#itstheshoes
The Short and Sweet
Eight years ago, a contemporary tap dancer made a discovery. He stumbled upon a dance group unlike any he had seen before.
"I couldn't keep my eyes off of their shoes, and was enchanted by the music that came from them" -Dustin Loehr
"It's Something About the Shoes" is a live performance installation exploring the relationship between these dancers - the Sonajera Danza CAAS, and the contemporary tap dancing of Dustin Loehr. Through the realization of a co-created space, this collaborative performance will allow both the participants and audiences to re-examine histories and be transformed.
This Production Campaign will ensure that "It's Something about the Shoes" is produced as a fully realized and free theatre event culminating eight years of work- artistic, personal, and scholarly- to elevate the percussive dance arts and illuminate the possibilities found within Practice-led Research. Equally as important, this event will ensure that the singular and unique story of the indigenous Danza CAAS dancers is celebrated and preserved.
Monetary contributions will allow us to:
- Hire and compensate a team of professional video editors to turn raw footage from the rehearsal process through the final performance into a film appropriate for educational use across communities.
- Collaborate with a professional videographer to capture the performances on a five camera setup.
- Provide translation services to ensure that the voices and experiences of the Danza CAAS and Dustin Loehr are accurately understood by both English and Spanish speaking participants.
- Purchase technology and software necessary for the creation of the multimedia aspects of the performance event.
- Help compensate for travel and meal expenses for the dancers.
- Create quality print-outs and promotional materials.
- Pay for the rental and installation of a temporary floor at the performance venue.
Needs and Thanks
To meet all of the above mentioned needs, this project will require $5000.00 in donated funds by April 1st, 2015.
As a "thank you" for contributing and collaborating on this project, you may qualify to receive:
- Free VIP tickets to the event with back stage tour.
- Dinner with the cast.
- A signed copy of the completed video.
- Verbal and published thanks for your contributions, and more!
Should this campaign fail to reach the $5000.00 goal, expenses will be cut in order of their impact on the final product as an educational resource. In short, the dancers will have to pay out of pocket for their participation in this ground breaking research and artistic endeavor. This is a work of love by a COMMUNITY of people, not a collaboration of paid professionals, and none of the creators, performers or producers stand to make any money off of this project.
The Impact (A note from the director):
"It's Something About the Shoes" will be transformative for ALL participants. As artists, we are always trying to better our art forms. There is no greater way, in my opinion, to better ourselves than by committing to an honest exploration of who we are; our strengths, our weaknesses, and how we seek to progress. By examining the relationships between
ourselves and others, we are able to unlock so many more aspects for consideration in our personal growth.
This campaign will assist in creating that opportunity for Dustin Loehr and the Danza CAAS. They will, in turn, reward us by sharing their exploration through a live rhythmic dialogue and communion of dance. Audiences will even be invited to explore the multimedia space that the dancers create together, and will be welcomed into dialogue with the dancers. This event will show how knowledge can flow beyond cultural,
aesthetic, and religious barriers and transcend into a collaborative, unique
moment of unity and creation.
Through your donation to this campaign, you show your dedication to the transformative power and educational potential of the arts! Thank you!
Risks & Challenges
Everything about this project is decided through collaboration. Every decision is equally agreed upon by all parties: tap dancer and Danza CASS. This type of work calls for certain agreements that can be difficult to maintain. Despite language barriers, culture differences, aesthetic values, time limits, work and family responsibilities, the love of rhythm brings these dancers together to create and share!
Nothing like this has ever been done! The process for this collaboration is built upon the idea that practicing the art is equally as important as the final art product which, in academia, is called the Practice-led Research model. It is through practicing that the artist grows. To respect this idea and maintain its relevance in the final piece, the performance remains a work in progress. The dancers are currently working to first understand the differing rhythmic/dance languages, and will soon begin formulating a narrative to accompany the dances. Creating a piece of theatre that emerges organically is both exciting and full of unknowns!
Other Ways You Can Help
Some may not have the resources to contribute financially, but they can still support the project in important ways!
Please, collaborate by SHARING this campaign and the story of the project with your friends and colleagues. Come ATTEND the performances, perhaps even offer to donate your time and VOLUNTEER for the events! Use the Indiegogo share tools and tell everyone about this important work!
Thank you for your consideration - Thank you for your Collaboration!