WHO gets to dance? • WHERE is the dance happening?

WHAT is it about? • WHY does it matter?

The mission of the Dance Exchange is to create dances that arise from asking: Who gets to dance? Where is the dance happening? What is it about? Why does it matter? 

Dance Exchange is an intergenerational company of artists that creates dance and engages people in making art. We serve as an incubator for creative research, bringing ideas to action through collaborations that range from experts in the field of dance to unexpected movers and makers. Through these exchanges we stretch the boundaries between the studio, stage, and other environments to make dances that are rooted in the particularity of people and place.  We recognize the body and movement as an essential resource to understand and investigate across disciplines. Through local, national, international, and online projects we gather and create community to contribute to a healthy and more sustainable environment.

 See our website for a complete listing of upcoming events.

STUDIO SPACE RENTAL

Looking for a space for creative movement, workshops, classes, or a nontraditional meeting? We have three open, light-filled studios available for rental. See our website for more information about sizes and pricing. Contact Ellen Chenoweth, (301) 270-6700 x18, with inquiries.

Performance Projects and Works in Progress

Following is a selection of our performance projects. See our website for a more complete listing. For booking contact Dorothy Williams, (301) 270-6700 x24.

The Matter of Origins: Inspired by physicists discussing the origins of matter, this piece investigates the subject of beginnings: how do we perceive, discover, and think about them? It is a performance, a conversation, and a multi-media experience.

Drift: In exploring the transformation of one piece of land from farmland to strip mall to a supermarket to a place of worship, this piece examines the relationship of people to places, to history, and to their food.

How To Lose a Mountain: Behind every product we use is a story that has been lived and a distance that has been traveled. This piece examines the knowing and telling of these stories.

Wind: Where does the wind come from? What can it do? How can we harness its power? Join the Dance Exchange on a journey all over the world (and even to the sun!) to find out. Dance Exchange company members engage with young audiences as they breathe, move, talk, sing, and learn.Watch a clip here.

MetLife Foundation Healthy Living Initiative at Dance Exchange

In conjunction with the MetLife Foundation, this initiative is designed to meet the growing demand for the skilled integration of art and artistic methods into the medical, health, and wellness fields. The initiative works with people in healthcare settings, trains health professionals and caregivers, and provides professional development for teaching artists.

Dance Exchange Resources

Dance Exchange Toolbox: These tools are designed for anyone seeking concrete techniques for choreography, community building, and constructive human interaction. That includes artists, educators, students, social service professionals, and anyone seeking creative ways to work.

Critical Response Process: Liz Lerman's Critical Response Process is a widely-recognized method that nurtures the development of artistic works-in-progress through a four-step, facilitated dialogue between artists, peers, and audiences.  By extension it has proven valuable for all kinds of creative endeavors, work situations, and collaborative relationships, from kindergartens to corporations. To book a facilitated CRP workshop contact John Borstel. You can also order the Critical Response Process book.

CLASSES

Click here for information about classes offered by independent instructors in Dance Exchange studios.

Photos by: John Borstel, Enoch Chan, George Hagegeorge, Rosie Kaller, Ken Kenifick, and Cindy Kunst