University of North Carolina—Greensboro
SPRING 2014 ENT/DCE 455-01 CRN# 16988
Entrepreneurial Career Strategies for Dance And Performing Artists
Meeting Time: T/H 3:30-4:45 Room: HHP 225-D
Credit: (3:3)
Prerequisite- Majors in Dance, Theatre, Music Performance, Music Education, Music Studies or permission of
instructor.
Instructor Information
Duane Cyrus M.F.A
Associate Professor/Department of Dance
Office: HHP 222
Phone: 256-1486
E-mail: dacyrus@uncg.edu
Office Hours By appointment, please check my office door for availability.
To make an appointment or if you ever have questions or concerns feel free to use e-mail or phone
contact listed above. So that I might be better able to address your concerns, please specify the
reason for your appointment.
Catalog Description
Overview of professional performing arts career management tools. Students learn the basics of
applying entrepreneurship skills and strategies to starting and sustaining an arts related business.
Description/Topical Outline
This course will assist students in developing useful skills for career management or starting their own
arts related business. Students will build a portfolio of basic career tools, identify career paths,
practice strategic career planning, and work collaboratively on projects related to starting an
entrepreneurial business in the dance and performing arts field and/or sustaining a professional
career in the preforming arts. Students develop skill sets in entrepreneurship related to the arts
through projects in areas of special interest in arts entrepreneurship. Students will work as part of a
team on a project identified in conjunction with instructor. This course will allow instructor to work with
students while focusing on a particular area of entrepreneurship. Including, but not limited to one of
the following: development of feasible art projects, assessment of industry, marketing, promotion,
business structure, implementation of project ideas, or grant writing.
Student Learning Outcomes (SLO’s)
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Produce professional level career related documents.
2. Define in writing their own art work and career goals.
3. Identify opportunities in performing arts that can lead to a sustainable career or business.
4. Articulate individual career goals or career related ideas verbally or otherwise.
5. Practice project development, strategic planning and collaboration in groups.
6. Present a comprehensive written and spoken report at completion of project development.
Teaching Strategies:
To support achievement of the learning outcomes (SLO’s), the student will engage in the following
activities/assignments:
1. Lectures and presentations from instructor and invited guests on the development of career related
portfolio documents, group discussion, and assignments listed below. (SLO 1)
2. Exercises and presentations led by instructor to explore and analyze career management. In class
practices designed to develop skills for strategic career planning, speaking and writing about your
own at work, career or business. (SLO 2 & 3)
3. Assignments and practice to support verbally articulating career goals and activities. (SLO 4)
4. Work in assigned groups to develop a comprehensive career related project. Each group will create
a written document (15-20 pages) and make a Powerpoint presentation to class during final exam
time. (SLO 5 & 6)
Some examples of career related projects:
• City Search: Analysis of a specific city or location for the feasibility of sustaining a career or
business in that location.
• Business Model/Plan: Develop an example of the structure and feasibility for an arts related
business idea.
• Sample Grant Application: Produce a mock grant application with work samples and
supporting documents.
Evaluation Methods and Guidelines for Assignments
Student progress and/or achievement of the learning outcomes will be assessed through the
following:
1 PORTFOLIO/ARTIST’S TOOLS/WRITING/SPEAKING will contribute 60 points (SLO 1-4)
2 GROUP PROJECT will contribute 40 points (SLO 5 & 6)
3 ATTENDANCE--1/3 letter grade subtracted for every unexcused absence beyond the allowance
for this course. (See Absences below for allowed absences and policy for make up class. Excessive
unexcused absences will result in being dropped from the course.
Please Note: Assignments will lose 1 pt. per day for each day after the due date they are
received
ARTIST TOOLS 60 points:
Assignment #
1.Biography––5 pts: Structure based on “How To” Doc (Due Jan 21 in class)
2. Resume––5 pts: Structure based on “How To” Doc (Due Jan 28 in class)
3. Cover Letter & Logo––5 pts: Structure & Design based on “How To” Doc (Due Feb 4 in class)
4. Elevator Pitch––5 pts: Oral Presentation based on workshop and document (Due Feb 6 in class)
5. Mission/Vision––5 pts: Content, Organization, Clarity (Due Feb 13 in class)
6. Portfolio (Draft/Print)––5 pts: Organization, Materials, and Assignments (Due Feb 27 email by 5pm)
7. Mock Audition––10 pts: Participation, Slate/Pitch, Performance/Execution (Due Mar 4 in 306)
8. Personal Statement/Work Description––10 pts: Structure, Content, Clarity, and Grammar (Due Mar
20 in class)
9. Web Presence––5 pts: 1 Page Web Design based on “How to Doc”, Research (Due Mar 25 Online
by Midnight)
10. Portfolio––5 pts: Electronic Version, Content, Organization, and Presentation (Due Apr 3 Online
by Midnight)
PROJECT 40 points:
PROJECT part 1. Written Portion:
Outline––2.5 pts. (Due Mar 20 in class)
Draft Paper––2.5 pts (Due Apr 1 in class)
Completed paper (1 paper per group, 15-20 pages Due Apr 15 in class)
Content––5 pts.
