Short Summary
Hello Friends,
For over 20 years the Allegro Dance
Company has been touring the United States and Italy performing their
own unique choreography celebrating the Italian and Italian-American
cultures as well as traditional Italian dances from several regions
of Italy. Award-winning choreographer, Anna Pishner Harsh, has
used various styles of dance to convey stories from the Roman Empire
to present day in her work, but it is the research and presentation
of the traditional Italian dances that really motivates and inspires
her.
From a young age she has been
influenced by traditional dances or folk dances like the Tarantella.
These community dances all have specific elements and defined
structure, so to maintain their authenticity, she must research the
steps and origins. This mostly involves making contact with
other groups who specialize in traditional dance, conducting
interviews and taking classes. For her college thesis project,
she undertook this task with the goal to present the body of work,
and out of those efforts, the Allegro Dance Company was born.
This campaign, La Danza -- Bridging
Time Through Dance, helps fund a documentary film showcasing and
celebrating traditional Italian dances. Many of the sources
Anna has used throughout the years simply do not exist anymore.
Her research efforts have taken her from remote areas of Italy to
literally her own backyard, but with the passage of time, finding
credible information is becoming more and more challenging.
We know the information is out there.
We also need your help. By creating this documentary, we envision it
becoming a rallying point for others already undertaking this type of
research to connect with those who possess this information so these
precious dances are not lost to history. Music notation has been
around for at least a thousand years, but there has been no way to
document dance until the 20th century. With the power of
technology and social media, we feel that now is the time to launch
such an endeavor. Luckily, we have some great support already.
Undependent Films has already finished filming dances and showcases as well as conducting brilliant interviews. West Virginia Public Television is excited, as
they have pledged their support to help air our documentary upon its
completion.
Of course, to make this a reality we
also need you. By choosing to contribute, you can be a part of
preserving an element of culture that brings identity and joy to a
community. Your support will help make our vision a reality and we
are offering some special perks.
What We Need &
What You Get
In this campaign we are asking for
$2500 for some specialized equipment. In order to meet certain
television quality demands our dedicated filmmakers need some
specific software, digital storage and editing equipment. They have
already accepted such a heavy burden of travel and filming that we
are reaching out to you for help.
With filming nearly complete, the hard
work of screening and editing begins. We have thousands of hours of
raw footage to go through and countless edits and tweaks. Yet, we
feel this project is closer to completion than ever and we couldn't
be more excited. The community seems to agree.
We have gotten a tremendous response
for offers to screen our film next spring once completed. So we are
going to throw a giant premier party, and as a contributor, you're
invited! In fact, you could be the guest of honor. We are also
offering autographed tambourines, copies of the film and soundtrack
and other rewards for choosing to support our cause.
Other Ways You Can
Help
Finally, if you realize this project
is important, but can't contribute at this time, we understand.
Sharing our project with friends, family and your social media
contacts is a great way to help us gather attention for our efforts.
Contact Allegro Dance Company on facebook for
more information. We want to hear from you.
www.allegrodancecompany.net
