Spectordance

SPECTORDANCE (SD) HAS BEEN A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION SINCE 1996. FRAN SPECTOR ATKINS IS FOUNDER AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR. THE SD MISSION IS TO ESTABLISH A VIBRANT CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, OFFERING A WIDE VARIETY OF DANCE-BASED ACTIVITIES, THAT CONNECTS DIVERSE ARTISTS AND AUDIENCES, BRIDGES DISCIPLINES THROUGH COLLABORATION, AND CELEBRATES THE POWER OF DANCE TO INFORM AND INSPIRE. THE SD VISION IS TO UTILIZE DANCE AS A VEHICLE TO OPEN DOORS, IGNITE CREATIVITY, AND FUEL THE HUMAN SPIRIT. WITH GENEROUS COMMUNITY SUPPORT, SD HAS ESTABLISHED SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS INCLUDING OUR SCHOOL, COMPANY, EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH, AND THE CHOREOGRAPHERS SHOWCASES. ALL OUR PROGRAMS ARE HOUSED IN, OR ADMINISTERED FROM, A STATE-OF-THE-ART STUDIO AND PERFORMANCE VENUE IN MARINA.

SCHOOL: THE SCHOOL IS THE HEART AND SOUL OF OUR ORGANIZATION. ALIGNING WITH THE AMERICAN BALLET THEATER NATIONAL TRAINING CURRICULUM, OUR SCHOOL PROVIDES TRAINING FOR ALL AGES AND LEVELS OF EXPERIENCE IN A VARIETY OF DANCE STYLES IN A NURTURING ENVIRONMENT. ALONG WITH BUILDING DANCE SKILLS, OUR TRAINING STRIVES TO BUILD IMPORTANT LIFE SKILLS SUCH AS COMMITMENT, DISCIPLINE, AND RESPECT FOR OTHERS. OUR TEACHERS PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO ALIGNMENT, FUNCTIONAL ANATOMY AND THE EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS. SPECTORDANCE SCHOOL PROUDLY OFFERS A VARIETY OF PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES. TWICE EACH YEAR, DANCERS MAY TAKE PART IN HIGH-QUALITY ORIGINAL PERFORMANCES. OUR WORKS EXPLORE EDUCATIONAL CONCEPTS, CLASSIC MUSIC, AND CLASSICAL LITERATURE. DUE TO THE CHALLENGES OF THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC, THE BUILDING THAT HOUSED SPECTORDANCE WAS SOLD IN OCTOBER 2020, AND WE ARE NOW WORKING TO EXTEND ALL OUR PROGRAMS VIRTUALLY. STARTING IN 2021, SPECTORDANCE PROGRAMS WILL RELOCATE TO THE PACIFIC ARTS COMPLEX SPACE IN SAND CITY. THIS WILL ALLOW US TO REDUCE OPERATIONAL EXPENSES AND EXPAND COLLABORATIVE POSSIBILITIES AS RECOVERY BEGINS.

