A hallmark of DDD’s work is its community outreach and engagement…
…workshops for dancers and non-dancers in and out of the studio; lectures/demonstrations; open rehearsals and showings. Most of DDD's outreach projects and programs are designed specifically to connect non-dancers with professionals. During workshops and residencies, DDD collaborates with individual presenters to develop the most appropriate outreach activities for its local community. These have helped boost attendance at our performances, with 10-20% of attendees often having participated in some sort of DDD workshop prior. Projects regularly engage such diverse groups as at-risk teens, school children, senior citizens, and the differently-abled, among others. Past partners in this work have included organizations such as Dual Language Academy, Regional Multicultural Magnet School, Drop-In Learning Community Resource Center, and Writer’s Block Ink. We consistently hold post-performance discussions in order to support the audience in their exploration of our work, helping to create ongoing bonds with our supporters.
DDD has worked with dancers and non-movers alike in:
Athens, San Salvador, Gainesville, Lincoln, Jackson Hole,
New London, Helena, Chicago, St Louis, Armenia, Brooklyn,
Memphis, Raleigh, Oxford, Zimbabwe, Birmingham,
Fairfield, Lafayette, Lake Placid, Keene, NYC,
Denver, Brockport, Iowa City, Phoenix, San Francisco,
Lewiston, Salt Lake City, Panama City, Seattle,
Salem, Concord, Santa Cruz, Miami, Atlanta,
Greenville, Rockville, Beacon, Fairfax, Omaha,
Boston, New Brunswick, Durham, College Park,
and more!
Current WORKSHOP Offerings
Moving with momentum
For DDD’s newest creation, (A)Way Out of My Body, movement of our precious bodies - in any way, shape, or form - becomes all important. In our unpredictable world, filled with daily obstacles of all kinds, how do we navigate toward positive change, resilience and empathic behavior? Our answer is to dance through life with each other: safely and with magical risk appropriate for the occasion. We need to move in new directions—discover paths we have only dreamt of. By employing improvisation combined with choreographed sequences, dancers of all ages and experiences can find joy and discovery in this workshop. We will have fun!
kinetic diplomacy
DDD has worked throughout the world for decades combining text and movement to access personal, political, and humorous stories – blending seamlessly both literal and abstract notions of presence, equity and agency. As we continue to construct our new evening of performance, (A)Way Out of My Body, workshop participants will move, write and speak to their most pressing issues. As our intent is always to “get the whole world dancing”, to this end, no previous dance experience is required – just a willingness to explore. If we can all move together, especially with people unfamiliar to us, we can make a more empathic world in real time.
Community Projects include
Dance Motion USA Tour
In 2014 DanceMotion USA (sponsored by the US State Department and the Brooklyn Academy of Music) extended DDD’s work to Armenia, Tajikistan, and Turkey. While on tour, DDD met the challenge of access and inclusion with young Muslim women who, although not allowed to dance, became active writers, observers, and verbal participants. Watch videos of our work abroad, below.
Metamorphosis Festival
In the summer of 2016, DDD participated in the Metamorphosis Festival, a four-day free festival attended by 115,000 people at the new Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center—park and buildings designed by Renzo Piano— in Greece. DDD performed a customized version of our “Athletes Project”, a dance DDD has created many times over the years. This was unique in that the cast was a lovely mix of Greek Special Olympians, Greek Dancer/Athletes (including an award-winning couple who dazzled with an amazing Salsa routine) and DDD. Additionally, the company performed in the spectacular Lighthouse Terrace, at the top of the park, overlooking the Aegean and the Acropolis. We also collaborated with Cerebral Palsy Greece. Watch an excerpt of DDD’s performance below.
El Salvador
In May 2018, DDD traveled to El Salvador to lead a series of Violence Prevention Workshops sponsored by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and Glasswing International. We visited San Salvador and worked with youth who are dedicated to using their bodies for peace rather than war. Watch a video of our company dancers working with the local youth, below.
The below documentary video was edited by our fabulous 2018 summer intern, Chris Considine.
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
DDD has been invited to Dancers Workshop in Jackson Hole, WY for many years. During the company’s last visit in the summer of 2019, we worked with local dancers and puppeteers to create a parade-like performance for local audiences. Watch a behind-the-scenes video below of the rehearsal and puppet creation process.
Met Breuer
DDD performed at the grand opening of the Met Breuer on March 18, 2016. The Met Breuer invited the public to celebrate the opening of The Met Breuer with three days of special programs and extended hours for the public to experience the Museum’s new space dedicated to modern and contemporary art at all three of its locations. The 15-minute site-specific featured performance by David Dorfman Dance took place five times throughout the day. It also featured an original score by Ken Thomson performed live by musicians from Asphalt Orchestra and Dither. Watch a rehearsal of the performance here: https://youtu.be/LyXyfBkBreQ
Birmingham, AL
DDD hosted a workshop in Birmingham, AL for a housing-challenged and intellectually disabled population. Watch a video of our experience, below.
Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum
In August 2016, David Dorfman and friends danced as part of the museum’s outdoor summer cocktail series in the iconic Arthur Ross Terrace and Garden. Watch a clip of the evening below.
The wooden floor
In 2018 and 2019, DDD was company-in-residence for The Wooden Floor’s Co-Creation Lab. DDD performed Aroundtown for the Santa Ana community, and set an original piece of choreography on The Wooden Floor’s students.
PRISMA Foundation & ENLACES Panama
Professor David Dorfman, and Kellie Ann Lynch, a New Haven dancer, and David Dorfman Dance company member, traveled to Panama in 2019 for ten days to participate in Festival PRISMA, a contemporary dance festival held in Panama City. David was one of 19 choreographers to participate in the international festival, working with students of all ages to create a piece that was performed at the end of a rigorous week. PRISMA featured performances by national and international companies/choreographers, free performances in outdoor or alternative spaces, workshops and masterclasses, talks, round tables, screenings, and more. PRISMA Foundation was established in 2014 as a non-profit organization devoted to promoting culture in Panama through contemporary dance. They work closely with ENLACES, a preventative program for children 9-18 years old who are disadvantaged due to lack of financial capital, education and other needs that can improve lives.
Studio 80 and Sculpture Grounds
DDD was invited to perform at Studio 80 and Sculpture Grounds in Old Lyme, CT on June 9, 2018. DDD company dancers performed alongside summer intensive participants for a collaborative evening of dance.
the whale tail
In October 2018, DDD danced in the streets, literally, for a pop up performance at the Whale Tail sculpture in New London, CT. Watch a video of the site-specific work, below.
92nd Street Y
In February 2019, David Dorfman joined Jody Gottfried Arnhold and Ann Biddle at the 92nd Street Y for the Dance Education Laboratory (DEL) Movement Sentence Choir. The four-hour, free event was for all ages and abilities. David also led a Choreography Workshop at the same venue in 2014 (video below).
A Chance to Dance
From the producers of So You Think You Can Dance, David Dorfman was selected as one of two choreographers to scour the country to audition America's best dancers, put them through boot camp and make heartbreaking cuts to create a new dance company... in just 28 days! Watch an excerpt of the competition series, produced by Ovation TV, below.
