ODC THEATER

ODC THEATER IS PROUD OF ITS IMPACT ON BOTH INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS' CAREERS AND THE FIELD OF CONTEMPORARY DANCE. NUMEROUS PROFESSIONALS NOW RECOGNIZED AS LUMINARIES IN THE FIELD RECEIVED THEIR DEBUT PRESENTATIONS FROM ODC THEATER. THIS ROSTER INCLUDES: EIKO & KOMA, BILL T. JONES, SARAH MICHELSON, JOHN HEGINBOTHAM, ANDREA MILLER (GALLIM DANCE), EMILY JOHNSON AND BODYTRAFFIC. COVID AND THE CHALLENGES OF POST-PANDEMIC FISCAL RECOVERY FOR SMALL BUSINESS AND NONPROFITS FORCED MANY VENUES AND PRESENTERS OF CONTEMPORARY DANCE TO CLOSE. ODC THEATER IS ONE OF A HANDFUL OF SURVIVING CONTEMPORARY AND EXPERIMENTAL DANCE PRESENTERS IN THE UNITED STATES. ODC THEATER IS FURTHER DISTINGUISHED BY ITS COMMITMENT TO BE AN INSTRUMENT OF EQUITY, AN EFFECTIVE, NURTURING INCUBATOR FOR EMERGING AND MID-CAREER ARTISTS, A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR THE WEST COAST IN THE NATIONAL DANCE CONVERSATION, AND A CRITICAL WEST COAST HUB OF ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE SPACE AND OTHER KEY RESOURCES FOR DANCE ARTISTS. THROUGH 2023, ODC THEATER BUILT MOMENTUM AND BEGAN EARNING REGIONAL RECOGNITION OF THE INNOVATIVE CURATORIAL MODEL CHLO ZIMBERG, ODC THEATER CREATIVE DIRECTOR, HELPED ARCHITECT AND IMPLEMENT IN COLLABORATION WITH ARTISTIC AND EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP OF ODC AND CONSULTING PARTNERS. THE MODEL MOVED THE ORGANIZATION FROM A SINGLE CURATORIAL VIEWPOINT INTO A MORE INCLUSIVE ONE THAT CENTERS ARTISTIC COLLABORATION WITH PARTIES OUTSIDE AND ACROSS ODC'S COMMUNITY, SHOWCASING AN INCREASINGLY DYNAMIC ARRAY OF REGIONAL, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL DANCE ARTISTS AND THEIR COLLABORATORS WHO, IN TURN, REFLECT A FULL SPECTRUM OF VOICES, PERSPECTIVES, AND LIVED EXPERIENCES. THE NEW CURATORIAL MODEL ENGAGES WITH THESE ARTISTS THROUGH COMMISSIONING, PRESENTING, MENTORSHIP, AND ACCESS TO DISCOUNTED AND IN-KIND DANCE MAKING AND PERFORMANCE SPACE.GUEST CURATORS MAURYA KERR AND LEYYA MONA TAWIL SELECTED 10 ARTISTS FOR PRESENTED ENGAGEMENTS IN 2023'S TWO-WEEK LONG STATE OF PLAY FESTIVAL AS WELL AS FOUR DANCE CONCERTS IN THE WINTER SEASON, WHICH ULTIMATELY HAD TO BE POSTPONED TO 2024 DUE TO FISCAL CONSTRAINTS.THOUGH 2023 WAS A YEAR OF EXTREME FISCAL CONSTRAINT FOR ODC THEATER AS WELL AS OTHER NON-PROFIT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, IT FULFILLED ITS CONTRACTED PRESENTING COMMITMENTS AND PARTICIPATED IN CO-PRESENTATIONS WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING THE SF DANCE FILM FESTIVAL, INTERDEPARTMENTAL PRESENTATIONS OF ODC'S PROFESSIONAL DANCE COMPANY, ITS HEALTH PROGRAM AND CO-GENERATIONAL SHOWCASES FROM ITS SCHOOL, ALONG WITH A SCREENING OF THE ACADEMY AWARD-NOMINATED FILM CLOSE WITH FILMMAKER LUKAS DHONT IN CONVERSATION WITH JENNIFER SIEBEL NEWSOM, FILMMAKER AND FOUNDER/COO OF THE REPRESENTATION PROJECT; NIOBE WAY, DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND AUTHOR; AND BRENDA WAY, FOUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF ODC. IN 2023, THE ORGANIZATION PRIORITIZED CULTIVATING AND ENGAGING WITH AN INAUGURAL GROUP OF INDIVIDUAL DONORS WHO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE ESSENTIAL CONTRIBUTED INCOME FOR THE ODC THEATER. THE URGENCY OF THIS EFFORT IS HEIGHTENED BY THE LOSS OF FUNDING FROM FOUNDATIONS WHICH ARE INCREASINGLY RE-DIRECTING RESOURCES OUT OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA REGION OR OUT OF THE PERFORMING ARTS. THIS PRIORITY EFFORT AND FOCUS ON DIVERSIFYING AND BUILDING THE ORGANIZATION'S CONTRIBUTED SUPPORT WILL CONTINUE IN 2024.