Organization––5 pts.
Grammar––5 pts.
(20 pts. Total for Written Portion)
PROJECT Part 2. Final Presentation (20 minutes presented Apr 15, 17, 22, & 24 Schedule TBA):
Individual Participation––5 pts. Each group member must contribute
Group Clarity––5 pts.
Group Organization––5 pts.
Individual Professional Dress––5 pts.
(20 pts. Total for Presentation)
ADDITIONAL CREDIT OPTIONS
Attend Southern Entrepreneurship in the Arts Conference at UNCG Sat Feb 22nd: 2 pts.
The Entrepreneurship Cross Disciplinary Program (Dr. Dianne Welsh) applied for a grant and
received it so you can now attend the Southern Entrepreneurship in the Arts Conference on Feb.
22 2014 for $5.00 instead of $40.00 if you are a UNCG student taking at least one cross-listed
Entrepreneurship class in fall, spring, or summer (This includes DCE/ENT 455). I have attached
the scholarship form to be filled out. Please email it back to dhwelsh@uncg.edu or download it and
bring $5.00 to 329 Bryan Building to secure your registration and you will be complete!
Conference information can be found at http://seac.uncg.edu
Attend Doug Elkins Performance Wed April 9 in Aycock Auditorium: 1 pt
http://performingarts.uncg.edu/upas/elkins
Total Points for this course (including Additional Credit Options): 103
Grading
Your achievement in mastering the learning outcomes listed above to the degree appropriate for this
course will provide a basis for calculating your final letter grade. Your attendance record, exam
scores, record for turning in written assignments and grades for those assignments will be additional
factors in calculating your final letter grade.
Your final letter grade will be based on scores for each Module as well as attendance record as
follows:
101-103 = A+
83-86 = B
70-72 = CBelow 60 = F
93-100 = A
80-82 = B67-69 = D+
90-92 = A77-79 = C+
63-66 = D
87-89 = B+
73-76 = C
60-62 = D
Texts Referenced In This Course (Not Required)
Allen, Kathleen R., Launching New Ventures
Battenfield, Jackie and Aaron Landsman. The Artist Tools Handbook Creative Capital. 2011
The Artist's Guide: How to Make a Living Doing What you Love is based upon Battenfield's highly successful
classes and workshops which reach out to thousands of students, emerging, and mid-career artists. As a
comprehensive resource, it will guide you through the ups and downs of the economy with real-life examples,
illustrations, step-by-step exercises, and bulleted lists that allow readers to dive-in and begin working immediately.
Each chapter is filled with insightful "Reality Check" blurbs consisting of advice and information from high-profile
artists and art professionals from around the country. It is an experiential guide brimming with field-tested
techniques that readers can apply to their own practice. With equal parts of practicality, warmth, good humor, and
insight, Battenfield demystifies the path artists travel towards a flourishing career––
http://www.artistcareerguide.com/about.php
Keegan, Colleen. Strategic Planning Workbook. Creative Capital. 2011
Tharp Twyla. The Creative Habit. New York. Simon & Schuster. 2006
All it takes to make creativity a part of your life is the willingness to make it a habit. It is the product of preparation
and effort, and is within reach of everyone. Whether you are a painter, musician, businessperson, or simply an
individual yearning to put your creativity to use, The Creative Habit provides you with thirty-two practical exercises
based on the lessons Twyla Tharp has learned in her remarkable thirty-five-year career.
In "Where's Your Pencil?" Tharp reminds you to observe the world -- and get it down on paper. In "Coins and
Chaos," she gives you an easy way to restore order and peace. In "Do a Verb," she turns your mind and body into
coworkers. In "Build a Bridge to the Next Day," she shows you how to clean the clutter from your mind overnight.
Tharp leads you through the painful first steps of scratching for ideas, finding the spine of your work, and getting
out of ruts and into productive grooves. The wide-open realm of possibilities can be energizing, and Twyla Tharp
explains how to take a deep breath and begin...
