Dance Canvas Returns To The Rialto; Announces 2016 Choreographers

ATLANTA - Jan. 5, 2016 - PRLog -- (Atlanta, GA) – After a successful move to the Rialto Center for the Arts, Dance Canvas returns to the Rialto stage this January for its 8^th Season! The annual performance series “Introducing the Next Generation” will be premiering on January 22^nd & 23^rd.

This season’s choreography features several creative collaborations and the introduction of two new dance companies. “Each year, we encourage submissions from artists that will put their voice into the dance dialogue of Atlanta and beyond,” says Angela Harris, Executive Artistic Director.

This year’s choreographers include a new Atlanta-based professional tap organization, Atlanta Tap Project, led by Dance Canvas 2013 choreographer, Vanessa Chisolm and co-choreographer, Tre McClendon. Returning to present for a 2^nd season at the Rialto is Britt Whitmoyer Fishel, a dance filmmaker, who received rave reviews last season about her combination of choreography and film. Fishel will also use her appearance at this year’s production as the introduction of her new dance company, Atlanta Dance Collective. Noted Atlanta dance artist, Shawn Evangelista, will be teaming up with spoken word artist and collaborator, Sheneka, on his first mainstage work for Dance Canvas. From out of state, Braeden Barnes (Chicago, Il), formerly of Nevada Ballet Theater, and Christa Smutek (Milwaukee, WI), will be bringing 18 dancers to introduce their work to Atlanta audiences. Braeden’s work, ‘Changes’, comes to Dance Canvas after being performed at the REVERBdance festival in New York. Kamali Hill, Leah Boresow, & Atlanta based choreographer, Emily Cargill will also be presenting diverse contemporary works about gender, race, and relationships.

The annual performance series is the culmination of 6 months of work by the selected choreographers of Dance Canvas’ Choreographer Career Development Initiative. In addition to 9 choreographers, Dance Canvas also reserves a spot for their choreography partnership with Kennesaw State University. This year’s student choreographer is Junior dance major, Simone Stevens.

“This season is highlighted by a number of new collaborations,” says Harris, “We love to see these creative partnerships grow in Atlanta, and we are looking forward to giving some of them their 1^st audiences. Last year’s move to the Rialto allowed us to open our performances to a larger audience, and we anticipate that we will continue to grow with the exciting work that we have in store.”

To support the 2015 Performance Series, Dance Canvas has been awarded a “Place to Perform” grant from the Community Foundation, along with a Partner Grant from Georgia Council for the Arts, Fulton County Arts Council and the City of Atlanta’s Office of Cultural Affairs.

The performance series will also feature over 50 professional dancers from across the country. Tickets for the 2016 Performance Series are on sale at the Rialto Center for the Arts Box Office, or online at www.dancecanvas.com

For more information on the 2015-16 Choreographers, please visit www.dancecanvas.com or visit our Facebook page.

Dance Canvas’ 2014-15 Season is funded in part by:

Metro Atlanta Arts Fund

Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta

Georgia Council for the Arts

Fulton County Arts Council

The City of Atlanta’s Office of Cultural Affairs

United Way of Greater Atlanta (Jeff & Carol Yapp)

JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation

X-Factor Solutions, LLC

Dance Canvas’ 2014-15 Partnerships:

Kennesaw State University

Rialto Center for the Arts

Atlanta Ballet

City of Atlanta Department of Recreation

Academy of Ballet Norcross

Company Information:

Dance Canvas’ mission is to provide opportunities and venues to increase the awareness of professional dance in Atlanta. Our vision is to become the premier ground for the “next generation” of dance makers, while finding interactive ways of making dance more relatable to the general public. Dance Canvas successfully accomplishes our mission through three major programs of service: Career Development, Youth Outreach, and Audience Development.

In our eight years of programming, we have presented 7 professional performance series, premiered 64 new works by 52 emerging professional choreographers, presented 150+ professional dancers, performed for 10,000 Atlanta audiences, and worked hands-on with 1,000+ Atlanta area students through our outreach efforts and youth programs. We have provided dance curricula and programs for the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation and Usher’s New Look Foundation. We were selected by City of Atlanta’s Office of Cultural Affairs to design and administer the dance component of the new “Culture Club” after-school program for students, ages 7-12 years (since 2010), as well as their ARTSCooL dance program for teens (since 2007).

Dance Canvas is a 501 (c) 3, non-profit organization. All Dance Canvas photos by Richard Calmes Photography