Young Choreographer's Festival

After hearing so many spectacular reviews about the Young Choreographer's Festival (YCF), I had to get a hold of the brilliant mind behind the scenes and ask her a few questions. Emily Bufferd, founder of the YCF and creative director of BEings dance, is also a young choreographer in New York City and believe it or not, has had her own share of challenges along the way. Being a young choreographer in the dance world can be very overwhelming. Fortunately, the YCF provides much needed clarity for young choreographers. Let's see what Emily Bufferd has to say on the subject:

James Koroni: In your own words what types of struggles have you come across as a young choreographer?

Emily Bufferd: I think as a young choreographer, the hardest part is getting people to take you seriously, and feeling like you have to prove your ability.  Applying to shows in the hopes of being presented when you have no track record is asking someone to take a chance on you, and since dance is such a fragile art-form to begin with, it sometimes is really hard to find that person who is open to being the first one to present you.  You have to continuously prove that you are capable of handling the job.

Koroni: Are these the reasons why you created the Young Choreographer's Festival(YFC)?

Bufferd: It is definitely a big part of it; I was fortunate enough in the early stages of my starting to choreograph that one of my mentors/friends suggested I attend a selection panel he was sitting on with him as a learning experience.  It really showed me how hard it is to get your work presented, especially as a young artist who doesn't have tangible proof of why you should present them.  It can be hard when watching so much dance to be able to see past the fact that it is rehearsal footage, or not costumed/lit/finished... any number of reasons.  I wanted there to be something that looked past all of those factors, and only looked at the caliber of the work.

Koroni: Did you anticipate that the YCF would be such a big success?

Bufferd: 100% truth, I had no idea.  Is it a big success?  I hope someday it is; we're getting there I think (I hope).  I want all of our young choreographers to book jobs and work; I would love to be able to provide them with more opportunity and education.

Koroni: Aside from supporting and celebrating young choreographers, does your selection process consider other criteria such as innovation?

Bufferd: The selection process takes many things into consideration... quality of the choreography (in all genres) is top priority though.

Koroni: From receiving your newsletters, it seems that you are offering programs or informative lectures for selected choreographers. Would you please tell me a little about this?

Bufferd: I think education can make the difference between being a successful artist and a not so successful one, so we have introduced programming for that purpose.  The selected choreographers this year got a mentor (this was the first year of this!), and will have a talk back panel with industry folks.  Sometimes the best way to learn is simply just to listen to someone who has been where you hope to go and let what they tell you sink in so I love to be able to have those with more developed careers sit down with our young artists to give them guidance, and answer some of their questions.

Koroni: I’ve also seen that you have invited established choreographers to present their work at the festival. I imagine that the purpose of their presence is to elevate the expectations of selected young choreographers. Have the young choreographers found it challenging to put work up on the stage before or after these professional choreographers?

Bufferd: My main purpose of having guest choreographers is, quite honestly, to inspire the young artists... a 'this is what I can become' kind of situation.  In my personal experiences, I have never felt more excited (or nauseous) as I did when I saw my name on a roster with the likes of Sidra Bell, Rhapsody, and Jason Parsons for the first time - it was an indescribable feeling of gratitude and accomplishment.  With that said, I have never felt in the years of having YCF that the young choreographers' works didn't stand up just as well as the guest artist's pieces... I guess that's why they were selected.

Koroni: Do you have plans to expand upon your vision for the YCF, for example, choreographer summer intensives or business workshops?

Bufferd: YCF will definitely continue to grow, and absolutely is aiming to build our educational aspects - next year is our 5 year celebration and we have some exciting things in the works for it.

Koroni: With a new group of choreographers each year there must be a whole different feel from festival to festival. What should we come to expect this year?

Bufferd: Each year is exciting because a show definitely does take on a vibe due to who is being presented.  This year's show has a really nice mix of genres being represented, and with 22 wonderful pieces being shown, it's going to be a full dance party!

Looks like the the Young Choreographer's Festival is going to be an evening of excitement not to miss. It's this Saturday, June 15th at 8pm and you can get your TICKETS by visiting: Symphonyspace.org

Heineken EUFA Champions League Game

I had a spectacular time choreographing the halftime show for Heineken's private event for the EUFA Champions League Game last month. The entire experience was something I will never forget. I owe a great deal of thanks to my amazing team of collaborators.