Topical Outline/Calendar: DCE 455-01 CRN #16988 T/H 3:30-4:45 pm HHP 225-D
Unless otherwise noted, all written assignments should be printed and submitted in class on
the due date
CALENDAR IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
WEEK #: DATE
ACTIVITY
DUE
NOTES
ARTIST TOOLS
Jan 14: Introduction
Article Packet #1
#1: Jan 14 & 16 Discussion: What is
Entrepreneurship?
Jan 14: In-Class
Assignment––Intake Survey
Please review and sign
SYLLABUS AGREEMENT
Jan 16: Prep for Assignment
#1––Biography,
Cont. Discussion
Jan 21: Prep for Assignment
#2––Resume
Article Packet #2
#2: Jan 21 & 23
Discussion: Higher Ed Arts
Degrees
Jan 21: DUE––Assignment
#1––Biography
Jan 23: Cont Discussion
#3: Jan 28
(HHP 306)
Jan 28: Guest Lecturer––
Dominick Amendum––The
Business of Musical Theatre
(MEET in HHP 306)
Jan 30:
Prep for Assignment #3––
Jan 30 (225-D)
Cover Letter/Logo
Guest Lecture––Amelia Byrd––
Elevator Pitch (Assignment #4)
Feb 4: Practice Elevator Pitch
Jan 28: Professional Dress
Day, DUE––Assignment #2––
Resume
Feb 4: DUE––Assignment
#3––Cover Letter/Logo
#4: Feb 4 & 6 Feb 6: Present/Film Elevator
Pitch (Assignment #4),
Feb 6: Professional Dress
Prep for Assignment #5 ––
Day, DUE––Assignment #4––
Mission/Vision
Elevator Pitch (Filmed)
Class meets in 306 on
Tue Jan 28
Feb 11: Guest Lecture––Jill
Green (UNCG) & Mary Alice
Kurr Murphy (City Arts)
#5: Feb 11 & 13 Continue Prep for Assignment
#5––Mission/Vision
Feb 13: DUE––Assignment
#5––Mission/Vision
Feb 13: Guest Lecture––Dawn
Kane (News & Record)
Feb 18 & 20: Article Packet #3
Discussion:
#6: Feb 18 & 20 Interviews/Auditions
Prep for Assignment #6––
Portfolio
Feb 22 Attend Southern
Entrepreneurship in the Arts
Conference @ UNCG
EXTRA CREDIT OPTION
Scholarships Available (see
info at end of this syllabus)
Feb 25 & 27:
INDEPENDENT STUDY DAYS
Feb 27: DUE ONLINE by
5pm––Assignment #6––
#7: Feb 25 & 27
Self-Prep for Mock Audition
Portfolio PLEASE SUBMIT
Submit Assignment #6 by 5pm
.doc
or .docx version VIA Eon Thu Feb 27
MAIL to: dacyrus@uncg.edu
#8: Mar 4
(HHP 306)
Mar 4: Mock Audition/Filming
Scheduled Panelists: Andrea
Lawson (NCAC), Robin Gee
(UNCG), Mary Alice Kurr
Murphy (City Arts) in HHP 306
Mar 6: Audition feedback &
discussion
Prep for Assignment #8––
Personal Statement/Work
Description
Initial Prep for FINAL
PROJECT
Mar 18:
Article Packet #4
Discussion: Professional
Performing Companies. Is the
Model Still Relevant?
