The Miners Foundry Cultural Center is pleased to announce they have been awarded a $9,240 grant by the California Arts Council (CAC), which will be used to support the production of the first-ever festival of professional dance in Western Nevada County. With the CAC Local Impact grant funds, and the support of the community, the Miners Foundry will bring two professional dance companies; the exciting contemporary San Francisco ballet company, Dawson Dance SF, and the internationally renowned Afro-Cuban dancer, Kimberly Miguel Mullen, for a week-long residency in Nevada City, November 14 – 19, 2015.

“The mission of the Miners Foundry is to preserve, enhance and utilize the historic Miners Foundry for cultural, educational and social activities in our community,” stated Gretchen Bond, Miners Foundry Executive Director. “With the support of the community, we have been working for a number of years to enhance the Osborn/Woods Hall to better support a diverse selection of performing arts programs,” she continued. “With the completion of the installation of the professional dance floor in the winter of 2013, we are now able to welcome professional dance companies to perform, and to develop ongoing professional dance residency programs to our community. We are very grateful for the award of the CAC grant funds which will enable us launch this new long-term program.”

The California Arts Council Local impact grants are awarded to smaller arts organizations for the purpose of providing project support and fostering equity, access and opportunity to arts programs in smaller communities. “Although our area hosts a range of professional- level arts experiences, never in the history of Western Nevada County has there been a dance festival” stated Karen Attix, Miners Foundry dance consultant and choreographer. “This is not for lack of interest,” she continued. “We have a large community of dancers, dance educators, choreographers and dance students here, including six dance studios, two high school dance programs, all pursuing a wide range of dance forms”.

Dawson Dance SF has steadily delivered risk-taking, muscularly elegant performances since its establishment. It breaks down the barriers placed on classical ballet, and brings to light the strength and beauty that artists possess within themselves, allowing them to explore their voices through choreography and vision. Kimberly Miguel Mullen is an acclaimed choreographer and dance ethnologist. The Los Angles Times has described her movement as “spectacularly supple,” a well-crafted mixture of Silvestre contemporary dance and traditional techniques from the African diaspora. She has performed in the USA, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba and Hong Kong.

All dance activities will take place at the Miners Foundry and at the dance studio at Nevada Union High School.   The Foundry will also be partnering with local dance studios; Holt Ballet Conservatory, KSK Dance Collective and the Nevada Union Theatrical Dance Department, in the promotion of the festival, and support of the week-long events including the Opening Night Gala Reception.

Event Activities include the following:

• A Gala Reception at the Miners Foundry on November 17^th
• Two dance master-classes (November 14 & November 18)
• Three technical and dress rehearsals (November 15, 16 & 19)
• Two professional dance performances by the visiting companies (November 17 & 19)

For further information about this event, please visit our website: www.theminersfoundry.org