, calling someone who is pursuing a career as a performer a “starving artist,” is belittling to the artist and diminishes the value of the work. While it is true that the arts are not the most lucrative of pursuits, their value transcends words. During times [...]

Steven Weisz

  • Post-Pandemic

    Presenting Dance As We Consider Reopening Post-Pandemic

    May 20, 2020 0
    By Steven Weisz for The Dance Journal As the economy begins to open back up, and more and more businesses attempt to re-launch, it is time to consider new ways (or old ones) that will allow dance to still be publicly presented.  However, before entertaining new ideas and models, we must consider how dancers can work and perform together safely given the ever-present Covid 19.  Dance companies and practitioners will need to develop a set [...]

  • Stories From The Dance Front Lines

    May 13, 2020 1
    By Steven Weisz for The Dance Journal When I first started working on this article, I had a well thought out set of questions I was going to pose to several randomly selected dancers in our community as to how they were financially surviving during this pandemic. I was offering anonymity in exchange for their providing me with real numbers and budgets for analysis. I wanted to check in and really get a cross-section of [...]

  • Severe Budget Cuts To The Arts In Philadelphia Will Have A Much Wider Impact Than Just Our Economic Recovery

    May 2, 2020 0
    by Steven Weisz for The Dance Journal OK, I get it! The state, cities, and even municipalities are hurting economically because of the widespread pandemic. They are all facing a budget crisis, the proportion of which has never been seen before. In addition to mounting expenses, the tax revenue base is also decreasing drastically with the rise in unemployment and the closure of businesses. The federal government is unlikely to step in or bail out [...]

Debra Danese

  • The Philadelphia Tango Festival Adapts with Online Celebration

    May 27, 2020 1
    by Debra Danese for The Dance Journal The Virtual Tango Festival (VTF) was the Philadelphia Argentine Tango School’s response to the postponing of their 10th Anniversary Philly Tango Festival. The event, organized by Meredith Klein, the school’s director, has been held every Memorial Day Weekend, and this year’s virtual program was no different. A multitude of online events ran for four days on May 22-25, 2020. Activities included concerts, lectures, and classes ranging from meditation [...]

Amy Smith

  • You Are Not Alone

    You Are Not Alone – Thoughts On Coping with Financial Uncertainty in a Pandemic

    April 5, 2020 0
    by Amy Smith for The Dance Journal Dance artists, this is a terrible and uncertain time.  I believe that as artists we can play a role in imagining and creating new structures that are more equitable and humane.  Our arts community is practicing radical wealth redistribution with the many emergency grants and relief funds that have been created in recent weeks.  But for many dance artists, accessing those benefits, grants, and safety net programs will [...]

Courtney Colón

  • In the Middle of a Pandemic, Dancers Re-frame What It Means to Stay In Motion

    March 26, 2020 0
    by Courtney Colón for The Dance Journal Around the world, a coronavirus culture has quickly materialized. Instinctive, inventive, bred from mass public fear and the endless tedium of quarantine, people are seeking out a connection in this time of social distancing. But what of fostering a stronger connection with our bodies, our own selves? As the pandemic timeline extends, it will continue to alter what events make up our everyday. Any daily ritual we have [...]

Nicole Bradbury

  • University of the Arts

    The Dance Continues – Renegotiating Farewell to Undergraduate Years at University of the Arts

    April 12, 2020 0
    by Nicole Bradbury for The Dance Journal Preceding the spring of 2020, the question, “What are you going to do after school?” is something I heard often going into my last semester as a dance major at the University of the Arts. Even though a few opportunities lay ahead of me after graduation in May, I often would reply with, “I’m not entirely sure. I want to see what unfolds.” On March 6th of 2020, [...]

Gina Palumbo

  • Asya Zlatina

    When The Doors Close: Asya Zlatina, Artistry Fully-Remote

    April 19, 2020 0
    by Gina Palumbo for The Dance Journal  | photo credit Rob Li March and April have been anything but smooth sailing, as COVID-19 continues its worst, threatening the livelihoods of working artists and dancers.  Yet, amidst all the suffering, a path to healing is beginning to evolve. While healthcare professionals are on the front lines with those who have been stricken by the virus, artists and dancers everywhere are banding together virtually to bring joy and [...]

Jane Fries

  • Jeanne Ruddy discusses challenges at the Performance Garage

    May 5, 2020 0
    by Jane Fries for The Dance Journal The Performance Garage, a Philadelphia hub for dance performances, rehearsals, and classes, is marking its 20th anniversary this year. Due to the COVID-19 shutdown, the organization was forced to postpone its celebratory gala, as well as the rest of its spring performance series, until late summer or fall. The lost revenue, from the fund-raising gala in particular, is a blow to their budget. Despite the setbacks, Jeanne Ruddy, [...]

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