The nEW Festival sails into its 7th season!

The dance-driven artist-fueled nEW Festival sails in to its 7^th year with a series of community classes and an evening of fresh dance at the The University of the Arts (UArts) School of Dance, from January 4 – 10, 2010.  The nEW Festival supports choreographic research and professional development for resident artists though bi-annual residencies including daily community classes, rehearsal space, studio showings, workshops and performances at UArts in Philadelphia.  nEW Festival’s goal is to foster an atmosphere that encourages process, collaboration, risk-taking, peer response, and community investment. This season, nEW is supporting five of Philadelphia’s most innovative choreographers: Abigail Zbikowski, Guillermo Ortega Tanus, Jen McGinn, Nora Gibson, and Sarah Gladwin Camp.  The program is now being run collaboratively by the participating artists, and is administrated by previous nEW Artists Megan Mazarick and Jaamil Olawale Kosoko with Melanie Stewart serving as artistic advisor. From January 4 – 8,  nEW will host a week of open community classes giving students and dance professionals the opportunity to take technique classes in modern, classical, contemporary African and post-modern dance forms.  In the spirit of community building, all classes are pay-what-you-can at the door.  Teachers this season include Charles O. Anderson, Nora Gibson, Eun Jung Choi-Gonzalez, Jeffrey Gunshol, Megan Mazarick, Jennifer Morley, Jumatatu Poe, Michelle Tantoco and Guillermo Ortega Tanus. All classes will take place daily from 10-11am and from 11 to 12:30pm^th floor of on the 4UArts School of Dance, Terra Building (211 S. Broad Street). In addition to community classes, the nEW Festival will present a sneak peak of some of its artists’ latest work.  The Meet the Artists/ See the Work event on January 10^th from 4-7pm at the UArts Terra Building 4^th Floor presents an opportunity for dance audiences to see the behind-the-scenes research that current artists contribute to their finished dance works.  This will be an intimate and informal evening in which guests are invited to stroll through the studios, sip wine, ask questions, and watch the artists in their natural habitat. nEW Festival 2010 Dates Meet the Artists/ See the Work, January 10, 4-7pm; Community Classes, January 4-8, 10-11 and 11-12:30pm. Location University of the Arts, Terra Building, 4^th floor, 211 S. Broad Street PHILADELPHIA Official Website www.newfestival.net Costs Meet the Artists/ See the Work – Free Event Community Classes – $10 (or what you can pay).