The expanded three-week season will showcase short dance pieces (up to 10 minutes in length) by professional choreographers, and feature many established and emerging performing artists.
Submissions for the festival are now open and close 3rd November 2008.
Short-listed applicants will be invited to attend a showing day in late November where choreographers and dancers will present a short excerpt/explanation of the proposed work. From this audition, a panel of industry professionals will select thirty works for inclusion in to the festival -which runs 23 February to 14 March 2009.
Festival Director, Olivia Ansell, said she was thrilled with the success of Short Sweet+Dance last year –the popularity of the program has ensured the need to expand and move to the larger Seymour Centre venue.
Last year’s debut season sent a galaxy of stars into the orbit of fame & success!
Vanessa Sew Hoy went on to make the final six of Channel 10’s “So You Think You Can Dance”. Marko Panzic, winner of the festival’s Outstanding Male Dancer award made SYTYCD’s final 20 while Paul Bennett also featured prominently on the TV show.
Sarah Boulter, who created the work Inner Sole has established herself as regular guest choreographer on the show as has Juliette Verne (Dear Mr President).
Kay Armstrong who also choreographed and danced in a winning piece is now in her second year as Artistic Director of the acclaimed youth dance company Pulse8.
Choreographer Eva Fernandez Adan – who won SS+D’s Best New Talent award – developed Pieces of Mind into a full-scale work which is currently in production with the Dirty Feet Dance Collective as part of the Under The Weather season at the Cleveland Street Theatre. Her work features Sarah Fiddaman reprising the performance which won her the festival’s Outstanding Female Dance award.
HOW IT WORKS...
The call for submissions will open on the 1st September, and close by the 3rd of November 2008. From the written proposals submitted, a short list will be compiled. Short listed choreographers will be invited to attend a showing day in late November, whereby choreographers and dancers are able present a short excerpt/explanation of the proposed work. From this day, thirty works will be selected for inclusion in the festival by a panel of Industry professionals.
WHO CAN APPLY…
Choreographic works of all styles and thematic intent are encouraged, however, the work must be innovative, well developed, and of a professional standard.
SS+Dance, encourages works by Indigenous artists and works that celebrate our multicultural community.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM...
SS+Dance is also a competition. Each night, respected members of the dance community vote for awards such as Most Outstanding Choreography, Best New Talent, and Most Promising Male/Female Dancer. Similarly, there is a People’s Choice Award, which is presented to the choreographer of the work that receives the most audience votes over the whole season.
In 2007, SS+Dance proved popular with a very successful premiere season held at the Newtown Theatre. The two-week program featured works by 30 different choreographers and over 130 performers; every performance sold out-and both weeks received rave reviews.
For our 2009 season, we have relocated to a larger venue, that offers greater stage space, rehearsal studios, male and female dressing rooms, and parking facilities- for a slightly longer season of three weeks.
For regular updates and to download entry forms,
visit - www.shortandsweet.org/short-sweet-dance/about
For expressions of interest or more information, contact Olivia Ansell -Festival Director of
Short Sweet+Dance -
Youth Dance Fest Also Taking Entries
Following the success of Short Sweet+Dance and the fourth big year of the youth drama festival Fast+Fresh, the rise and rise of the Short+Sweet franchise continues with the youth version of the mini dance festival: FAST+FRESH DANCE.
Open to young choreographers and dances aged 16-21, these pieces up to 5 minutes in length are being produced as a festival at Riverside Theatres Parramatta in conjunction with Western Sydney Dance Action. The heats are Tues 25- Fri 28 November in the spectacular Lennox Theatre, with the gala final on Saturday November 29. Finalists will compete for sponsored prizes and a slot in the Feb 2009 Seymour Centre season of the senior Short Sweet+Dance festival.
More information - including entry forms - at www.wsda.org.au/projectsedu.htm