MINNESOTA DANCE MAPPING PROJECT
Minnesota Dance Mapping Project, a statewide census of dance makers and dance educators in Minnesota to be conducted in 2005-06 by Dance/USA
WHAT IS THE MINNESOTA DANCE MAPPING PROJECT?
Friday, December 2, 2005
3:00 – 5:00 pm
Southern Theater
1420 Washington Avenue S. in Minneapolis
FFI John Munger, Director, at Jrmdance@aol.com or 651-646-8076
FFI Catherine Baumgartner at cbaumgartner@uswest.net or 612-598-0707
If you would like to attend, please RSVP to cbaumgartner@uswest.net by Wednesday, November 30th.
Please join us on Friday, December 2nd from 3:00 – 5:00 pm at the Southern Theater for a first look at the Minnesota Dance Mapping Project, a statewide census of dance makers and dance educators in Minnesota to be conducted in 2005-06 by Dance/USA, the national service organization for professional dance. The Minnesota Dance Mapping Project is made possible with a generous grant from the McKnight Foundation.
The Dance Mapping Project is a first step towards a big-picture understanding of the Minnesota dance community: its composition, its geographic distribution, and its diversity. The census is not just a “mailing-list” – it is an historic effort to put a factual face on dance in Minnesota. The data gathered will not only enable individuals, groups and organizations to articulate in concrete terms how they are unique within the community, but will also strengthen efforts to advocate on behalf of the community as a whole. You have a say in this project. You can help to determine how it is done and how it is used. THIS MATTERS FOR ALL OF US.
Meeting overview:
-History of the Dance/USA Mapping initiatives
-Process and timeline for the Minnesota project
-Discussion of how the Dancing Mapping Project will be of benefit to the dance and arts communities
-Discussion of possibilities for dissemination and training to utilize the data
-Discussion of recruitment process for project advisory committee and research assistants
-General question and answer
Examples of ways the Dance Mapping data can be utilized:
Dance artists and organizations will be able to identify and articulate their own standout characteristics for publicity or grant-seeking purposes, evaluate their current situation and future goals in relation to peers and the community at large, identify artists and/or organizations in specific genres or geographic areas with whom to network, and have access to concrete data that will strengthen advocacy efforts on behalf of their own dance work and the community as a whole.
Arts funders will have access to credible information about dance-making and dance education from an overview perspective, as well as detailed, quantified criteria that can be used in evaluating funding requests. Funders will also be able to find information about artists and companies working in genres of dance with which they may be unfamiliar.
Members of the media will be able to place any company or artist in a detailed and informative context and locate dance companies or artists working in specific genres, geographic areas, etc. in order to develop a story.