Dissonance Dance Theatre Washington, D.C.

Electronic Press Kit

V i s i o n

History

Outreach

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Vision An artistic vision combines with vigorous athleticism in the works of Dissonance Dance Theatre. True to its own distinctive style and eager to encompass diverse artistic challenges through cultural influence and style, Principal Choreographer Shawn Short’s choreography takes a humanistic and objective view of movement. Dancers rise to the creative challenge in an ecstatic display of physical prowess that gives life to an intense array of emotions.

History Dissonance Dance Theatre is a Washington, DC-based professional dance company founded in 2007 by Shawn Short. Since its inception, Dissonance Dance Theatre has performed for local and national audiences on the east coast and in the mid-west states. Starting as a project of dear friends, Dissonance has grown to house artists from across the US and beyond. A contemporary ballet that blends “classic” modern styles such as Horton, Graham, Limon with nuances of classical ballet, Dissonance is becoming known for its theatrical presence and exceptional artistry. Evoking emotional experiences in the audiences we touch, Dissonance’s cutting-edge repertoire features works that are socially and visually appealing to audiences while remaining true to its mission; challenging audience’s assumptions about the human experience through dance.

Outreach Its parent organization, Ngoma Center for Dance, believes in dance Education and Dissonance Dance Theatre is a main component to Ngoma’s outreach success. We teach workshops and master classes, as well as conducting lecture demonstrations and open rehearsals. These and other educational activities are specifically tailored to the institution and to the broader community performances at venues through the United States and the world.

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PRESS“Incredibly connected emotional/physical choreography with stunning and engaging performers” – Artists’ Bloc

“We were thrilled to have Dissonance participate in Velocity DC 2012! We hope you had a positive experience and we look forward to working with you in the future seasons! - Samantha Pollack, Director of Programming (Washington Performing Arts Society)

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The Washington Post describes Dissonance Dance Theatre as “Ambitious and Evoking”

“There was no telling what was coming onstage each time the lights came up, but by golly, the dancers Short has working for him are good.” - Rebecca Ritzel, Washington Post

Images: Left Page: Christina Presti in Short’s Stitch Movement I (c) Shawn Short Right Page: Wiliiam Wilson in Short’s Vampire Suite (c) Shawn Short

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Residency ActivitiesDissonance Dance Theatre is a very, very...Flexible company. We are able to work with institutions of varying student levels and financial restrictions. Dissonance Dance Theatre will be able to create a unique residency experience customized to your school’s population either through the activities mentioned here or through our many add-on activities such as single master classes, lecture/demonstrations, open rehearsals, as well as full performances.

Education

* Master Class Workshop * Repertory Workshop *Choreography Workshop *Specialty Workshop * Customize Your Residency

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Images: Various master class workshops

OutreachYouth K-12 Activities Professionals At-Risk Populations

Lectures/Demonstrations & Master Classes Combines age-apporpriate lessons in Modern, Ballet, Jazz, & Creative Movement techniques with hands-on tutorials in choregraphy.

Professional Classes Flashpoint - Washington, D.C. Summer Dance Lab University of Maryland, College Park

Dissonance conducts Dawn, a program for young African-American male dancers who can’t afford professioanl training. A large percentage of the company’s male roster started in the Dawn program.

Public access to the collaborative process including Q&As at selected performances and showings give audiences greater insight into both the art form and the subject matter presented.

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Director Shawn Short assisting a Dawn participant.

Shawn Short

Founder Artistic Director Principal Choreographer

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Growing up in the Washington, DC area. Shawn has studied with nationally and internationally acclaimed artists including faculty and dancers from Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Lines Ballet, Washington Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Dance Institute of Washington, Dance Alloy, Philadanco, Towson University, Baltimore and Duke Ellington School of Performing Arts. As a student of ballet pedagogy, Shawn studied with John White, Margarita De Saa and the Washington School of Ballet Director Kee Juan Han.

Shawn is a Pointe Magazine’s Video of the Month Editors’ Choice award recipient for his contemporary ballet work “Caught” in 2013. A 2014 Princess Grace Award (NYC) in Choreography nominee, Shawn holds a BFA in Musical Theatre with a minor in Theatre Management from Howard University and a MFA in Dance at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Presently, he is Professor of Ballet at Catholic University of America. Shawn is a former fiscally sponsored artist through the New York Foundation for the Arts. Shawn has choreographed for The Dance Institute of Washington and The Washington Ballet School of Ballet at THEARC. His has presented his works at the Capital Fringe Festival, Greater Washington Urban League National Conference, Southeastern University, Artists’ Bloc 12X6 Series, Harke Theatre, Jack Guidone Theatre Space, Lang Theatre, Atlas Theatre Complex Lab II Theatre, THEARC Theatre, Joe’s Movement Emporium, DC Parks and Recreation, Sidney Harman Hall, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, PBS Broadcasting, VelocityDC, and Brooklyn Arts Exchange. Shawn was the Resident Choreographer for the Kelsey Collie Children’s Theatre for six years.

His performance credits include work with K2 Dance, Adrian Bolton Dance, El Tearto de Danza Contemporeanea El Salvador, and Bolton/Smith. He has also served as a guest artist with Dance Alloy in Pennsylvania.

He has been commissioned by Catholic University of America’s Benjamin T. Rome School of Music to choreograph “Mother’s Blood”(2008), VF Dance Theater for their Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts to choreograph “ Genotype Called Love” for their Terrace Theatre production of “Futurology” (2012).

In addition to his role as producing artistic director and principal choreographer of the Company, Shawn is the director of Ngoma Center for Dance (Ngoma). For Shawn, Ngoma is central to the life and development of Dissonance Dance Theatre. Just as he expects the finest dancing and most meticulous attention to detail from his dancers, he demands the highest standards for training at Ngoma.

Photo by Sergey Apasov

Courtesy of El Teatro de Danza Contemporeanea El Salvador Photo by Enoch Chan Pg 8

Presenting

PartnerShipBecomes

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(c) Sergey Apasov

Dissonance Dance Theatre prides itself in cultivating and maintaining positive relationships with our presenters. To that end we are able to offer the following to help aid your staff.

PERFORMANCE *Pre-Show meet and greet with memebers of Dissonacne Dance Theatre *Select specific repertory suited to your audience’s sensibility *Post-show Q&A with artistic team and dancers

COMMUNITY CONNECTION Dissonance Dance Theatre will work in partnership with your organization to select residency activities that are mutually beneficial such as master classes or open rehearsals. We have found that offering such activities leading up to performance helps grow the audiences for the company and the presenter alike.

COMPANY ACCESS Dissonance Dance Theatre is happy to offer the following materials and services for your organization to use to help promote the upcoming engagement:

* High quality images *High quality video *Pre-recorded interview with Shawn Short *reviews *Interaction through our website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram pages *Availability for itnerviews for print, TV or radio

Staff Producing Artistic Director Shawn Short sshort@ddtdc.com Rehearsal Manager Damon Foster dfoster@ddtdc.com

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Dissonance Dance TheatreP. O. Box 2377, Washington, D.C. 20013 (p) 202-540-8338 (f) 202-399-0174

info@ddtdc.com www.ddtdc.org