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About the Sugar Salon Program

The result of an inspired collaboration between Barnard College Department of Dance and Williamsburg Arts neXus (WAX), Sugar Salon is one of the only annual programs in New York specifically dedicated to mentoring, commissioning, and presenting the work of women choreographers. Sugar Salon is a multi-generational effort, matching an established, mentor choreographer with three emerging choreographers during each yearly cycle. In 2008/09, Sugar Salon provided a ten-week summer residency at Barnard College to all four artists.  In an effort to promote creative investigation, the residency provided rehearsal space to each artist to experiment and develop new work, as well as a forum for these choreographers to engage in dialogue, share feedback and support.

Historically, modern dance has been populated by powerful female artists. Its pioneering choreographers shaped a visionary continuum, from Katherine Dunham's Afro-Caribbean celebrations to Martha Graham's dramas about the realm of the feminine unconscious. Still today, modern dance stands as an incredible resource for girls and women to recognize and be inspired by American cultural heroines. However, though modern dance is the only American art form originated by women, contemporary male choreographers have far surpassed their female counterparts in grants and patronage, media attention and professional opportunities.

One unfortunate outcome of cycle is the public misconception that women make work of lesser value or quality than their male counterparts. Sugar Salon seeks to address that misconception and shift this dynamic by creating new, lucrative career opportunities for high caliber female choreographers and by educating the public about the unique genesis of modern dance within American art.

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Sugar Salon was developed in tandem with independent choreographers Tami Stronach and Kate Weare. Program development was made possible in part through the support and partnership of The Barnard College Department of Dance of Columbia University under the leadership of the Department Chair, Mary Cochran, and through funding from Saul and Mary Sanders, Molly Heinz, and the Puffin Foundation.

Sugar Salon in the news:

-"fierce works" - Claudia LaRocca's review of 2009 Sugar Salon performances in the NYtimes: click here
-"...they have earned a place in modern dance's spotlight" - Simone Larson's review from The Brooklyn Rail: click here
-An intriguing interview of Mary Cochran, Chair of the Department of Dance of Barnard College and 2007 luciana achugar on Eva Yaa Asentewaa's Blogspot: InifiniteBody.
-Lisa Jo Sagolla of Backstage magazine writes about the program: click here

Click here to visit our 2008 Archive:
Mentor Jane Comfort; Participating choreographers Heather Olson, Deganit Shemy and Anna Sperber.
Click here to visit our 2007 Archive:
Mentor Donna Uchizono; Participating choreographers luciana achugar, Renee Archibald and Heather McArdle.
Click here to visit our 2006 Archive:
Mentor Susan Marshall; Participating choreographers Ivy Baldwin, Yanira Castro and Dana Ruttenberg.