$300,000 Awarded in 2005 Live Music for Dance Grants

If the Opera Company of Brooklyn’s proposed use of the Sinfonia (the computerized “virtual orchestra machine”) has got you wringing your hands over the decline of live music in so-called live theater, the announcement of the American Music Center’s Live Music for Dance grants may cheer you. $300,000 has been awarded to 43 dance companies in New York City and New Jersey as part of the 2005 LMD granting round. The program helps underwrite musicians’ rehearsal and performance fees, and also provides funding for composer commissioning fees and copying costs for performances.

The effect of the grants are felt across artistic disciplines. “Aside from the thrill of having live music at all performances,” Marvin Preston IV, Executive Director of the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance, said about the Graham Center’s 2004 LMD grant for musicians, “what was most exciting about those two weeks was watching the mutual respect and enthusiasm between the dancers and the musicians….I cannot imagine a more successful outcome.” The Graham Center also received funds this year for musicians and a new commission by Franco Piersanti.

Other 2005 grantees include the Alborada Spanish Dance Theatre for musicians and a new commission from Carlos Revollar; the Paul Taylor Dance Company for musicians at its New York City Center season; the Mark Morris Dance Group for musicians at its Brooklyn Academy of Music summer season; and Yass Hakoshima Movement Theatre for live music by the Da Capo Chamber Players at its Morristown, New Jersey, performance. A complete list of grantees, project descriptions, and award amounts follows below.

The Live Music for Dance program was founded as the Pocket Orchestra Project in 1986 by the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), and the American Music Center. NYSCA conceived the idea for the Pocket Orchestra Project and co-administered the program for its first three years. From 1989 to 2003, Live Music for Dance was a program of the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, administered by the American Music Center.

Beginning with last year’s round of grants, AMC assumed sole responsibility for the program, including fundraising, application review, and grant administration. This is the first year New Jersey-based companies have been invited to apply.

