The nEW Festival Program is an annual program that has three phases of development.
Phase I (2 Weeks)
Each January, six choreographers are invited to enter into the community of nEW; a dance driven artist fueled initiative produced by Melanie Stewart Dance Theatre in residence at The University of the Arts School of Dance in Philadelphia. In this phase artists are oriented to the community through the provision of master classes, workshops and rehearsal space thereby establishing their collaborative roles and relationships within the community. As incoming resident artists to the program, each choreographer launches an artistic investigation in the development of a new work. It culminates in an informal showing entitled “Dancehouse” for the community. Audiences are invited to follow the progress of their work throughout the year as it develops to festival production in June.
Phase II (3 Weeks)
Phase II of nEW continues to nurture community among the participating nEW Artists, engendering dialogue about possibilities for further development, production venues, and performance opportunities for the artists and the work developed through nEW. Our goal is to value creative process in equal measure to creative product and to further invest in the relationship of audience and the creation of new work. Resident choreographers are provided with rehearsal space, daily master classes, peer-to-peer mentorship, and performance opportunities in festival production; a program of up to six premieres by “outgoing” nEW artists and the emerging Dancehouse program for “incoming” nEW Artists.
Phase III (ongoing)
nEW artists have the opportunity to return to the community to share the outcome of their work, connect with the incoming artists, infuse their process by being exposed to a new round of artists, and contribute to the community as a past participant. They can also choose to participate by offering feedback in showings, teaching master classes and providing mentorship in rehearsals.
