From: Suzy Zimmermann, Executive Director
Dear Friends,
I welcome this opportunity to tell you more about For Dance, Inc. and to ask for you support as we embark on an exciting future.
I believe the arts play an important role in our lives. Through the arts, we are able to expand our horizons. Our imaginations get a workout, and feelings and memories begin to flow. The arts offer us a sense of culture, a sense of who we are. For Dance, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit established in New York City. We are dedicated to the creation, promotion, preservation, and presentation of original dance works with a focus on emerging dance artists encompassing all disciplines of dance. We support dance artists through performance opportunities, as well as with administrative, management, technical, and financial support.
2005 was a tough year in many respects. After the loss of our office space on Chambers Street in December 2004 and a change in focus at The Duke which meant finding a new home for IDF-NYC, we opened the year with the International Society of Performing Arts Conference, the Association of Performing Arts Presenters Conference and our annual APAP Dance Sampler Showcase DanceMarathon Weekend. Our 4th Annual International Dance Festival-NYC found new homes at Alvin Ailey Studios, Citigroup Theater on the West Side and The Dicapo Opera Theater on the East Side. We received our first grant from the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, ongoing support from Materials for the Arts. A new program under the direction of Tracie Stanfield, the Summer Performance Lab, enabled young dancers to work with festival choreographers in a professional environment and then perform as part of IDF-NYC. The fall remained busy with Regional Booking Conferences, the World Dance Congress, and our continued work on several cultural exchange projects.
However 2005 also had set-backs. We had several last-minute changes to our performance schedule at Alvin Ailey Studios and more importantly were the deaths of two festival choreographers followed by the death of our biggest patron, my Mother, in June only weeks before the opening of the festival.
Now we must reassess our organization and plan for 2006. We have continue an active search for new space in Manhattan, looking at both office space and raw space that we can convert into a rehearsal/performance venue for dance artists. In January we will participate in the International Society of Performing Arts Conference followed by the Association of Arts Presenters. The DanceMarathon (January 21) will be held at the new Alvin Ailey Studios Citigroup Theater. In April we will present a Spring Showcase for National Dance Day, and while July heralds the return of the 5th Annual International Dance Festival-NYC, preparations have already begun for selecting the choreographers to be presented and finding suitable performance venues. A new program under the direction of Tracie Stanfield, the Summer Performance Lab, will enable young dancers to work with festival choreographers in a professional environment and then perform as part of IDF-NYC. We will also continue to work with individual artists year-round to create partnerships and outlets for their work.
Additional goals for 2005 include the continued expansion of our Board of Directors and Advisory Boards, solidifying an infrastructure that will enable us to move our focus from project planning to long range planning and hiring the staff to carry out these plans, securing a long-term commitment with a theatre to house the International Dance Festival-NYC, and developing exchanges both nationally and internationally to present the work of the artists we work with throughout the year.
For Dance, Inc. needs your help to make these plans a reality. We utilize substantial volunteer and intern staff to run our programs and keep expenses to a minimum, but ticket sales only cover a portion of our expenses. It is the generous support from people like you who believe in our mission and love dance that keeps us going. If you want to make a difference and help us discover the dance artists of tomorrow, please consider making a tax-deductible donation of $50 or $100 to For Dance, Inc. No donation is too small or too large. Every dollar counts and is put directly towards programs for emerging choreographers. We ask you to join us in our vision of creating and maintaining an environment that is a meeting place, refuge, and launching pad for dance artists and their new works that will ensure the future of dance. Make your donation now!
For Dance, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Thank you in advance for your generosity and support.
Sincerely,
Suzy Zimmermann
Executive Director
Three ways to give
1.
3. Or mail a check to:
For Dance Inc
PO Box 294 Village Station
New York, NY 10014-0294
Phone: (212) 233-2323
Fax: (212) 233-1717
Email: Info@ForDance.org
From the Executive Director
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