2005 Live Music for Dance Grants

• American Ballet Theatre, NY, live music by the American Ballet Theater Orchestra during the Spring 2005 season at the MET, $5,000
• American Tap Dance Foundation, NY, live music by the The Larry Ham Trio and The Frank Kimbrough Trio for the 2005 New York City Tap Festival performances, $8,000
• Anemone Dance Theater, NY, live music by the Slow Six at the 2005 Evolving Arts Theater season, $3,000
• Battleworks Dance Company, NY, a new commission by John Mackey and live music by Antares during the 2005 New York season, $8,000
• Bebe Miller Company, NY, a new commission and live music by Albert Mathias for performances of Landing/Place, $7,500
• BIGMANARTS, NY, a new commission and live music by Geoff Gersh for performances of Julius Caesar Superstar, $3,500
• Buglisi/Foreman Dance, NY, new commissions by Jennifer Higdon and Daniel Binelli and live music by the Binelli-Ferman Duo, Maya Beiser, Glen Velez, Caroline Stinston, and Daniel Bernard Roumain during the 2005 season at the Joyce Theater, $7,500
• Dance Brazil, NY, a new commission by Tote Gira and live music by Tote Gira, Eduardo Santos, Marcelo Santos, and Edmilson Santos for performances of Retratos da Bahia, $10,000
• Dance Theatre Etcetera, NY, new commissions by Todd Reynolds and Bob Goldberg and live music by Still Life with Microphone and the BAN Radio Orchestra for performances of two site-specific works, $7,500
• David Dorfman Dance, NY, a new commission by Frank London and live music by a Frank London quartet and Michael Wall for performances of Old Testaments/New Visions, $8,000
• Douglas Dunn & Dancers, NY, a new commission by Bill Cole for performances of a new hour-long piece, $3,000
• Eric Hawkins Dance Foundation, NY, live music by the Eric Hawkins Theatre Orchestra during the Spring 2005 season at the Rose Theater, $7,500
• Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana, NY, live music by Calvin Hazen, Jose Alconcel, Terence Buttler, Jose Salinas, Gonzalo Grau, and Monica Matos for rehearsals and performances of Navidad Flamenca, $9,000
• H.T. Dance Company, NY, a new commission by Zhou Long and live music by Music from China for performances of Heart of Grace, $11,500
• Jennifer Monson Dance, NY, a new commission by David Kean and live music by David Kean, Zeena Parkins and Sean Meehan for performances of Flight of Mind, $7,500
• John Jasperse Company, NY, a new commission and live music by Zeena Parkins for performances of Prone, $7,500
• La Troupe Makandal, Inc., NY, live music by Frisner Augustin, Steve Deats, Guy de Chalus, Kesler Pierre, and Rosena Philippe for performances of Bwa Kayiman and Rising Sun, $2,500
• Lubovitch Dance Foundation, NY, live music by Kurt Elling & The Laurence Hobgood Trio for performances of Love Stories, $5,000
• Mark Morris Dance Group, NY, live music by the Mark Morris Dance Group Ensemble and guest vocalists for the 2005 season at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, $10,000
• Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance, Inc., NY, live music by Patrick Doherty and orchestra for the 2005 season at City Center, $15,000
• Merce Cunningham Dance Company, NY, live music by the Essential Music Orchestra for performances of Ocean, $15,000
• Nina Winthrop and Dancers, NY, a new commission by Jon Gibson for performances of Self Service, $3,000
• Paul Taylor Dance Company, NY, live music by the Orchestra of St.Luke’s and Margot Leverett & the Klezmer Mountain Boys for performances during the company’s 50th anniversary season, $15,000
• Peter Boal and Company, NY, live music for the New York 2005 season, $3,000
• Rebecca Stenn/ PerksDanceMusic Theatre, NY, live music by the FLUX Quartet for performances of “Home”, $4,000
• Sean Curran Company, NY, live music by Ricky Ian Gordon, Michael Arden, Rosina Hill, Scott Murphree, and Diane Sutherland for performances of Art/Song/Dance, $6,500
• STREB, NY, a new commission and live music by RECON for performances of a new work, $7,500
• The Armitage Foundation, NY, a new commission by Annie Gosfield and live music by Annie Gosfield, Stephen Gosling, Anthony Costanzo, and Roger Kleier for the fall 2005 Armitage Gone! Dance season, $7,500
• The House Foundation for the Arts, Inc., NY, live music by Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble for performances during the ensemble’s 40th anniversary season, $7,000
• The New York Baroque Dance Company, NY, live music by Concert Royale for performances of Terpsicore, $10,000
• The Parsons Dance Company, NY, live music by Milton Nascimento and his band for performances of The Nascimento Project, $7,500
• Thomas/Ortiz Dance, NY, live music by Janey Choi, Katie Kresek, K.Lippman, Loren Dempster, and Ana Milosavljevi for performances
  of two new pieces, $3,500
• Time Lapse Dance, NY, live music by Jeffrey Middleton for performances during the 2005 season, $2,000
• Trisha Brown Dance Company, NY, live music by Pedja Muzijevic, Mario Caroli, and Curtis Bahn for performances during the 2005 season, $7,000
• Wally Cardona Quartet, NY, a new commission by Phil Kline and live music by Ethel and a marching band for performances of a new work, $10,000
• Alborada Spanish Dance Theatre, NJ, a new commission by Carlos Revollar and live music by the Alborada Ensemble, Coolmagort, and Orensano Centro for performances during the 2005 season, $12,000
• American Repertory Ballet, NJ, live music by Michael Pratt and orchestra for performances of a new work, $3,500
• Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company, NJ, a new commission by Sarah Plant and live music by Dawn Aver, Edson Aparecide da Silva (Café) for performances of A LITTLE PIECE DIES…, $7,500
• Danmari Ltd., NJ, live music by the Da Capo Chamber Players for performances of Duality, $5,000
• Freespace Dance, NJ, live music by Josh Vallo, Abu Natraj, Benoir, Heath Mensher, Carlos Gonzoles and Michael Lawson for performances of a new piece for the 2005 season, $2,500
• Julia Ritter Performance Group, NJ, a new commission and live music by Bradford Reed for performances of Odd Sympathies on the Wayside, $5,000
• LKB Dance, NJ, a new commission by Kurt Coble and live music by the P.A.M. Band for performances of blue, $4,500
• Randy James Dance Works, NJ, a new commission by Mark Zuckerman and live music by Bart Feller for performances of a new work for the Fall 2005 season, $5,000