Cont Prep for Assignment #8–
–Personal Statement/Work
#9: Mar 18 & 20
Description & FINAL
PROJECT
Mar 6
(HHP 225-D)
Mar 20:
Cont Discussion & Prep for
Assignment #9––Electronic
Portfolio
& FINAL PROJECT
Feb 23-Mar 3 Duane Away
University of Iowa
Class meets in 306 on Tue
Mar 4
Mid Semester Technique
Mar 4: DUE––Assignment
Review: Regular Classes
#7––Mock Audition (Dance,
Before 3pm are Adjusted
Present Pitch, Feedback from
Mar 6 & 7
Panel) in HHP 306
(this class still meets)
Mar 8-16 SPRING BREAK
ACDFA
China Study Abroad
Mar 20: DUE––Assignment
#8––Personal
Statement/Work Description
PROJECT
PROPOSAL/OUTLINES DUE
IN CLASS
Mar 25:
Mar 25: Guest Lecture––TBA
Professional Dress Day
Prep for Assignment #10––
#10: Mar 25 (in
DUE ONLINE by MIDNIGHT
Web Presence
March 25 Guest Lecture
306)
Mar 27: Article Packet #5
Mar 25: Submit Assignment
ENTREPRENEURSHIP Day
Discussion: Business Planning
#9––Electronic Portfolio
& 27 (in 225-D)
Cont. Prep for Assignment
#10––Web Presence
& FINAL PROJECT
Apr 1: Submit PROECT
Apr 1: Project Development &
DRAFT IN CLASS
Discussion
#11: Apr 1 & 3
Apr 3:
Apr 3: Continue Project
DUE ONLINE BY
Development
MIDNIGHT––Assignment
#10––Web Presence
Apr 8: PROJECT GROUPS
Work W/GROUP No Class
April 9 Attend Doug Elkins
Meeting
Co. Perf @ Aycock
#12: Apr 8 & 10
Continue Project Development
April 11-12 Dance Dept
Apr 10: Last Check-in Before
Spring Concert
Project Presentations
April 15 & 17: Professional
Dress Day (for presenters)
#13: Apr 15
(HHP 306)
PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
Apr 17
(HHP 306)
#14: Apr 22 & 24
PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
Apr 15 ALL PAPERS for
FINAL PROJECTS DUE
Class meets in 306 on Tue
Apr 15 & Thu Apr 17
April 22 & 24: Professional
Dress Day (for presenters) Tue Apr 29 LAST DAY OF
CLASSES (Friday
Schedule) NO 455 CLASS
Tue May 6
3:30-6:30
FINAL EXAM
Final Exam/EXIT
SURVEY/FEEDBACK
Academic Integrity Policy
First responsibility for academic integrity lies with individual students and faculty members of the
UNCG community. A violation of academic integrity is an act harmful to all other students, faculty and,
ultimately, the entire community. Specific information on the Academic Integrity Policy and obligations
of faculty and students may be found online at http://academicintegrity.uncg.edu. Names of College
and School members of the Academic Integrity Advisory Group may be found online at this site as
well as under the link “Academic Integrity at UNCG/Resources for Faculty.” The Administrative
Coordinator for Academic Integrity can be reached at 336/334-5514.
Students should recognize their responsibility to uphold the Academic Integrity Policy and to report
apparent violations to the appropriate persons.
PLEASE NOTE:
You will be required to provide your signature at the start of the semester indicating your
understanding and adherence to the Academic Integrity Policy along with your understanding
of the terms of this syllabus.
Attendance Policy
You are allowed two absences. For each unexcused absence over the number allowed, the final
grade will drop 1/3 of a letter (for example, from an A- to a B+).
THERE ARE NO MAKE UP CLASSES.
Participation
UNCG requires an 80% participation rate (students must be present for 22 out of the 28 meetings in
classes that meet twice a week, and in 33 out of the 42 meetings in classes that meet three times a
week) to get credit for the course.
Remember! If you arrive late and attendance has been taken may have been marked absent!
If you arrive more that 10 minutes late please be sure the instructor recognizes you before
joining the class.
PLEASE NOTE:
§ If you are late or leave early repeatedly you will receive a late or non participation mark
§ You will receive one absence for every TWO non-participation or late marks
§ You will receive a non-participation mark if you do not: complete in-class assignments,
present an organized notebook for review, stay until class is dismissed, or adhere to
Professional Dress Day.
§ Do not leave the classroom for any reason without notifying the instructor first, If you do,
you may not be allowed back in and will be marked as not participating for the class
§ Please notify instructor of any disabilities or special concerns in writing or by approved
documentation.
§ Please notify instructor in writing about your faith based Religious Observances by THE
SECOND WEEK OF THE SEMESTER. Religious Observances will not be counted as
absences if you notify instructor IN ADVANCE. You are allowed two excused absences for
Religious Observances.
Additional Requirements
•
Professional Dress Day. Professional Dress Day—Professional business attire is required for
specified class days. All students are required to dress in business or business casual attire on
these days. You will be marked as non-participatory if you are not dressed for class. Two non •
•
•
•
•
•
participatory marks equal one absence. See Calendar
Notebook. Please keep an organized and complete notebook. It will be checked TWICE
during the semester. Incomplete notebooks will receive a non-participation mark
SIGN the document provided to indicate your understanding of and commitment to the terms of
this syllabus as well as your understanding of the Academic Integrity policy
Work in groups, pairs, individually when required
Assignments: Please submit assignments on time. Assignments will lose 1 pt. per day for
each day after the due date they are received
Submitting Written Documents.
o Please Submit ALL written assignments PRINTED and IN-CLASS on the date they
are DUE!
o Please submit all documents with a HEADER that includes your name, assignment #,
and the info for this course, 1” margins, single spaced, 12pt font (Arial, Helvetica, Times
Roman are suggested fonts), use page numbers for longer documents
o Please note the following as a general guide for successful creation of written
documents: STRUCTURE, CONTENT, CLARITY, and GRAMMAR. These will be the
four general areas that instructor will use to assess your written work. Errors and
inconsistencies in any of these areas will result in your work being returned or not
receiving the full point value.
