Dancing through Pittsburgh
Location
To create an interesting, user-friendly installing piece designed from various dance movements. Working with the dance movement first and translating it into the design of the installation piece. A work which when completed is open to the public to move through inspiring and causing them to dance. A work that uses found objects and that by its design has the ability to make sound, a sort of personal music, when the parts of the installation are moved or touched by the person moving through it. The use of video to record the history of the piece and those who move through it and to have a simple set up for people to view that history.
About You
Location
Project Street Address
Project City
Pittsburgh
Project Province/State
PA
Project Postal/Zip Code
15222
Project Country
United States
Your idea
Name Your Project
Dancing through Pittsburgh
Describe Your Idea
To create an interesting, user-friendly installing piece designed from various dance movements. Working with the dance movement first and translating it into the design of the installation piece. A work which when completed is open to the public to move through inspiring and causing them to dance. A work that uses found objects and that by its design has the ability to make sound, a sort of personal music, when the parts of the installation are moved or touched by the person moving through it. The use of video to record the history of the piece and those who move through it and to have a simple set up for people to view that history.
Innovation
What is your idea? What makes your project innovative? Why is it important?
We would like to work with youth to create an interdisciplinary work involving dance/movement, an installation piece, music and video. Participants will work with Mary Miller/Mary Miller Dance Company along with an installation artist, a musician and a video artist to design and construct a finished installation work, which, upon completion, will remain standing, open and available to the public to ‘dance’ through or watch others ‘dance’ through. The goal is to construct an installation that by its design has those moving through the installation dancing. The installation will also allow people to make their own music as they move through. The project will begin with the movement. The young participants will work with Mary Miller to explore their own movement ideas and share their ideas with the others. Ms. Miller will guide the participants in putting together movement phrases and translating them into the structural ideas they will need to design the installation in order to produce the same movement when traveling through it. Using found objects to construct the installation the artists will guide the youth in choosing objects and design ideas that will allow each ‘dancer’ to create their own sound. The video aspect of this proposal has many potential uses, from historical recording and usage by the participants in the design and construction to recording the movement/dances of those traveling through the installation and allowing others to view what has previously transpired in the installation.
Impact
What will be the impact of your idea?
In all aspects of this project, the participating youth will be involved in decision making with a voice in the design and creation of the finished work. The motivation is to get youth moving, thinking creatively, communicating and feeling pride in accomplishment. Working with artists and other youth opens up channels of communication, understanding abstract ideas and converting them into tangible designs. The experience of creating this public artwork involves the participants as a group in creative problem solving, creative thinking and the hands-on creation of an artwork that will have an impact on the community by being open and available to the public. This work will get people moving!
What will it take to launch your idea? How will you secure community support and youth participation?
This project will be open enrollment for approximately 15 -20 youth wishing to be involved. We would inform youth groups, art centers, schools etc and invite those interested youths to get in touch with us. While the movement aspect will take place in the dance studio where MMDC rehearses, the installation itself would need to have a site. We would need access to an artist’s studio, (which may be accessible through the installation artist), for work on pieces of the installation and storage space. After talking with the other artists involved, we would speak with Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, churches and schools to see about such available space. We would need $25,000.00 to cover all costs of all aspects of this work.
This Entry is about (Issues)
Sustainability
We are looking for ideas from people who can make them happen. Tell us about yourself or your team.
The motivation is to get youth moving, thinking creatively, communicating and feeling pride in accomplishment.
In an effort to take the distance out between the art form and the audience, I have been creating “On Site” and “Site Specific” works since the inception of the Mary Miller Dance Company in 1984. For twenty-four years, (MMDC will turn 25 on July 1, 2009), the Mary Miller Dance Company has designed new and explorative works of collaborative and interdisciplinary works, reached out to youth and marginalized populations, engineered artistic and social collaborations, and created cultural and educational value for diverse and highly appreciative populations within Allegheny and western Pennsylvania. MMDC’s focus specifically includes the development of young persons of all ages as consumers of the arts and participants in arts-related activities, to the eventual strengthening of their quality of life.
The team is not yet together. I work with musicians and video artists on a regular basis and would choose form those I know well, inviting the artists whom I felt would be the best for this project to join me.
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 | jlawrence updated this Competition Entry. - 928 days ago |
| jsinatra updated this Competition Entry. - 984 days ago |
| jsinatra updated this Competition Entry. - 984 days ago |
| jsinatra updated this Competition Entry. - 984 days ago |
| jsinatra updated this Competition Entry. - 984 days ago |
| Mary Miller Dan... submitted this idea. - 984 days ago |
