The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, as part of its Knight Arts Challenge, recently announced that Karen Peterson and Dancers (KPD) has been awarded a major grant of $150,000 to launch Forward Motion, an annual integrated dance festival and conference in Miami.
KPD is South Florida’s only professional company dedicated to mixed ability or integrated work, and Forward Motion is the next step in advancing their work. Forward Motion will be one of the first annual events dedicated to bringing together dancers with and without disabilities — including leading international companies of excellence, teachers and choreographers — for public performances, new commissions, community teaching, and professional educational opportunities.
Mixed-ability dance is an exciting and growing movement that seeks to redefine dance vocabulary and the way in which choreographers use the human body in performance, as well as to create an inclusive art form that bridges boundaries and obstacles. It challenges artistic and societal perceptions of what defines physical beauty and beautiful movement, and shifts the paradigms of the field of dance. Forward Motion, building on this existing field of integrated dance, is projected to be an annual four-day event launching in 2018.
“Forward Motion will truly be an amazing step forward for our community of mixed ability dancers, educators and audiences here in South Florida,” said Karen Peterson of KPD.”
Two visiting companies, in addition to Karen Peterson and Dancers, already are committed to performing at the first edition of Forward Motion.
The first is the London-based Candoco (www.candoco.co.uk/home), one of mixed-ability’s leading contemporary groups, which The Guardian called, “Brilliant and bracing, gripping to watch.” They work with a range of world-class choreographers, and have led the field in terms of educational methods and a school that is physically integrated.
The second is AXIS (www.axisdance.org), the leading U.S.-based physically integrated group, which tours extensively and collaborates with some of the best choreographers working today. Their powerful inclusive movement vocabulary has moved audiences for almost three decades. Dance Magazine says AXIS, “is like watching contact improvisation meet parkour.”
Knight Foundation’s funding is through its Knight Arts Challenge, which supports the best ideas for bringing South Florida together through the arts. The support covers a two-year period, and must be matched dollar for dollar. Peterson and her colleagues are hard at work on seeking additional funds for Forward Motion.
“This is a project that we are excited to take on, one we hope will grow our funding base and audience both locally and nationally,” Peterson added.
For more information on Karen Peterson and Dancers and to support Forward Motion, visit www.karenpetersondancers.org. For more on The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation visit www.knightfoundation.org.
