FROM THE FOLKS AT BAAD!

Hey BAAD! Community, 

This coming Saturday, May 19 from 10am to 3pm BAAD! is hosting a much needed spring cleaning day in partnership with St. Peter's Episcopal Church. Sadly, some folks treat our sidewalk area and lawn as a dumping grounds, and it's gotten worse over time. We'll tackle the outdoor space and some projects indoors as well. And we'll make lawn signs that send a positive message about keeping the grounds looking good. 

We'd love to have you and friends join us for any portion of the day. St. Peter's is supplying complimentary lunch for everyone. Please let me know if you can make it. Feel free to forward the email to anyone you know who might be interested in volunteering. 

SMAPA to Receive $20,000 Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts
 
Montclair, New Jersey - National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu has approved more than $80 million in grants as part of the NEA's second major funding announcement for fiscal year 2018. Included in this announcement is an Art Works grant of $20,000 to Sharron Miller's Academy for the Performing Arts (SMAPA) to support in-school dance education residencies in Newark and Paterson, New Jersey. The Art Works category is the NEA's largest funding category and supports projects that focus on the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and/or the strengthening of communities through the arts.
 
"The variety and quality of these projects speaks to the wealth of creativity and diversity in our country," said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. "Through the work of organizations such as SMAPA in Montclair, NEA funding invests in local communities, helping people celebrate the arts wherever they are."
 
Sharron Miller, Founder and Artistic Director, is extremely grateful to the NEA for this award. "With this grant, more students in Paterson and Newark will be enriched through the art of dance." SMAPA's holistic philosophy nurtures the creative possibilities within each student while building arts skills, fostering self-discipline and self-esteem, and inspiring students to believe they can achieve.
 
SMAPA's in-school dance residencies provide students exposure to and participation in multiple dance forms including creative movement, rhythm tap, West African, ballet, and hip hop. Although dance is taught as a pure art form, SMAPA residencies also allow for the integration of other areas of academic study.
 
For more information on projects included in the NEA grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news. And for more information on SMAPA programs, visit our website at: www.smapa.org

Sam Miller (1952 - 2018), an invaluable support of the arts and all that matter in the arts is mourned by so many.

​Read more here  and here 

Together Ending Suicide is a community discussion for anyone interested in learning about suicide prevention. Moderated by Heather Robles, the discussion will include artists, individuals, and organizations working to take a stand for life, including George Emílio Sanchez, Darryl Montgomery / Purpose Lounge, Ramona Clifton, LCSW, CPC, and a short interlude of grounding and physical awareness led by Jill Sigman, jill sigman/thinkdance. All who attend will become informed about available resources for someone contemplating suicide,learn strategies for helping friends and loved ones, become more knowledgable about signs that may lead to suicide, connect with community, and share stories of how suicide has had personal and community impact.

Find out more here

The Trust Looks Forward with Multifaceted International Celebration Extending the Pioneering Choreographer’s Legacy into the Future
Centennial Activities Include a Wide Range of Performances, Film Screenings, Discussions, Education Initiatives, and New Works by Other Artists in Conversation with Cunningham’s Work

Merce Cunningham is widely considered one of the most important choreographers of all time. Throughout his 70-year career, he continued to innovate, helping to drive the evolution of the American avant-garde and expanding the frontiers of contemporary visual and performance arts. His collaborations with artists from every creative discipline yielded an unparalleled body of American dance, music, and visual art. Today, which would have been his 99th birthday, the Merce Cunningham Trust announces a global celebration that will give a broad audience the opportunity to experience the range of his work and artistic process. Beginning in the fall of 2018, and continuing throughout 2019, the Merce Cunningham Centennial will unite people, cities, and arts and educational institutions in a large-scale representation of this vibrant legacy. The Centennial will include performances; film screenings; discussions; curricula; festive dinner gatherings; and more, in cities across the U.S. and around the world.

Read more here

  visit atdf.org for all other festival events and classes
  
Call 646.230.9564 with questions.