First of all my assistant choreographer, Tracey Katof taught me a great deal about sorting through your thoughts. You may think you are prepared before starting a big job like this, and you may very well be, but it's always good to have someone to process your thoughts with before you step into a room with 50 people who are looking to you for direction. I need to thank her for being a tremendous support in this way.

I also want to thank Remezcla, Momentum Drums & Broadway Dance Center. These companies put in a lot of resources to make this all possible and I encourage you, if you haven't already, to check out these great companies!

Lastly I want to thank all the dancers who made this one big weekend of fun. You were all so positive and never gave less than 100%! Thank you and I look forward to working with you all again in the future!

Here's a slide show from that day:

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Peace For Elephants

Peace For Elephants - A Night of Fun and Fundraising! Sunday, June 2 from 7-9 p.m. at Broadway Dance Center 322 W 45th St.  New York, NY

Featuring choreography by Brinae Ali, Cat Cogliandro, Ryan Davis, Nicholas Young and more!

Join in on the fun, as local artists present their talent to bring awareness to the endangered elephant's plight and the work of Peace For Elephants.

Attendance is FREE! Wine, raffles, snacks at 7 p.m.

www.PeaceForElephants.com

A Dancer In Need - Mishay Petronelli

Mishay Petronelli is an extraordinary dancer and friend in New York City. Her mother passed away on Friday, July 27 and with the high cost of funeral expenses, medical and legal fees, Broadway Dance Center has created a fundraising webpage for you to assist her family in this time of need. If you have the means to help please make a donation OR follow the link for opportunities to dance in support of her and her family.

DONATE HERE

MOVE For KIDS

Broadway Dance Center is proud to be partnering up with Wellness in the Schools organization to get kids and family's moving! Join them for these fabulous classes and support the strive for healthy living! Ages 10 and up. Wellness in the Schools inspires healthy eating, environmental awareness and fitness as a way of life for kids in New York City’s public schools. All proceeds of these two classes will go to the Wellness in the Schools organization.

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Katherine Roarty Bas CONTEMPORARY JAZZ Sat, 9-10:30 am Jun 23

Jared Jenkins Bas HIP-HOP Sat, 7:30-9 pm June 30

MOVEATHON in Washington Square Park

Mover, Nicole Johnson is an extraordinary individual! This past weekend she organized a successful MOVETHON that had more than 20 dancers in participation and an audience of more than 200 passersby, not to mention the additional viewers that tuned in online! What a spectacular experience!

This event was no ordinary event, their efforts create awareness and raise funds in support of rural Cambodia. If you haven’t heard of her organization, Javanna Productions, it is a student driven non-profit organization which presents a yearly effort entitled M.O.V.E (Motivation Opportunity Vision Entertainment).  In this effort, preteens, teenagers and young adults are encouraged to be productive, creative and develop a stronger sense of community within their neighborhoods while raising funds for a cause. This year’s effort is titled M.O.V.E for Cambodia. They are working with the Bernie Krisher Rural School Project Foundation to build a school in Cambodia. This project is inspired by Sheryl WuDunn’s and Nicholas Kristof’s novel “Half The Sky”, a moving novel about women turning oppression into opportunity.  The accounts and stories of young people described in this book inspired this team of M.O.V.E. representatives to get a move on.

Check out their M.O.V.E. For Cambodia page & make a donation HERE!

Special thanks to the Broadway Dance Center ISVP & Training Program Leadership!

MOVEATHON

Mover, Nicole Johnson is holding a MOVEATHON this weekend in support of rural Cambodia. If you haven't heard of her organization, Javanna Productions, it is a student driven non-profit organization which presents a yearly effort entitled M.O.V.E (Motivation Opportunity Vision Entertainment).  In this effort, preteens, teenagers and young adults are encouraged to be productive, creative and develop a stronger sense of community within their neighborhoods while raising funds for a cause. This year's effort is titled M.O.V.E for Cambodia. They are working with the Bernie Krisher Rural School Project Foundation to build a school in Cambodia. This project is inspired by Sheryl WuDunn's and Nicholas Kristof's novel "Half The Sky", a moving novel about women turning oppression into opportunity.  The accounts and stories of young people described in this book inspired this team of M.O.V.E. representatives to get a move on. Help them as they begin to use their craft to create opportunities for children all over the world. By donating to Javanna Productions M.O.V.E. for Cambodia, you will contribute to making a difference in someone's life , in your own life, in your community, in your city, in your state, in this nation, and in this world. They hold at least one event a month; spoken word nights, musical theater comedy sketches, open mic nights, choreography showcases, visual art galleries, parties, classes, workshops, etc.  In order to get on the road to Cambodia and reach their ultimate goal of $20,000, they need financial support to rent studios, theaters, event spaces and meet their technical support and transportation needs.

