MorrisonDance was founded in 1997 and is directed by Sarah Morrison, a 2009 recipient of the Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award. Morrison is a choreographer, performer, educator and behavioral researcher, who has presented innovative and acclaimed presentations such as LEAPING INTO THE NET!, the world’s first online simulcast of a modern dance concert, and ERIE SIRENS, a site specific performance held at sunset on the Cleveland city shore of Lake Erie with sand-sculptures created by Scott Radke. Since incorporating as a non-profit company in May 2002, MorrisonDance continues to push the boundaries of dance by exploring unusual presentation and rehearsal venues, cross-disciplinary approaches to creation and education, and new creative marriages with other artistic media, science, nature, and technology. Through this exploration, MorrisonDance has been able to discover the power of dance as a language for communication and expression in a wide array of settings, while continuing to cultivate the value of more traditional dance presentations in conventional spaces. The company has been recognized through proclamations for their contribution to the artistic community through original works such as THE MAD MASK MAKER OF MAIGH EO, INSIDE, RENDEZVOUS, and THE CITY IS OUR PLAYGROUND. MorrisonDance has performed extensively in the Cleveland area at venues including Playhouse Square and Cleveland Public Theatre, and has been presented by DanceNow/NYC at the Joyce SoHo and City Center and Joe’s Pub at Public Theatre in New York City. They have been supported by Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, the Ohio Arts Council and Neighborhood Connections, a program of the Cleveland Foundation.
The strength of MorrisonDance comes from performers trained in a variety of techniques ranging from modern dance to physical theater, from ballet to yoga, and everything in between. Synergistically highlighting the strengths of these varied styles, the company is greater than the sum of its many parts. Additional strength is gained through their unique partnerships with organizations such as BrainMaster and NASA, allowing them to explore new marriages between art and science.
The mission of MorrisonDance is to inspire and cultivate public awareness of the art of dance through performances and cross-disciplinary collaborations. To provide, promote, and participate in educational and outreach programs that increase the awareness of dance and that encourage community cultural and artistic endeavors; to research and develop integrated and cross-disciplinary teaching and presentation methods for dance; and to create opportunities for artists and performers of various media, augmenting the accessibility of dance as a performing art.
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