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Born
in 2001, the Goose Route Dance Festival (GRDF) is held every
July in Shepherdstown, WV's War Memorial Building, transformed
into an intimate "black box" theater with much
love and labor. This annual festival of contemporary dance
provides an opportunity for dance artists from a variety
of geographic locations to perform, teach, lecture, and
network -- sharing their work with each other and with enthusiastic
audiences. GRDF started as an experiment. Six years later,
the experiment appears to be successful, with expanded Festival
events including 4 concerts, 2 family shows, classes for
kids and adults, including 2 outreach events, 2 lectures,
and the showing of dance films. GRDF provides a multitude
of ways for people to experience contemporary performance.
Creation
of Original Performances
GRAC
supports the indoor and outdoor choreography of director
Kitty Clark. Recent repertory includes Rock/Wood/Water (a
meditation on these natural elements); Fields and Fences:
The Farm Dance (exploring the agricultural heritage and
future of the Northern Shenandoah Valley), North (inspired
by the Sami people of Scandinavia), Lines (inspired by maps
and paths), and Are We There Yet (a multi-media trilogy
created and performed in collaboration with composer/trombonist
Cam Millar). Recent performances include the Richmond Choreographer's
Showcase (VA), Yankauer Nature Preserve (WV), Winter Benefit
Concert of the Mid-Maryland Performing Arts Center, Frederick
(MD) YMCA Dance Program's Annual Concert, Joe's Movement
Emporium (Mt. Rainier, MD), Dixon Place "Underexposed"
series (NYC), River Road Farm (Shepherdstown), Jack Guidone
Theatre Choreographer's Showcase (DC), as well as performances
at the Goose Route Dance Festival.
GRAC
looks forward to supporting the creativity of other artists
through commissioning and producing in the future.
Other
Producing
In
addition to GRDF, GRAC produces the Annual Goose Route Holiday
Show, in which people of all ages from the Shepherdstown
community come together to share their talents in celebration
of the winter holidays. Young artists share their growing
skills alongside the talents of more seasoned performers.
Students from GRAC classes are featured in these shows.
The
Art Farm Performance Cafe is a mixed-genre performance event
that features local and regional artists in a coffe house
venue. Audiences are exposed to diverse styles and art forms,
including poetry, dance, music, experimental film, and visual
art. The cafe format is inviting and unintimidating, a different
atmosphere than other, more traditional venues. The Performance
Cafe stimulates audience members -- excites and reinvigorates
their imaginations. Because of the intimate atmosphere,
the audience is truly a part of this event and is able to
speak with the artists informally after the show. The cafe
environment also encourages audience members to converse
with one another, to discuss ideas that have been generated
by the performances they have witnessed.
GRAC
has also worked in collaboration with the Shepherdstown
Film Society to bring dance films to the community.
Education
GRAC
offers educational opportunities through weekly dance classes
in Shepherdstown for kids and adults; music history courses;
and pre-performance lectures and post-performance Q&A's.
In addition, GRAC works with other organizations to bring
arts education to new populations, including day care centers,
Boys & Girls Clubs, Brownie Troops, and public and private
schools.
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