3 Week Professional Training Program

July 19 - August 10, 2008

General Information

Paul Matteson by Bob Handelman

The Bates Dance Festival brings together choreographers, performers, educators and students in a cooperative community to study, perform and create new work. The Festival offers a supportive atmosphere aimed at fostering a creative exchange of ideas, encouraging exploration of new ground and providing opportunities to experience a wide spectrum of dance/movement disciplines. Artists, students and audiences share their knowledge and inspiration through daily classes, workshops, jams, discussions, informal showings and performances.

The Festival's Three-week program enrolls 190 participants, age 18 and older, who have a minimum of three years of current and continuous dance training and the ability to dance at an intermediate level. The program is designed for individuals seeking to immerse themselves in an intensive dance experience. Class size is limited in order to maintain the quality of the learning experience. An audition is not required for enrollment. Students pre-register for classes as part of the application process.

The Festival offers an informative and engaging series of evening activities. Shared meals in the College's new Dining Commons provide students and faculty with frequent opportunities to interact. Students are encouraged to perform their own and faculty works in a series of informal showings and concerts throughout the Festival. Rehearsal space is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. A staff of four accomplished body workers offers sessions in a variety of modalities on a fee-for-service basis.

The Location

The Festival is held on the beautifully landscaped campus of Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, a 45-minute drive from Portland and west of the extraordinary Maine coast. Students are invited to enjoy the College's Museum of Art, Ladd Library, Margaret Hopkins Memorial Gymnasium (featuring Tarbell Pool and the Walter Slovenski Track, tennis, racquetball and squash courts), and the Davis Fitness Center in Underhill Arena. Lewiston-Auburn is a community of 65,000 people. The cities share the ethnic and cultural heritage of the many industrial areas — including a strong French-Canadian influence — that grew up along New England's rivers during the 19th century.

Arrival And Orientation

Festival students should arrive on Saturday, July 19, between 3 and 7 p.m. in order to check in and attend the opening performance by Keigwin + Company. Students must depart on Sunday, August 10, by 12 p.m. All students must attend the orientation meeting on Sunday, July 20, at 7 p.m.

Transportation

The Portland International Jetport, serviced by Airtran, Continental, Delta, Jetblue, Northwest, United and US Airways, is a 45-minute drive from the Bates campus. Shuttle service from the airport is available directly to the College and may be booked through Mermaid Transportation (800) 696-2463 or www.gomermaid.com. Greyhound Bus Lines (Vermont Transit) also serves Lewiston.

Room & Meals

Students are housed in College dormitories with others of similar age. Single and double rooms are available. Students living on campus must adopt the meal plan. Delicious meals are served in the College's new Dining Commons with several choices of entrees, including vegetarian and vegan options.

Evening And Weekend Events

Evenings are filled with a wide variety of activities. The tentative schedule of performances follows:

July 18 & 19	Keigwin + Company
July 22	Movement (R)evolution, film
July 25 & 26	Africa Now - Gregory Maqoma & Nora Chipaumire
July 29	Musician's Concert
August 1 & 2	Zoe Scofield & Juniper Shuey
August 5	Moving in the Moment, improvisation concert
August 7 & 8	Different Voices
August 9	Festival Finale featuring repertory works and our Youth Arts Program

Other evening events include workshops, film and video showings, panel discussions and informal jams. Full-time students (4 classes) receive complimentary tickets to all performances. Part-time students may purchase reduced price tickets for main stage events. On weekends students may explore the beauty of Maine by joining organized outings or elect to participate in workshops on campus.

Course Selection And Registration

The Three-Week Professional Training Program offers 28 daily classes taught by an outstanding roster of dance artists/educators. Full-time students enroll in four classes a day (with a limit of three highly physical classes-technique or repertory). Pre-registration for classes is part of the application process. Students are responsible for selecting classes appropriate to their level of training. Please make an informed and honest self-evaluation of your dance skills based on professional performing standards. Auditions are not required but ALL students must submit a one-page resume with their application, documenting at least three years of continuous dance training in order to qualify for admission, and five years of training for advanced level classes. Students wishing to register for Advanced Improvisation or Making Dances II must document significant prior experience in those forms. Students wishing to register for Modern Repertory must also enroll in Masson's Modern V. Likewise Jazz Rep requires enrollment in Young's Jazz IV. Students enrolling in Level III (low intermediate) technique classes must have at least three years of consistent training in the discipline, for Level IV (high intermediate) at least five years, and for Level V (advanced) six or more years of training is required with the ability to dance at a highly advanced level. Repertory classes are open to Level IV and V dancers only. Students are strongly advised to submit their complete application package early. Registration and class placement occurs on a first-come, first-serve basis. Classes fill quickly and enrollment is limited! Students may elect to enroll part-time for one, two or three classes daily, but all students must enroll for the full three weeks.

Course Certificate

All students who successfully complete their course work are eligible to receive a Certificate of Completion for their courses. Your academic institution or college must determine if it will accept your certificate for college credit. Requests for certificates must be made in writing and include your Social Security Number. A one-time service fee of $20, and the address of the Registrar’s Office to which the certificate will be sent. Certificates will be available for up to ten years.

Financial Assistance

A limited number of scholarships and fellowships are available to qualifying students.  See Scholarship section for details.