This  year's effort requires the members to learn about East Asian culture post regime. With that knowledge, they are encouraged to use their craft to raise funds for the school in Cambodia and awareness for the cause. The members are sympathetic, reverent, understanding young citizens of a global community and continue to gain a greater awareness and respect of the world with each artistic experience. In addition to donating to the school abroad, you are donating to the empowerment of a large community of artistic kids in New York City.  Any donation, big or small is greatly appreciated. Their generation can make a difference in the way we give back to our communities on both a global and national scale, but they need your help in doing so.

Check out their M.O.V.E. For Cambodia page & make a donation HERE!

M.O.V.E. Summer Gala

Compassionate Mover, Nicole Johnson is the creative director of Javanna Productions, a non-profit organization that from 2010-2011 has hosted the effort 'M.O.V.E. For Cambodia.' In the past 8 months they have held 20 events, including spoken word nights, coffee house series events, movement classes, parties, large and small scale performances, workshops, discussion groups, visual art presentations, etc. Now on July 18th at the Connelly Theater they're bringing everyone together for a reflection of their past efforts and to see how they can complete their goal of raising $20,000 by September 2011. This money will go towards opening a school in a Cambodian Village and will mark the end of their journey as a national team of compassionate 'Movers.' Join them at the Connelly Theater for a night of food, entertainment and fundraising. Including visual art, a photo gallery, short film screening, M.O.V.E. showcase, and food!

To make a donation click here. For tickets to the M.O.V.E. Summer Gala click here!

M.O.V.E. For Autism at 52nd Street Project

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Photography by Angel Gardner & Joshua Katcher

Special thanks to Broadway Dance Center!

For more info VISIT jpmove.webs.com

Washington Square Sparks

Photography By James Koroni

DANCERS

Nicole Johnson,

Pierce Cady, Javier Gonzalez, Clare Maceda, Alex Sala, Randel Santangelo &

Anthony.

MOVE For Autism, April 26th at 52 Street Project

You are cordially invited to an enchanted evening, with 'Mover' Nicole Johnson, where you will be inspired by artists united by their unique voice, "movement." Javanna Productions' M.O.V.E. (Motivation Opportunity Vision Entertainment) and Broadway Dance Center presents 'M.O.V.E. For Autism.' A night of movement and dance to raise funds and awareness for the autistic community. Featuring students from BDC's ISVP, Pro Semester, and Training Program along with original M.O.V.E. members and a few special guests!

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Our compassionate 'Mover' Nicole Johnson created an initiative for dancers to contribute their "voice" to assist communities with compromised living conditions. She developed JP, Javanna Productions, when she was thirteen years old and since then has had a very positive response from audiences across the country.

JP's 'M.O.V.E.' is their most recent endeavor which is ultimately trying to make the world an easier place to live in. They focus on many different social issues and reach out to those who are in need of resources such as the Autistic community, the Cambodian community, Cancer stricken patients in the U.S. and an orphanage in Uganda. They intend to raise awareness and funds for these causes while using their craft and doing what makes them happy.

Check out their promotional video:

Here's where you can contribute. Simply stop by and enjoy the show! The most charming aspect of Nicole Johnson's 'M.O.V.E.' is all her efforts inspire happiness in the lives of those involved.

LINKS: AutismSpeaks.org jpmove.webs.com BroadwayDanceCenter.com

Broadway Dance Center Loves Nippon

All proceeds from these charming shirts go to support the American Red Cross in the Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami relief efforts. The Japanese text on the back reads, “Ganbare, Nippon!” which means “Stay strong, Japan!” Show your love for our Japanese friends and contribute to a worthy charity while you’re at it! (source)

Get yourself one here!

