Danspace Project’s mission is to present new work in dance, support a diverse range of dance artists in developing work, encourage experimentation, and connect artists to audiences. Danspace values people (artists, audiences, those behind the scenes), equity, connection, inquiry, listening, and adaptability–all of which guides the organization to offer resources for artists, encourage collaboration and partnerships, and reach a diverse audience.

Founded in 1974 and led by Executive Director and Chief Curator Judy Hussie-Taylor since 2008, Danspace supports a vibrant contemporary dance community in St. Mark’s Church in the East Village with a range of activities, including presenting, commissioning, and residency programs; work-in-progress showings; public conversations between artists, curators, and scholars; contextualizing publications in print and online; and Platforms, a multi-week series featuring curatorially linked artists and themes. Located in the historic St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery for 50 years, Danspace Project supports a vital community of contemporary dance artists in a unique environment. Through performances, residencies, Platforms, and the Center for Dialogue and Exchange for the Arts (CDEA), Danspace facilitates intergenerational exchange in their programs, nurturing early career artists as the next generation of change-makers while welcoming back established artists who launched their careers at Danspace.

Jerome Foundation supports Danspace Project’s Commissioning Initiative program. Danspace commissions 3–6 early career New York City-based choreographers and movement-based artists each year to create, develop, and ultimately present new work. Each artist receives a commissioning fee along with two or more weeks to develop work in the space, as well as a presentation opportunity in Danspace’s season. Additional resources provided to commissioned artists include:

• rehearsal space as available
• a week-long creative & production residency preceding their presentation week
• full production and lighting design support to realize their work
• curatorial, administrative, marketing, and technical support from staff
• access to a broad network of artists and arts workers connected to Danspace

Judy Hussie-Taylor and Seta Morton provide curatorial leadership for the Commissioning Initiative.