in the spotlight #FWisDancing
by Krista Jennings Langford [FurtherDance FortWorth]
I
n early 2014, spurred on by encouragement fromTCU dance professor and Fort
Worth-based choreographer Susan Douglas Roberts, a small group of dancers (including myself)met together to discuss the FortWorth dance commu- nity.We wanted to find a way to engagemore as dancers in our city, but weweren’t sure where to start.We continued to meet and discuss ideas, and after a fewmonths created FurtherDance FortWorth, an organization that serves dance professionals that live,work, and/or create in FortWorth.
I cannot tell you howmany times I’ve heard people say, “There’s notmuch dance” in FortWorth (or DFW). This seems inaccurate, because I cannot go a weekendwithout attending or regrettingmy absence at a dance-related event in the area. But it is true that FortWorth dance, particularly con- temporary dance, has a small following, disproportionate to the number of dance professionals that call the city home. Though there aremany companies, performances, and renowned schools in the area, dance has little impact on the greater com- munity, and support for dancers isminimal.
We believe that FortWorth should have a flourishing contem- porary dance community and audience. FortWorth boasts world-classmuseums, theaters, and performance spaces. The food andmusic scene are booming, and local and small busi- nesses abound. Cowtown tops the lists of the best cities to find a job or begin a new career, best housing affordability, and dwindling unemployment rates.We look to cities like Nashville, the Twin Cities, and Boise, all smaller than FortWorth, where contemporary dance thrives.Why not FortWorth?
As we discussed issues, we noted that we aren’t lacking in companies. There aremany that have called FortWorth home for years and new groups starting all the time, all doing great work. But with somany companies, it’s difficult for dancers to get together beyond their own circle. In addition, the city lacks opportunities (frequent and affordable classes in contemporary genres, pedagogy and/or choreographic workshops, chances to present work independently) for dancers to develop profession- ally in FortWorth. Instead, we see dancers leaving FortWorth, or commuting tomake dance or train elsewhere, even though somany great dancementors live here and the city abounds with dance spaces.
DANCE!NORTHTEXAS a publication of the dance council of north texas
We wondered what would happen if we brought together dance professionals fromall companies and genres and offered those opportunities that we wanted so badly within our city.
That’s what FurtherDance strives to do: Bring dancers together to further dance in FortWorth.
We are starting small in our efforts while we establish ourselves (including applying for 501c3 status this year).We offer classes within the FortWorth area and host events and get-togethers to attend or discuss performances.We also promote existing opportunities for dancers in DFW.We hope to expand our offer- ings to include a greater frequency of classes, workshops on dance topics, and hopefully, a festival of FortWorth dance.
Our TGIF2 class series is coming to a close with a ballet class taught by Kimi Nikaidoh (acting artistic director of BruceWood Dance Project) at Texas Ballet Theater studios on Friday,May 29, 2015 from6:30-8PM. To register for class, please visit
FurtherDanceFW.com/TGIF
On our summer schedule is FurtherDance on theMove, a pro- fessional-level class series that will include teachers of a variety of genres in spaces in FortWorth, themid-cities, and Dallas. We begin at the School for Classical & Contemporary Dance at TCU with a contemporary ballet class taught by Elizabeth Gillaspy.
Follow us online:
Facebook.com/FurtherDanceFortWorth,
Twitter.com/FurtherDanceFW
Krista Jennings Langford is Co-Founder and President of FurtherDance FortWorth.
vol. 18 • no. 2
www.thedancecouncil.org May-July 2015 page 5
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