Goals for dance in Atlanta?

We've had a couple meetings, some of us involved in dance organizations around town, and brought out the idea of a staffed dance organization that would serve the entire community, similar to the ones from other places that I mentioned in my
first post. One of those meetings took place today at the Fulton County Arts Commission (and for those of you on Facebook, you can join the group "Peer to Peer: DANCE" and get updates about these meetings.)

I'm pasting below a proposal (thanks to Aly at the Atlanta Ballet for writing this up for us!) for the steps to creating a community dance organization and what it should eventually look like. I've included a few of my personal thoughts in perintheses. This is a draft and we really want your feedback!! Please post comments with any places you disagree with me, ideas of things you think we've left out, or other ways you think we can make it realize. We'd love to have you at a future meeting about this as well, so please let me know if you're interested in joining us! Thanks!

ATLANTA DANCE

Atlanta Dance Resource Proposal

Phase One: Planning Stage

X Create Blog to start the conversation and provide a sustainability resource for the dance community during the current economic crisis (done, you're looking at it!)

_ Monthly meetings to discuss action steps and findings (this is being wrapped into the FCAC bi-monthly meetings, with a committee that will meet independently to look at funding possibilities)

_ Survey dance organizations to inventory the challenges of the dance community and identify what elements are ideal for an Atlanta dance resource organization (this may be difficult before there is staff to carry out, to be discussed further at next meeting)

_ Community dance forum held before MAD Festival (looking at a time to have an inaugural "annual meeting" just before the performances which will be the first weekend in March. Yes, MAD is a modern dance festival, but this will be open to the whole community.)

Phase Two: Implementation

_ Form independent, all inclusive dance resource organization structure – website

_ Funding – website and staffing

_ Dance USA conference in Atlanta in 2011 – great way to spotlight local dance for the conference (there was a proposal to host the winter meeting, but those may have been canceled for the immediate future because of cost.)


MISSION

Atlanta Dance’s mission is to facilitate communication among and about the art form of dance in the Metro Atlanta Area. As a resource for advancing exposure to dance in Atlanta, Atlanta Dance is sustained by its members of professional dance companies, artists, choreographers, presenters, educators, students, foundations, individuals and other organizations statewide. Atlanta Dance creates a collective voice for the dance community that will address concerns and aspirations effectively through communication and organization. To address the challenges of the Atlanta dance community, Atlanta Dance seeks to accomplish these goals:

• Advocacy - Create a united voice for dance in Atlanta.

• Diversity - Encourage a deeper understanding and respect of the cultural diversity within dance.

• Community - Foster support and partnership among the dance population.

• Communication - Promote more effective communication within the field.

• Boost the Industry - Retain and attract talent so it can thrive in Atlanta.

• Education - Promote opportunities for education and enhanced accessibility to dance.

• Audience Development - Build appreciation and attendance of dance among the general public.


MEMBERSHIP

Membership fees will help underwrite services,(in addition to other funding that may be found through grants, sponsorships and individual contributions, assuming it will eventually become its own nonprofit.) New services will be developed in reaction to surveys of dance organizations and individual artists, and in response to community needs.


PROJECT ACTIVITIES

Atlanta Dance provides resources, promotion, and collaborative opportunities for the dance community in Metro Atlanta. Project activities focus on advocacy, professional development and information resources, and are designed to gather and disseminate information, convene individuals and groups around key issues, facilitate networking, and stimulate the communal voice.
Free Services to the Atlanta Dance Community:

• Dance Calendar - a comprehensive listing of Atlanta area dance performances as well as classes, auditions and workshops.
• The Dance Card - a calendar of upcoming events, distributed to membership and at dance events (as a program insert collecting in one place the upcoming month of performances)
• Atlanta Dance Table – set up and staffed at dance events for brochures, posters, flyers, and postcards.
• Dance Writings– Interviews, Previews and Reviews of dance events, created in response to a lack of coverage in commercial press. (may be in conjunction with other online sites)
• Dance Directory - a directory and resource guide for all things dance related in Metro Atlanta. Dance companies, schools, colleges, studios, performance venues, etc.
• Dance community Listserv – list for the dance community to disseminate information to members by email. (Dance Georgia yahoo group still exists, may be able to transfer membership?)
• Dance Job Board - lists auditions, job openings, dance administrative positions, and internships.
• Dance Space – information for dancers about rental space for classes, rehearsals, auditions and performances.
• Weekly eNewsletter – news and complete listings of upcoming dance performances and events.(this was monthly in Aly's version and I changed it to weekly because that's how they do it in Houston. We'll need to see how much information there is and if monthly is enough or if we need to do weekly.)
• Atlanta Dance on Facebook – formed to network with fellow dancers and choreographers, announce upcoming performances and workshops and build an audience.(Currently Peer to Peer Dialogue:DANCE will serve as the space for discussion on Facebook)

One location online, so many resources...