Category Archives: Past Events

CALL TO CHOREOGRAPHERS: WESTFEST APPLICATIONS DUE JANUARY 24.

WESTFEST 2014 | Dance that transforms space
April 23-27, 2014

WestFest is an annual dance festival centered upon creating and performing new
dance works inside Westbeth

Westbeth
Home to the Arts.
55 Bethune,
New York, NY 10014

Applications are due January 24th, 2014

APPLY ONLINE: WestFestDance.com
QUESTIONS: westfestdance@gmail.com

DESCRIPTION
This year’s festival is happening in two parts, WestFest Top Floor and WestFest All Over
Westbeth. We welcome you to apply to one or both portions. A $25 application fee is
requiredfor each application you submit. Those chosen to participate in this year’s
festival must be prepared to create and present NEW WORK.

WestFest Top Floor (April 23-26, 2014)
Four fully produced dance concerts held in Westbeth’s legendary top floor studio
currently hometo the Martha Graham Dance Company and formerly to Merce Cunningham
Dance Company.Each artist will have the opportunity to share a new work (10 minute max)
in two nights ofperformance. A $250 production fee is required for each artist who
is accepted. This costsharing model helps to cover the rental fee of this historic
venue as well as production expenses.

WestFest All Over Westbeth (April 27, 2014)
One day site-specific guided dance tour. Each artist will be assigned a unique
space in theWestbeth building in which they will have the opportunity to rehearse
and build a dance (3-4minutes max). On the day of the show, groups of audience members
will be guided from site tosite to see the dances all over the building. Past sites have included Westbeth’s inner and outer courtyards, long hallways, spiral staircases, the gallery space, the rooftop and the Martha Graham Studio Theater.

We are looking forcreativity in pushing boundaries, confidence in artistic vision and
commitment to performance quality.

Selected artists will know they can tap into the space’s history, revitalize it in
new unfamiliar ways, choose to remain grounded within its restrictive aspects or go
beyond its limits.

The choreographers that most attract us are those who are natural team leaders and
community builders.
We want you to surprise us, excite us and show us what dance truly means to you.

IMAGES AND VIDEOS FROM WESTFEST 2013


Click here for videos and images from WESTFEST 2013

VIJA VETRA PERFORMANCE DRAWS RAVES.

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On December 12th, a luminous event took place in the Community Room.
Vija Vetra shared her beauty and dance with an audience of more than 60 people most of whom
were Westbethians, but many were her Latvian countryman where Vija Vetra is now a legend.
Vija Vetra was celebrating her 90th birthday. First she was celebrated in Riga on her Jubelee.

And on the night of the 12th Vija celebrated with her Westbeth community and created a rich program
beginning with a live performance dedicated to deceased Westbethians. She was accompanied by
Susan Schweitzer on the flute and Pawnee Sills reading a poem. It was magical. This was followed
by a 6 minute edited video of Vija Vetra dancing, clips from youth to the present dancing in the great
halls of Europe, enthralling an entire continent in India with her Indian dancing.

That evening I understood that we have a National Treasure in Westbeth. Lilly Rivlin

2013 POLLOCK-KRASNER FOUNDATION GRANTS to Westbeth artists Susan Berger, Peter Colquhoun, Jayne Holsinger, Christina Maile, Vinod Dave, and Arnold Wechsler.

The Pollock-Krasner Foundation was established in 1985 for the sole purpose of providing financial assistance to individual visual artists of established ability through the generosity of the late Lee Krasner. one of the leading abstract expressionist painters, and the widow of Jackson Pollock.

For more info:
Pollock-Krasner Foundation

For more info on the artists:

www.susanlberger.com
www.christinamaile.com
www.jayneholsinger.com
www.petercolquhoun.com

NYFA announces new relief funding for Sandy artists

We are pleased to announce the arrival of additional funds for NYFA’s Emergency Relief Fund through the generous support of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City and the Booth Ferris Foundation.

Eligible artists can be working in any discipline, but must reside in one of the five boroughs of New York City and meet a maximum income threshold.

If you are an artist who is still suffering the impact of Hurricane Sandy, you can find complete guidelines and answers to Frequently Asked Questions at relieffund.nyfa.org. Funds are limited, so we urge artists to apply by September 15th for priority review.

Please email if you have any questions or concerns