Showing posts with label Museum of Contemporary Art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Museum of Contemporary Art. Show all posts

Monday, December 16, 2013

A letter from the Artistic Director

Dear Dance COLEctive Enthusiasts,

The Dance COLEctive has had a good year of visible and diverse performance opportunities throughout the city of Chicago.  We had the pleasure of performing on the stages of the Pritzker, the Museum of Contemporary Art and Stage 773.  We have offered audience members an opportunity to interact with and make changes to our work in the hope that being transparent about our creative process will give you some insight into what we do.  It is with that transparency in mind that I am writing to you today, quite simply to ask for your help. 


Photo by Eric Olson
Almost 18 years ago I founded The Dance COLEctive as a way for my friends and I to produce our work. Today it is much more than that.

In addition to being a vessel for creating thoughtful dance and performance art, TDC is deeply committed to mentoring young artists to be well rounded professionals capable of succeeding independently. The ability to make & produce work, think entrepreneurially and to articulate themselves as artists are all key skills imparted to our promising dancers and collaborators.

You can read about this work here in the Huffington Post.

Currently the company is comprised of 7 thoughtful and sophisticated young women (you can read some of the writing about their experiences here) who are helping me to fulfill my desire to mentor while also actively creating new work.  Their dedication and remarkable growth as artists inspire and energize me to keep finding ways to create performance and mentorship opportunities and to endure when things get tough.
  The current national and local economic and political environments continue to pose serious challenges to TDC's future.   Disappearing resources on the the state and city level, as well as more limited support from local foundations has had a very real impact on TDC's ability to support itself and its artists.   This is why we need you more than ever.  Many of you have been collaborators, students and mentors.  Many of you are family, friends, peers, acquaintances, board members and audience members.  You have personally witnessed my passion for dance and the power of a positive experience!

Please consider making a year-end donation in support of TDC.  In supporting us, you are not only making a financial contribution, you are investing in the continued growth of tomorrow's artistic leaders, as well as in my unwavering desire to mentor those artists and to create new and innovative dance.

To make a donation, simply go to our website or you can send a check to our snail mail address below.

You can also support us while you are shopping on Amazon.

Thank you so much for your continued interest in the Company and have a safe and wonderful holiday!

Most Sincerely,


Margi Cole, Artistic Director

 Submitted by Margi Cole, TDC Artistic Director on December 15, 2013.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Professional Dance: The Balancing Act

Photo By Eric Olson

Since I moved back to Chicago in 2006, I have consistently danced with two or more companies at the same time. Over the course of a season or an overlapping project the juggling act ebbs and flows between being adequately balanced and completely exhausting.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that rehearsing for two companies within a single day is very hard to manage. The level of energy and focus required for two separate 4-hour rehearsal periods is simply too much for me. I never want dancing to feel like a job, and when I am so tired I start to resent having to move through space, I know it’s time to reevaluate my commitments. Now I try to make sure that my rehearsals are each on separate days of the week, and that gives me the space I need to recharge and remain present throughout each company’s rehearsal process.

Though the performance schedules of the companies I’ve danced for are often spread throughout the year, November 16th may prove to be very interesting. To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Chicago Dancemakers Forum (CDF), I will be performing with The Dance COLEctive, Ayako Kato/Art Union Human Scape, and Khecari at the Museum of Contemporary Art, all within a 1.5 hour window. Quick changes, here I come!


The company is very excited about participating in the Chicago Dancemakers Forum Break Out! Celebrating ten years of supporting new work by Chicago dancemakers on Nov 16, 2013!


Submitted by TDC dancer Maggie Koller, Thursday, September 26, 2013.