60 x 60 —- What is Dance?

60x60_pressI’ll be performing for one minute in New York on April 7th. That’s right: for one minute. I’ll be taking part in Sixty by Sixty, a celebration of new music and dance coordinated by Jeramy Zimmerman (Artistic Director of Cat Scratch Theater, formerly of DC) and Robert Voisey (Founder of Vox Novus.)

60 x 60 events contain 60 new works of music from 60 different composers. Each composition is 60 seconds (or less) in duration sequenced together to create a one hour performance. Highlighting the work of a great many composers, 60×60 testifies to the vibrancy of contemporary composition by presenting the diverse array of styles, aesthetics and techniques being used today. The 60 x 60 dance events pair 60 new one minute dances, with 60 new one minute compositions.

Rosalyn Sulcas writing for the New York Times on November 17th, 2008 wrote,

“The idea of 60 new dance pieces performed to 60 new works of music, each lasting no more than 60 seconds is quite mad. But it’s this kind of madness that makes the cultural world go round.”

I’m pleased to be partnering with 60 x 60 in a project for Bourgeon, the magazine I edit. In 2006 I got 34 artists (mostly local artists) to answer the question: ‘What is Dance?” The answers ranged from three words, to three page pieces of fiction (thank you George.) Bourgeon will be publishing the 60 x 60 participants answers to that same question.

Reading through the diversity of responses from 2006 I was intrigued to see certain trends emerge, and am looking forward to seeing whether this new set of answers is similar, or different. A big thank you to Robert Voisey for making this happen.

If you’re curious to see the past set of answers to ‘What is Dance?’, this link will take you to that feed.