July 22--The Joffrey Academy of Dance has put out an open call for works by choreographers of color to be entered in its Winning Works Choreographic Competition. The sixth annual competition seeks to recognize "talented and emerging ALAANA (African, Latino, Asian, Arab and Native American) choreographers whose unique perspective will ignite creativity in the form of original works of dance."
Winning choreographers get a $5,000 stipend and 30 rehearsal hours with the academy (the school of the Joffrey Ballet), as well as the opportunity to work with members of the academy's Trainee Program and the Joffrey Studio Company under the supervision of academy artistic directors Anna Reznik and Alexei Kremnev. Deadline for applications is Oct. 1; works must be between 10 and 12 minutes in length.
Kremnev says he usually reviews about 60 or 80 applications for the competition; the three or four winners will have their world-premieres presented next spring. Past winners have been young choreographers in need of a boost but nonetheless with a fair amount of ballet experience.
That's because for one, he says, "we're asking them to create for an ensemble, not just a solo work. And these pieces are 11, 12 minutes long." A choreographer would need to be at least somewhat seasoned to put together something artistic for several dancers.
Secondly, the works have to be rooted "in the language of classical ballet in at least some way," he said. "If someone should create a great work of hip hop dance, it may not work for us for this program, but it could be hip hop with a foundation in ballet."
Winners in 2015 included Jennifer Archibald, founder and artistic director of the Arch Dance Company in New York; Abdul Latif, a dancer with Broadway credits; and Stephanie Martinez, a Chicago dancer who also has choreographed for Dance Crash and Luna Negra Dance Theater.
The decision, Kremnev says, "is a process of intuition I would say." Entries are weighed on their own merits as well as against each other, with the upcoming performance in mind. For example, he says, style of music also is considered. "If you have four pieces that use classical music, it may be beautiful, but it may make for a program that's boring for some audiences, it's not going to work." Same if it's all modern music.
But especially in comparison with the Joffrey mainstage, "we can take risks. We can try something different."
Contestants should submit video clips, as well as an application and a letter; more at at joffrey.org/winningworks.
Tickets are on sale for the Winning Works 2016 performances; presented in association with the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago on March 5-6, 2016; also at joffrey.org/winningworks.
