Kickstarter

Hello,

I am Ellen Bartel the artistic director of Spank Dance Company in Austin, TX. I am currently creating my thesis dance to complete my M.F.A at the University of Texas at Austin. Our dance concert titled "3" is free to the general public, March 8-9 2012, in the B. Iden Payne Theatre on campus. My funding request is to help pay my dancers and collaborators who are contributing their time to perform in Watch The Gap.

My dance/thesis is an exploration of spaces people use to travel from one place to another. It asks that we try not to overlook these spaces of transition and in doing this the same idea might be applied to our lives- try not to miss out on the in-between moments and enjoy what all of life has to offer, because as I see it, we spend most of our life in transition.

In studying the Jamaica Station in NY ( I am a native Long Islander) I have considered the site to be part collaborator for the dance, this is accomplished by studying the "choreography of the space" and how people use it. More personally, the space means "home" to me, whether I am going to home to visit my family or coming back to Austin where I now live, the station is a tranquil place that stimulates all of my senses. Its architecture is beautiful. The lines in space are stunning. The direction of colors pull my focus. Its field of vision creates a sense of awe. The open air and soft humming sounds occasionally interrupted by the iconic accents of New Yorkers speaking and directing people where to go...relax and excite me, I miss that accent. Theoretically speaking, this dance sits within the "site-dance" genre; it is a site-inspired work-investigating a site and bringing the experience to a different place other than the site itself.

There are nine dancers, a composer, and a set designer that I would like to offer a small stipend for their time and effort in being part of this project. The funds go directly to them and for the materials purchased (set and costumes). 

Spank Dance is a 501c3, if you would like a tax deductible letter for your contribution, or have any other questions please send me note. 

Thanks for your time!

Ellen Bartel