Submitting Electronic or URL Assignments.
Please use the following SUBJECT HEADER FORMAT for all electronic Submissions:
455_Assignment# AND Name of Document_YOUR LAST NAME
Note that .pdf formatting will preserve your document’s original structure.
Guidelines for Success in this Course
• Don’t miss class/Complete and turn in assignments on time/Keep your notebook updated
• Attendance, active participation and preparation for class
• Be respectful of others (fellow students, instructors)
• Demonstrated understanding and acquisition of the Student Learning Outcomes
• Adherence to the fundamental and ongoing assignments listed in the Evaluation
Methods and Guidelines for Assignments
• Adherence to the Academic Integrity Policy listed above (Also see Student Handbook)
• Attend to course material presented, as well as to explanations and analyses of
specific components related to the material presented.
• Be prepared to work intelligently and to your full potential in each class. Listen carefully,
take written notes, and apply all corrections and recommendations for improvement
that are provided.
• Learn the course material as quickly and efficiently as you can through observation,
Reflection, note taking, and analysis in and out of class.
• Reflect in writing as assigned on your progress toward and actual achievement of the
learning outcomes
DOMINICK AMENDUM Guest Lecture for DCE 455 Tue Jan 28 3:30-­‐4:45 in HHP 306 (Music Director/Conductor/Music Supervisor/Arrangements) Has for 8 years worked on the Broadway hit Wicked; as Associate Music Supervisor, and MD/Conductor of the 1st National Tour, Los Angeles, and Broadway Companies. Additional credits: The Blue Flower (SecondStage), The Kid (New Group), Cabaret (National Tour), Oliver! (National Tour). Upcoming projects include Secondhand Lions (Seattle’s 5th Ave Theatre) and The Man In The Ceiling (with Andrew Lippa and Jules Feiffer).
From: DEAN Peter Alexander Re: Dominick Amendum Dominick Amendum, one of our very successful alums, will be on campus on January 28 and 29, 2014, Tuesday and Wednesday. As many of you probably know, Dominick graduated from UNCG with a degree in collaborative piano. He has been extremely successful in New York and is currently the conductor and music supervisor for the Broadway musical Wicked, a position he has held for a number of years. He has just concluded a stint as conductor of First Date, and has a number of other impressive credits on his resume including the conducting of national tours of Cabaret, Oliver and Wicked. Dominick is excited about spending time with our students. We are just beginning to make plans so all of what follows is tentative and is open for your suggestions. It would seem that three or four possible sessions (masterclasses, workshops, Q&A exchanges) would be good including possible sessions on Singing for Broadway, Auditioning for Broadway, Broadway and Instrumental Doublers, and Broadway as a Business including the role of the A.F. of M. We’ll want to leave time for students to have informal conversations with him and, of course, we’ll want “break bread” together. Anyway, please let me know your ideas and I’ll pass them by Dominick. Please also tell you students about this opportunity and mark it on your calendar. I am applying for a UNCG Student Stipend for: _______________ Southern Entrepreneurship in the Arts Conference, Saturday, February 22, 2013. Registration is at 8:00 am and the conference is 9:00-­‐6:00pm. Students pay $5.00 in cash or check made out to the Southern Entrepreneurship in the Arts Conference and deliver to Bryan 329 or 328. Stipend is $35.00. The total conference fee is $40.00 for students, $60 for all others. To get a stipend, first send this form to Dr. Dianne Welsh by email to dhwelsh@uncg.edu. Once you get an acceptance email, you download the form and follow the directions above. Sponsored by the UNCG Entrepreneurship Cross-­‐Disciplinary Program, North Central College SEA Program, and the Coleman Foundation. Students pay $5.00 in cash or check made out to the Southern Entrepreneurship in the Arts Conference $35.00 Stipend. No refunds. _______I am a UNCG Student Name:_____________________ Student ID:_______________ UNCG email:________________________ Mobile:_________________________ Freshman:______ Sophomore:______ Junior:______ Senior:______ Graduate Student:___ ____Entrepreneurship Major 2nd Major (if applicable): ___________________________________________________ Minor (if applicable): ___________________________________________________ ___Entrepreneurship Minor in the business school Major: ________________________________________________________ 2nd Minor (if