Community Engagement Interviews
Forklift Danceworks
CONTRA-TIEMPO
Ballet Austin
Ballet BC
This special edition of
Point by Pointe
celebrates dance
companies engaging
meaningfully and
authentically with the
people in their cities.
Point by Pointe
This issue includes:
C o m m u n i t y E n g a g e m e n t
B a l l e t T h e a t r e o f M a r y l a n d
C a s e y C a r e s F o u n d a t i o n
P h o t o b y D a v i d R . H e r r o n
*Photo credits included at end of newsletter
Recent Programming:
Raising the Barre with Adam W. McKinney
News from the Field
Ballet Hispánico
Ballet Rhode Island
Keshet Dance Company
Point by Pointe
Community Engagement
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
INTERVIEWS
K e s h e t D a n c e C o m p a n y
P h o t o b y P a t B e r r e t t
B a l l e t B C W o r k s h o p
P h o t o b y M i c h a e l S l o b o d i a n
P e o p l e ' s S u m m i t , P h o t o b y M i d i a N i n j a
“ F o r t h e J o y o f I t ! ”
P h o t o b y A n n e B l o o d g o o d
C o u r t e s y o f B a l l e t A u s t i n
Point by Pointe
Community Engagement
In the following interviews, DDP speaks with various
dance companies about the innovative ways they are
impacting their communities, expanding their audiences,
and creating accessible, purpose-driven projects and
performances.
Forklift Danceworks - The Way of Water, Stories of
Creative Collaboration
Ballet Austin - Food Drive for Black Women in Business
Community Impact Initiative
Ballet BC - Ageless Dancers, Union Gospel Mission, and
Big Sisters
Ballet Rhode Island - ProviDANCE
Keshet Dance Company - Movement for Mercy
Ballet Hispánico - Pa’lante Scholars Program
CONTRA-TIEMPO - Community Labs
FORKLIFT DANCEWORKS -
AUSTIN, TEXAS
STORIES OF CREATIVE COLLABORATION
READ THE FULL FORKLIFT DANCEWORKS INTERVIEW
HERE
Allison Orr, Founding Artistic Director: “The selection of our partners is
always guided by our commitment to creating work that’s deeply rooted
in and responsive to the communities we serve. We start by listening—
really listening—to the needs and concerns of the community,
understanding
the
issues
they’re
facing,
and
identifying
the
organizations and leaders who are already working toward solutions.
This approach makes sure that our collaborations are not only relevant but
truly impactful.
For The Way of Water initiative, our partnerships are carefully chosen to
reflect the diverse voices and expertise necessary to tackle the critical
issue of water sustainability. Here in Austin, we’ve partnered with
several stakeholders, including the City of Austin Watershed Protection
Department, Dove Springs neighborhood leaders, and various
community organizations to make sure this project is grounded in local
experiences and knowledge.”
DDP: Your company has partnered with a diverse group of
organizations, both in the Texas community and around the world.
How do you choose these partners and how do the needs of your
community inform who you collaborate with?
Point by Pointe
Community Engagement
Point by Pointe
Community Engagement
M y P a r k , M y P o o l , M y C i t y
D o v e S p r i n g s S w i m s / N a d a m o s D o v e S p r i n g s
P h o t o b y J o n i c a M o o r e
C o u r t e s y o f F o r k l i f t D a n c e w o r k s
CONTRA-TIEMPO ACTIVIST DANCE
THEATER - LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
COMMUNITY LABS
Point by Pointe
Community Engagement
READ THE FULL CONTRA-TIEMPO INTERVIEW HERE
Ana María Alvarez, Founding Artistic Director: “We don’t think
of community engagement and artmaking as separate areas of
focus, but treat both as critical elements of our work, and both
equally as important. This sets us apart from many other dance
companies. Often you hear other folks in our field speak of
“outreach” work. None of the work we do is “outreach”, but
instead we think of the work we do to encourage and invite
participation as intentional engagement work. The work is
reciprocal and as artists and makers we learn as much as our
students, community participants, and audience members do.
Our community cast is an example of this reciprocal relationship
inside of our artistic work. Whenever and wherever we share a
mounted performance work, (we are currently touring “joyUS
justUS” and “azucar!”) we always engage a group of local dancers
who are paid a stipend to engage with us ... It is a powerful way to
quickly and authentically connect with local folks who are aware of
the dynamics, politics, and pertinent local issues, and through the
community cast process, we are able to hear and learn about some
of those from local sources.”
DDP: Much of your current repertory incorporates actual participation
by community members. For example, your ongoing piece “joyUS
justUS” incorporates community feedback, sound bytes from local
participants, and live audience participation. Tell us more about how
the community not only informs and inspires your performance work,
but actively engages in it.
j o y U S j u s t U S
C o u r t e s y o f J o h n M i c h a e l K o h l e r A r t s C e n t e r
Point by Pointe
Community Engagement
BALLET AUSTIN - AUSTIN, TEXAS
FOOD DRIVE FOR BLACK WOMEN IN BUSINESS
COMMUNITY IMPACT INITIATIVE
Point by Pointe
Community Engagement
READ THE FULL BALLET AUSTIN INTERVIEW HERE
Vicki Parsons, Director of the Butler Center for Dance & Fitness
and Pilates Center: “Black Women in Business initiated this
relationship during the beginning months of COVID in the spring
of 2020. They had begun an initiative to collect and distribute
food to people who were in need. Their reach is wide, serving
people who live on the margins and often fall through the cracks of
other service programs. Ballet Austin has so many programs, but
this is the one thing we do where we all come together to focus
on one area. Staff, our artists, instructors, Board members,
students, everyone! It is an individual effort that becomes a
group effort to collect food items year-round at Ballet Austin
that is then given to Black Women in Business to distribute to
people in the community who are in need. As far as how it aligns
with our mission, it directly falls into the area of encouraging
health and well-being. When people go hungry it affects their
physical and mental health and well-being and contributes to a
host of other problems.”
DDP: One of your leading community engagement initiatives is the
Ballet Austin Food Drive for Black Women in Business Community
Impact initiative. Tell us more about this program and how it aligns
with your mission.
“ F o r t h e J o y o f I t ! ”
P h o t o b y A n n e B l o o d g o o d
C o u r t e s y o f B a l l e t A u s t i n
Point by Pointe
Community Engagement
Point by Pointe
Community Engagement
BALLET BC - VANCOUVER,
BRITISH COLUMBIA
AGELESS DANCERS, UNION GOSPEL MISSION,
AND BIG SISTERS
READ THE FULL BALLET BC INTERVIEW HERE
Heather Myers, Manager of Education and Engagement: “Ballet
BC’s outreach and education work aims to facilitate first-hand
movement-based creativity; to build a wider audience for
viewing and experiencing dance; and to cultivate a meaningful
connection between the company’s repertoire and the lives of
participants...For example, what served Big Sisters during the
2023/24 season was offering complimentary performance tickets to
volunteers
and
their
matches
throughout
the
season,
and
facilitating a workshop for these adults and youth to attend
together. In the case of Union Gospel Mission, we offered bi-
weekly after-school classes to grade 4-7 students, where the work
was adapted to meet participant needs on a given day. Ageless
Dancers is a free Vancouver Park Board-administered program for
seniors where Ballet BC’s Education department leads weekly
classes as Artist-in-Residence.”
DDP: Ballet BC’s outreach work includes various collaborations with
non-profit organizations in the Greater Vancouver area. These
partners include Ageless Dancers, Union Gospel Mission, and Big
Sisters, among others. Which community members do you reach
through these partnerships and how do you choose the companies
with whom you collaborate?