Graphic Design by Vanessa Irena Pomiechowski. She is also a compassionate 'Mover' that lives a vegan lifestyle. See more of her work here!

Introducing, 'Arrest Yourself'

Ignorance Is Bliss. By avoiding inconvenient and unpleasant information we hide from the worlds current state. Whether it be Factory Farming, Green House Gas or Climate Changes we must understand and address these issues before it's to late. Visit the following link for more about Arrest Yourself!

FEATURING: Lauren Cox Scott Hamilton James Koroni Kiet Lam

VIDEO PRODUCER: Joshua Katcher

CHOREOGRAPHER: James Koroni Contact: JamesKoroni@gmail.com

James Koroni: Arrest Yourself, Part 4 of 4

JAMES KORONI, Arrest Yourself for complying with a mindless day to day routine. With that as our permanent attitude there would need to be an endless supply of goods for you to consume. Our common products are far removed from its original resource and this intangible "object" somehow gives us permission to relieve ourselves of any responsibility. This is how the huge corporations would like to keep it however, if we are kept dumb then they can do whatever they want. By not feeling any of the suffering that goes into production we give them power over us asa consumer almost as if we're hypnotized by their marketing campaigns. I find the statement "Ignorance is Bliss!," as the downfall of society. We turn our heads at uncomfortable information because once understood we might need to make change in our lives that are outside of our comfort zones. Our comfort zone is only concerned with our personal well being and this is where hope is lost. Selfish acts are blind to suffering.

This doesn't mean we need to write on signs and head out to the nearest protest. By being particular in where we make purchases we decide the results of tomorrow. How do we create a more compassionate and sustainable future through thoughtful consumerism? We need to trace our products back to its source. Were people treated as dignified human beings in the production of my clothing? Are animals individuals, do they deserve a life free of exploitation? Why is fast food so cheap and how does it affect your health, the environment and small businesses? There are too many issues to list.

'Arrest Yourself' was created to inspire individuals to seek answers and make change. Make your comfort zone bigger and offer compassion to those beyond yourself. It's not a question of faith. It's a question of reality. Where does 'this' come from and who did it affect prior to arriving before me.

James Koroni studied at ‘The Edge‘ in Los Angeles,‘Broadway Dance Center‘ in New York City and Santa Monica College in Los Angeles. A few of his credits include choreographing and dancing for Princess Superstar in Paris, France, dancing for Madonna at MACY’s in Herald Square, choreographing and dancing for Clara Lofaro in NY, NY, performing in ‘Rhapsody’s Sirens after Dark‘ at the BLVD on Bowery, participated in the production of Bagabones at The Fringe Festival in New York City and teaching at NorthPort Dance in Long Island. His Internships and Administrative credits include ‘Broadway Dance Center’ under the International Student Visa Program with Director Bonnie Erickson and is currently employed at Cynthia King Dance Studio in Brooklyn, NYC as Cynthia King’s Executive Assistant.

“So much of life carries the potential to shock and excite me and whether traditional or controversial, if it offers compassion I find a reason to appreciate its beauty.” - James Koroni

LAUREN COX: Arrest Yourself Part 1 of 4 SCOTT HAMILTON: Arrest Yourself, Part 2 of 4 KIET LAM: Arrest Yourself, Part 3 of 4

Photography by Joshua Katcher of TheDiscerningBrute.com

Kiet Lam: Arrest Yourself, Part 3 of 4

“Ignorance Is Bliss?” Arrest Yourself! By avoiding inconvenient and unpleasant information we hide from the worlds current state. Whether it be Factory Farming, Green House Gas or Social Justice we must understand and address these issues before it’s too late. "I do my best to rehydrate you at the risk of absurdity/there's nothing left between us but a state of emergency" -Hot Chip

KIET LAM, Life is about relationships. Never taking myself as an isolated entity in the world, I am reminded that each day is marked by continuous give and take between me and the people with whom I work, or ride the subway, or buy groceries, or dance, or grab dinner- the list goes on. "Arrest Yourself," in its music and movement, is a reminder to me that the balances in these relationships are delicate, and that every relationship requires effort and sacrifice. This concept may seem obvious, but I think the part that many choose to forget is that it extends not just to one's immediate friends, but to everyone who crosses one's path throughout the day. Every person deserves compassion and kindness, and we often forget that duty in the hustle of daily life. It is in these momentary lapses, that you "Arrest Yourself" in order to rediscover what it means to be a part of Life.

