The Young Choreographer’s Festival in New York City is celebrating its seventh year of presenting some of the most promising up-and-coming young artists. It will produce the work of 13 18-25 year olds selected by a judging panel, alongside seven Guest Artists at Symphony Space. The 2016 performance is taking place on Saturday 18 June, including the genres of contemporary, contemporary Indian, modern, jazz and street jazz.
The Young Choreographers will be joined by Guest Artists including Derek Mitchell, Jenn Freeman, Open Call’s Innovate Award Winner – Connecticut Dance Conservatory, Shelly Hutchinson Collective, SynthesisDANCE/Tracie Stanfield and White Wave/Young Soon Kim Dance Company. For the past four years, the festival has offered a discussion panel open to all young choreographers selected from 2010 onwards. 2016 is no different, and the young choreographer will have the opportunity to hear from and question members of the dance community, hosted by a YCF Advisory Board Member.
Past panelists have included Maurice Brandon Curry (artistic director of Egelvsky Ballet), Darrell Grande Moultrie (with credits from Dance Theatre of Harlem, Beyoncé and Atlanta Ballet), Camille A. Brown (leader of Camille A. Brown and Dancers), Sidra Bell (head of Sidra Bell Dance New York), Laura Diffenderfer (an associate programmer at The Joyce Theater), Ashani Mfuko (the host of Inside NYC Dance television show), Yarden Ronen (executive director of Peridance Capezio Center) and Pascal Rekoert (a Lincoln Center scholar), so this year’s artists are in for a treat.
Each Young Choreographers will be provided with a mentor also. The 2016 mentors include Michelle Barber (Broadway Dance Center faculty member), Cheryl Copeland (teacher at Millenium Dance Complex), So You Think You Can Dance choreographer Shelly Hutchinson, Calen Kurka (producer of The Showcase Series), Kat Wildish (a former dancer with American Ballet Theatre and New York City Ballet), Lane Napper (a choreographer for Nickelodeon and Disney Channel) and Matthew Shaffer (author of “So You Want to be a Dancer?”).