Amassing New Performance Works – and New Ways to Describe Them – with aMaSSiT!

Jun 6, 2022 | DC Newsworthy

Amassing New Performance Works - and New Ways to Describe Them - with aMaSSiT!
aMaSSiT initiated 7 years ago as a choreographic and arts/artists development course at The Dance Complex. When we moved this year’s aMaSSiT program (which, after all, is all about movement!) to the Dance Complex @Canal space, as organizers we challenged ourselves to live up to the same tenets as the  participants: interrupt habit, respond to the immediate and yes, shake things up! We wove Creativity Sessions into the mix, adapted to the specifics of this cohort’s needs, and reimagined our final showings as pitch sessions.

Rather than pushing everyone to finish a new piece in 3 months, we wanted this crew of choreographers to embrace innovative and ambitious ideas that will require more time to develop. So what exactly are the aMaSSiT Momentum Pitch Sessions?

They are a time for sharing. The choreographers will show what they built during the last few months, describe where the project is heading, and then discuss what they need to develop their work for its next iteration. As a community, it is a time to listen and reflect on how we can leverage our resources. Yes, people will be talking about space and funding needs but they are also looking for your advice or the name of a good props designer or someone to share pictures of pets doing goofy things when projects get frustrating or overwhelming. We want to see Accumulation Dance, Amy I. Cohen, collective moments dance company, Lila Ruth Klaus, Tess Saoirse Liddy, Soumya Rajaram, Circe Rowan, Alana Stubbs, Jessi Stegall, and StoneWorks Productions realize their ambitious dance creations…and you may be the secret ingredient to their success.

This year’s aMaSSiT program, a collaboration between The Dance Complex and Monkeyhouse, has featured mentoring sessions with Callie Chapman, Peter DiMuro, karen Krolak, Rich Miner, and Jessica Roseman. Funded in part by the Mass Cultural Council’s Innovation Fund Grant and by the Miner Nagy Family Foundation.