Looking back to move forward

2019 has been amazing in so many challenging and enlightening ways.

In the moment, there always seems to be more work to do. Reflection allows me to sink back into the past, ground, and move forward. During high school track, I learned that runners shift back before propelling forward in space. Training in martial arts taught me that there's a pre-action before the attack. An inhale before the exhale. This is also true in dance - the preparation in ballet, the lifting of the foot before creating a sound in tap, or the plie before the explosive jump.

As in dance, as in life.

Thanks for taking this moment to sink back with me, as I prepare to move forward into 2020. What are some gifts, opportunities, or conflicts that have informed your journey in 2019?

I've written about all of these adventures, individually, but it's a pretty cool to see them all in one place, here:

Performances:
JCWK Dance Lab participated in 9 performances, including the first evening-length concert of my own work, with my own company. We performed in Philadelphia, Reading, Chester, Bethlehem, and Allentown, PA. In some aspect, all of these places have been "home" for me and the women who participated in HOMEbody. 

I created a performance in reflection of Alvernia University's presentation of Michelle Bryn's visual art in the Miller Gallery, as part of my Artist-in-Residency.

And, I continued my role as curator for KYL/D's InHale Performance Series. I stepped down from this position, in October, after curating for 11 years and co-founding the series in 2008.

Publications: 
Shout out to the Reading Theater Project's 5 Minute Fringe in WFMZ 69 News
Review of Shed in The Reading Eagle (by Susan Pena)
Highlight of my community teaching in The Reading Eagle (by Susan Pena)
Mindfulness for teens in English and Spanish in Motivos (by me)
Interview in Scene4 (by Nathan Thomas)
Preview of HOMEbody in The Reading Eagle (by Susan Pena)
Announcement of grants from Berks Arts Council 

Grants:
...from the Berks Arts Council for HOMEbody at Alvernia University in November 2019
...from the Philadelphia Cultural Fund for HOMEbody in Philadelphia in February 2020
(I also wrote and received funding to support Alvernia University's Arts Series in 2020 as part of the Berks Celebration of Women in the Arts.)
------THANK YOU!!!-------

Classes:

Dance for Wellness at Tower Health/ Reading Hospital's Rehabilitation Center continued from January- August.
Contemporary Dance for Every Body continued at the Restorative Center from January - May.

Fundraising: 
Thank you to everyone who has donated in 2019! Interested in helping out? Click here!
Stay tuned for more opportunities to support dance and support local in 2020.

Firsts in 2019: 
First state grant awards.
First mini-documentary about my process by Jake Buczewski (click here to watch it).
First full-evening of JCWK Dance Lab.

Other professional highlights:
In May, I took over as Managing Director of Alvernia University's Arts Series.
In August, I accepted a position as Visiting Assistant Teaching Professor of Dance at Drexel University for the 2019-2020 academic year.

May you find your roots in order to fly!!

pic by Juliana Wall