applicable): ___________________________________________________ _____Entrepreneurship Minor outside of the business school Major: ________________________________________________________ 2nd Major (if applicable): ___________________________________________________ _____Enrolled in a Entrepreneurship class ____Will enroll in an Entrepreneurship class next semester If graduate student, what master's degree are you pursuing: __________________ While I can attend any events at the Conference, I am most interested in: Performing Arts:____ Visual Arts:____ Literary Arts:____ Would you like information about new entrepreneurship classes and other class information by email? Yes:____ No:____ There is a limited number of stipends available on a first come-­‐first serve basis to UNCG students. COMPLETE THIS BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR THE HOLIDAYS FOR THE BEST OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE A STIPEND. Please email the form to dhwelsh@uncg.edu or bring it to the ECDP at 328 or 329 Bryan School. You will be notified of your acceptance by email and then print the email and take it to Bryan 329 or 328 with the $5.00 payment to register for the conference. Students must show their First Card to box office personnel to receive the discounted offer. Please write a paragraph telling us why you are applying for this stipend and how it will help you in the space below: Doug Elkins Company Performance Wed April 9 Aycock Auditoroum Doug Elkins (Choreographer/Artistic Director) is a two-­‐time New York Dance and Performance (BESSIE) Award-­‐
winning choreographer and 2012 John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Creative Arts Fellow. He began his dance career as a B-­‐Boy, touring the world with break dance groups New York Dance Express and Magnificent Force, among others. Doug is a recipient of significant choreographic commissions and awards from the NEA, National Performance Network, Jerome Foundation, Choo-­‐San Goh & H. Robert Magee Foundation, Dance Magazine Foundation, Metropolitan Life/American Dance Festival, Hartford Foundation, Arts International, The Greenwall Foundation and The Foundation for Contemporary Performance Arts. In 1994, he received a Brandeis University Creative Arts Medal, sharing the stage with author Philip Roth and photographer Nan Goldin. In 2006, he was honored in New York City by the Martha Hill Award for Career Achievement; in 2010, he was honored in Boston with an Elliot Norton Award for Choreography (for Doug Elkins & Friends’ Fräulein Maria, a loving deconstruction of The Sound of Music). Doug has taught and choreographed extensively in the US and Europe and has created original work for Israel’s Batsheva Dance Company, Flying Karamazov Brothers, MaggioDanza, Pennsylvania Ballet, Union Dance and CanDoCo of London, as well as a number of university dance companies and the renowned Mini & Maxi of Holland. His theater work includes collaborations with Joanne Akalaitis and Philip Glass, Robert Woodruff, Pavel Dubrusky, Annie Hamburger, Molly Smith, Craig Lucas, David Henry Hwang, Barbara Karger and Michael Preston (including Fräulein Maria), Anne Kauffman, Arin Arbus and, most recently Janos Szasz for The Master & Margarita at Bard SummerScape. A graduate of SUNY/Purchase, Elkins received his MFA in Dance from Hollins University/ADF in 2007. His tenure at The Beacon School on the upper west side of Manhattan is the subject of Where the Dance Is, a short film by Marta Renzi. In fall 2013, he became a full-­‐time faculty member at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, the State University of New Jersey. ABOUT THE COMPANY The irreverent DOUG ELKINS returns to North Carolina with a merry band of dancers, actors, and clowns to explore the sharp intersections between physical comedy, choreography, flirtation and romance in his latest work "Hapless Bizarre". Expect near misses of physical action and attraction with high flying kicks and turns that will elicit a range of emotions. This new work is paired with "Mo(or)town/Redux". Set to a top 40 sound score, Mo(or)town pays homage to Jose Limon's 1949 "Moor's Pavane", which was based on Shakespeare's Othello. DOUG ELKINS is a two-­‐time New York Dance and Performance (BESSIE) Award-­‐winning choreographer. He got his start in the early 80's as a "B-­‐boy" dancing in the New York hip hop club scene. Before founding his first company Doug Elkins Dance Company (1988-­‐2004), Elkins apprenticed with both Bill T. Jones and Elizabeth Streb. A 2012 John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellow, Elkins' informal dance background lends itself to his eclectic mix of hip-­‐hop, martial arts, ballet, and modern dance