A new dance project co-commissioned by Shenandoah Conservatory was awarded a grant by the National Performance Network (NPN). NPN’s 2024 Creation Fund will support the development of “Roots of Loving Us,” a collaborative, evening-length choreographic work by CONTRA-TIEMPO Activist Dance Theater, cultivated by Ana María Álvarez and holly johnston.
“Roots of Loving Us” is one of 13 new artistic works NPN has awarded to a variety of artists spread across nine cities. All of the projects represent innovative and transformative arts experiences that explore and challenge aspects of identity, history, culture and social justice.
Shenandoah Conservatory joins ArtPower at UC San Diego (La Jolla, California) and University of Tampa (Tampa, Florida) as co-commissioners on the project. As a co-commissioner Shenandoah Conservatory will host a series of choreographic labs and presentations of the work in progress. Labs will bring together students and community partners. Through workshops, storytelling circles and performances, the project emphasizes that family is created through love, not DNA, and aims to transform performance spaces with cross-sensory experiences and innovative production elements.
“We’re thrilled to join this cohort of universities and presenters in support of CONTRA-TIEMPO’s newest work,” said Executive Director of Performances & Engagement Courtney Reilly ’18, M.S. “For years, CONTRA-TIEMPO has been an agent of change in the arts industry and within the communities they serve. Through meaningful artistic engagement they explore highly relevant themes and ideas — sparking dialogue and bringing people together through storytelling and artmaking.”
NPN’s Creation Fund and Development Fund is made possible with support from the Doris Duke Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts (a federal agency), and co-commissioners. It comprises the first phase of a comprehensive three-part program that champions new artistic endeavors, promotes racial and cultural justice, and facilitates vibrant live interactions between artists and communities. This fund specifically targets early-stage projects, which emphasize establishing strong connections among artists, presenters, and communities as they embark on their creative journeys.
CONTRA-TIEMPO (L to R) Jose Jose Arrieta, Maria Garcia, Ruby Morales, Kati Hernandez, Jannet Galdamez, Jasmine Stanley, Alek Lopez, Edgar Aguirre. Photo by Tyrone Domingo. Costume by David Reynoso. Kati’s costume by Halei Parker. Crown by Maria Garcia. ¡azúcar! premier at the Ford Theaters (August 2023).