Kiet started in the world of competitive Ballroom dance, then made the move into jazz and hip-hop through Groove Dance Co., a collegiate dance performance group at Yale University. He studied at Broadway Dance Center in New York City in the Summer Intern Program, where he got the opportunity to work with Jim Cooney as a dancer on a special Broadway-themed episode of Extreme Makeover Home Edition. His other credits include the ISVP Performance Project at Broadway Dance Center, and various pieces he has choreographed for Groove Dance Co. at Yale, including his most recent piece "Mirrors".

"The greatest happiness is to transform one's feelings into action." -Kiet Lam

Performance of Arrest Yourself, February 19th 2011 @ 7PM!

Kumble Theater- One University Plaza Brooklyn, NY 11201

TICKETS Discount Code: BeKind

LAUREN COX: Arrest Yourself Part 1 of 4 SCOTT HAMILTON: Arrest Yourself, Part 2 of 4 JAMES KORONI: Arrest Yourself, Part 4 of 4

Lauren Cox: Arrest Yourself, Part 1 of 4

"Ignorance Is Bliss?" Arrest Yourself! By avoiding inconvenient and unpleasant information we hide from the worlds current state. Whether it be Factory Farming, Green House Gas or Social Justice we must understand and address these issues before it's too late. 'Mover,' James Koroni choreographed a piece entitled 'Arrest Yourself' to remind people that they are personally responsible for their own demise. To properly present this as a performance piece his dancers also shared their opinions on how this issue is prominent in their own lives.

LAUREN COX, "I've noticed that we walk around day to day bombarded with opinions from our peers, media and limited by our own comfort zones. We allow so much of it to guide our steps and we are often afraid of embracing new information because somehow it will disrupt our current state of heaven when, in fact, it’s the contrary that leads to the path of happiness. And we all do it! We all struggle to find our own happiness outside of ourselves…this makes absolutely no sense, so 'Arrest Yourself!' Hold yourself captive, if only to give way to the inevitability of change. By being an active participant of my own dream and staying open-minded to the dreams of others I sew anonymous benefits upon the world. It is through collective dreams that we realize we are all deeply interconnected and can progress for each other on our short visit to this earth. It is a daily choice…carpé diem!!"

She is a lifetime student and teacher of dance and movement. Starting at the age of 6, Lauren trained rigorously and competed as a passionate Rhythmic Gymnast around the U.S. for 11 years with the aid of ballet, modern dance and pilates, eventually achieving 4th in the nation for level 9 and 20th for level 10. During college she discovered a love for Sociology, hip hop and youth advocacy through Culture Shock Dance Troupe in Oakland, California where she received training with prominent guest choreographers such as Nappy Tabs, performed at events such as S.F. Aids Walk, Monsters of Hip Hop and the ACL Championships with LL Cool J & Amerie and was a part of their competition team, CS Allstars, winning consecutive silver and bronze metals at the U.S. & World Hip Hop Championships in Los Angeles. After co-founding and dancing for Groove Against the Machine San Francisco and exhibitioning annually at events like World of Dance and Battlefest Bay Area she set out to learn yet another style in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where she studied Samba, African and Street Dance for one year. She returned to the States to accept Broadway Dance Center’s Summer Intensive Internship and has been training in ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip hop and freestyle for the past 7 months in order to converge and solidify her deep passion for the universal language of music through dance. She is now the Portuguese translator for Broadway Dance Center, teaches Hip Hop at Center Stage New Jersey and has just started a choreography project called “The Ladies Freedom Party” bringing conscious light to music & movement.

Performance of Arrest Yourself, February 19th 2011 @ 7PM!

Kumble Theater- One University Plaza Brooklyn, NY 11201

TICKETS Discount Code: BeKind

SCOTT HAMILTON: Arrest Yourself, Part 2 of 4 KIET LAM: Arrest Yourself, Part 3 of 4 JAMES KORONI: Arrest Yourself, Part 4 of 4