COMPANY: SPECOTORDANCE HAS A LONG HISTORY OF CREATING MULTIDISCIPLINARY PERFORMANCES USING A SIGNATURE STYLE THAT BLENDS MUSIC, SPOKEN WORD, AND VISUAL MEDIA WITH DANCE. THE COMPANY PRESENTS ORIGINAL PERFORMANCE WORKS THAT HIGHLIGHT THEMES RELEVANT TO AND REFLECTIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY, SUCH AS THE ENVIRONMENT, OUR AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE, AND THOSE WRITTEN ABOUT BY LITERARY MASTERS WHO LIVED LOCALLY. COLLABORATION WITH OUTSTANDING NON-ARTS ORGANIZATIONS IS KEY TO EVERY COMPANY PROJECTS. OUTREACH IS KEY TO ALL SPECTORDANCE PROGRAMS. WE BRING DANCE AND THE ARTS TO THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO EXPERIENCE CULTURAL BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION DUE TO LIMITED INCOME AND/OR LACK OF EXPOSURE. SPECTORDANCE IS PROUD TO OFFER FREE CLASSES, PERFORMANCES & SPECIAL WORKSHOPS. SPECTORDANCE PROVIDED WEEKLY DANCE CLASSES AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS FOR THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO DANCE TRAINING. THIS PROGRAM ENCOURAGES HEALTHY AND POSITIVE ACTIVITIES AMONG DIVERSE POPULATIONS INCLUDING YOUTH WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES, YOUTH ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM, YOUTH FROM LOW INCOME FAMILIES, AND AT-RISK YOUTH ADULTS. SPECOTORDANCE PROVIDED A VARIETY OF DANCE WORKSHOPS AND PERFORMANCES FEATURING SPECTORDANCE COMPANY AND SPECTORDANCE YOUTH COMPANY. IN 2018-2019, SPECTORDANCE COMPNAY PERFORMED OCEAN TRILOGY AT ALVIN AILEY THEATER IN NYC AS PART OF THE ASSOCIATION OF PERFORMING ARTS PRESENTER, AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY, AT SUNSET CENTER, PRESENTED MONTEREY OCEAN ARTS FESTIVAL, CREATIVITY AT THE CORE SUMMER WORKSHOP FOR CALIFORNIA EDUCATORS, OUTREACH PERFORMANCES AT VARIOUS BRANCHES OF MONTEREY COUNTY FREE LIBRARY. SPECTORDANCE YOUTH COMPANY PERFORMED OUTREACH PERFORMANCES AT FIRST NIGHT MONTEREY, MONTEREY OCEAN ARTS FESTIVAL, MONTEREY PENINSULA JUNIOR COLLEGE, PORTER YOUTH CENTER, SALINAS VALLEY ARTS FESTIVAL, AND MONTEREY COUNTY FREE LIBRARIES. FOR OVER 24 YEARS, SPECTORDANCE HAS PRESENTED THE CHOREOGRAPHERS SHOWCASE. WE HAVE INVITED DANCE MAKERS TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS. FROM THIS OPEN CALL, SPECTORDANCE HAS SELECTED OVER 400 CHOREOGRAPHERS TO PRESENT THEIR ORIGINAL, CUTTING-EDGE WORKS IN OUR STATE-OF-THE-ART VENUE. IN THIS WAY, WE ARE CELEBRATE THE DIVERSITY AND VITALITY OF DANCE AS A CONTEMPORARY ART FORM. WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE PROVIDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR DANCE ARTISTS TO PERFORM FOR OUR LOCAL AUDIENCES. THE CHOREOGRAPHERS SHOWCASE WAS INITIATED IN 1997 WITH THE VISION OF NURTURING CREATIVITY AND FUELING THE ARTS. DANCE SPEAKS IN UNIQUE AND POWERFUL WAYS. THE CHOREOGRAPHERS SHOWCASE IS OUR WAY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE FUTURE OF DANCE.

OUTREACH PROGRAMS: SPECOTORDANCE HAS A LONG HISTORY OF CREATING MULTIDISCIPLINARY PERFORMANCES USING A SIGNATURE STYLE THAT BLENDS MUSIC, SPOKEN WORD, AND VISUAL MEDIA WITH DANCE. THE COMPANY PRESENTS ORIGINAL PERFORMANCE WORKS THAT HIGHLIGHT THEMES RELEVANT TO AND REFLECTIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY, SUCH AS THE ENVIRONMENT, OUR AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE, AND THOSE WRITTEN ABOUT BY LITERARY MASTERS WHO LIVED LOCALLY. COLLABORATION WITH OUTSTANDING NON-ARTS ORGANIZATIONS IS KEY TO EVERY COMPANY PROJECTS. OUTREACH IS KEY TO ALL SPECTORDANCE PROGRAMS. WE BRING DANCE AND THE ARTS TO THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO EXPERIENCE CULTURAL BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION DUE TO LIMITED INCOME AND/OR LACK OF EXPOSURE. SPECTORDANCE IS PROUD TO OFFER FREE CLASSES, PERFORMANCES & SPECIAL WORKSHOPS. PRIOR TO THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC, SPECTORDANCE PROVIDED WEEKLY DANCE CLASSES AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS FOR THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO DANCE TRAINING. THIS PROGRAM ENCOURAGES HEALTHY AND POSITIVE ACTIVITIES AMONG DIVERSE POPULATIONS INCLUDING YOUTH WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES, YOUTH ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM, YOUTH FROM LOW INCOME FAMILIES, AND AT-RISK YOUTH ADULTS. SPECOTORDANCE PROVIDED A VARIETY OF DANCE WORKSHOPS AND PERFORMANCES FEATURING SPECTORDANCE COMPANY AND SPECTORDANCE YOUTH COMPANY.