The Walker Art Center will present the 20th anniversary performances of Momentum: New Dance Works in the summer of 2021. The Momentum: New Dance Works festival features works created by four emerging/early career choreographers/choreographic collaborations. Walker helped conceive and launch Momentum: New Dance Works, now an independent series, with the goal of commissioning and presenting original contemporary dance of all genres by Minnesota-based artists. Co-presented with The Cowles Center for Dance and Performing Arts and supported by incoming program director DejaJoelle (2020-) and outgoing program director Michèle Steinwald (2006-2020) over a 9-month transition process.
Since its inception in 2001, Momentum’s commissioning and presenting program has been funded by the Jerome Foundation. Thanks to the vision of its founding partners (the Southern Theater 2001-2017, the now-defunct Dance Today/formerly Minnesota Dance Alliance 2001, along with the Walker), and additional partners (Springboard for the Arts 2010-2019, The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts 2014-present, Movement Research (NYC) 2014-2019, The O’Shaughnessy 2018-2019) and new partners in development starting in 2020. Momentum: New Dance Works has become one of the most important platforms for emerging dance artists in Minnesota.
In addition to financially supporting and presenting the new creations, the 14-month process combines professional development and creative process exchanges to strengthen the artistic and professional futures of the awarded dance makers. The program culminates in a two-week performance festival on July 8-10 & 15-17, 2021 in the Walker Art Center’s William and Nadine McGuire Theater.
Request for Proposals listed online at thecowlescenter.org/Momentum.
Applications are due on June 5, 2020 by 6pm and virtual information sessions will be hosted online via Zoom on April 21 at 12pm, May 11 at 3pm, and May 26 at 5pm and on FaceBook Live June 1 at 4pm. Sign up is required for Zoom sessions at https://forms.gle/1Ep6W2Km7bKv7LvCA.