New England Now to showcase the breadth of New England Dance

(Boston, MA) The New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), Global Arts Live, and the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston (ICA) are pleased to present the New England Now Dance Platform, featuring 18 New England-based dance artists through three distinct performances from March 18-20, 2022.

Performances will be held at the ICA on March 18 at 8PM, March 19 at 8PM, and March 20 at 3PM. Tickets are $25 and $20 for members of Global Arts Live and the ICA. Student tickets are $10. To purchase, visit Global Arts Live. Please note: per the City of Boston, people age 12+ must show proof of a Covid-19 vaccine to enter the ICA. More details here.

This weekend of dance is the culmination of the Regional Dance Development Initiative (RDDI): New England Now, a year-long artist-led field building program part of NEFA’s National Dance Project. The New England Now Dance Platform will feature works and works in progress by the 12 RDDI cohort artists, along with six additional dance artists curated by the cohort, who are working together to center equity, inclusion, and care for dance across the region.

"We at the Boston Foundation strongly believe that the New England Now Dance Platform offers dance artists and communities-at-large the opportunity to connect, explore and experience each other more deeply and intentionally,” said Catherine Morris, Director of Arts and Culture at the Boston Foundation. “The work presented by these amazing artists reflects their commitment, willingness and sacrifice towards personal, professional, and collective change that can only enhance the future and impact of dance. We are humbled to support this platform and hope that it sets a new precedent for how to holistically support dance artists."

“The New England Now Dance Platform offers space for the public to experience diverse styles of dance from regional artists working together to create a culture of abundance,” said Indira Goodwine, NEFA Program Director, Dance. “The weekend also provides an opportunity to uplift dance artists as regional leaders whose contributions strengthen what makes New England’s dance communities unique. This program would not be possible without the partnership of the ICA/Boston and Global Arts Live.”

In addition to the performances, the RDDI cohort and curated artists will have an opportunity to engage in deep dialogue with regional curators, presenters, and producers to foster sustainable relationships and center collective responsibility as essential to the reimagining of the New England dance landscape.

"We are so excited to bring dance makers from across New England to share their diverse dance creations over a three-day dance platform. This event will explore the depth of dance across New England," said Maure Aronson, Director of Artistic Programs, Global Arts Live.

"We are thrilled to partner with the New England Foundation for the Arts and Global Arts Live to co-present the New England Now Dance Platform. Over three performances, Boston audiences will encounter a stunning variety of dance forms, styles, and themes and recognize the depth and breadth of our region’s dance artists,” said John Andress, the ICA's Bill T. Jones Director/Curator of Performing Arts.

For over 15 years, NEFA’s RDDI program has worked to leverage and expand on existing regional resources, foster vital networks of dance artists, presenters, and communities, and to provide artistic career growth opportunities for regional dance. RDDI is designed and produced in partnership with local funders, organizing partners, and an advisory committee to meet the unique needs and concerns of the dance community being uplifted.

The artists performing in each program are:

Friday, March 18, 2022, at 8:00 PM:

• Aretha Aoki
• Ian Berg
• Sarah Duclos
• Lauren Horn
• Toby MacNutt
• Scott McPheeters

Saturday, March 19, 2022, at 8:00 PM: 

• Anthony Bounphakhom
• Ali Kenner Brodsky
• Heidi Henderson
• Jessica Roseman
• Lilly Rose Valore
• Amanda Whitworth

Sunday, March 20, 2022, at 3:00 PM:

• Chavi Bansal
• shani collins
• Deborah Goffe
• Kristen Stake
• Lida Winfield
• John Michael Winward

The Regional Dance Development Initiative: New England Now is supported by the Boston Foundation, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, and the Aliad Fund at the Boston Foundation.

About NEFA

The New England Foundation for the Arts invests in artists and communities and fosters equitable access to the arts, enriching the cultural landscape in New England and the nation. NEFA accomplishes this by granting funds to artists and cultural organizations; connecting them to each other and their audiences; and analyzing their economic contributions. NEFA serves as a regional partner for the National Endowment for the Arts, New England’s state arts agencies, and private foundations. Learn more at www.nefa.org.

About Global Arts Live

Global Arts Live is a nonprofit organization that brings inspiring music and dance from all corners of the world to stages across greater Boston. By putting the spotlight on exceptional artists and reflecting the diverse and vibrant community that is Boston, we aspire to transcend borders, cultivate community, and enrich lives. A trusted curator for almost 30 years, Global Arts Live has made live, international music, and dance a vital part of Boston’s cultural scene by featuring more than 800 artists from 70+ countries in over 1,500 performances attended by more than one million people. To be as inclusive as possible, foster experimentation, and support a diverse community of artists, Global Arts Live is not bound by walls. Instead, it brings outstanding artists to the most appropriate setting—from intimate 200-seat clubs to 2,500-seat theaters and everything in between. Each year, it presents over 60 concerts in more than 15 different venues across the city. Please see www.globalartslive.org for more information. 

About the ICA 

Since its founding in 1936, the ICA has shared the pleasures of reflection, inspiration, imagination, and provocation that contemporary art offers with its audiences. A museum at the intersection of contemporary art and civic life, the ICA has advanced a bold vision for amplifying the artist’s voice and expanding the museum’s role as educator, incubator, and convener. Its exhibitions, performances, and educational programs provide access to the breadth and diversity of contemporary art, artists, and the creative process, inviting audiences of all ages and backgrounds to participate in the excitement of new art and ideas. The ICA is located at 25 Harbor Shore Drive, Boston, MA, 02210. The Watershed is located at 256 Marginal Street, East Boston, MA 02128. For more information, call 617-478-3100 or visit our website at icaboston.org. Follow the ICA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

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Media contacts:

• Global Arts Live: Susan Weiler, 617-475-5177
• ICA: Margaux Leonard, 617-478-3176
• NEFA: Ann Wicks, 617-423-3176