Advocating for the Arts in Missouri could not be more important this year. We are at a critical time with funding the Missouri Cultural Trust Fund, which was created in 1993. For the first time, in nearly 20 years, the Trust Fund balance is nearly depleted.  There is not enough money in the balance of the Trust to continue to fund Missouri's arts programs. Without a new appropriation of funding for the Missouri Arts Council, may not be able to continue grant programs this year.      We've set up a fast and easy way to contact the Governor.  It takes two minutes or less to help. We need your voice!  Click Here

How Can You Help? If you haven't already completed the Action Alert, please click here and write to the Governor's Office. It takes 2 minutes.  Send this to anyone who might be interested and ask them to write to the Governor. Educate your communities and audiences on the importance of the Missouri Arts Council funding.

Missouri Citizens for the Arts   Missouri Citizens for the Arts is a non-partisan, state-wide, grass roots organization that advocates to secure stable financial support for the arts to benefit Missouri and its citizens.

Pas De Chat Programs

This fall, Leverage dancers produced the 3rd annual DanceOween project. Directed by Hannah Fischer, our artists put their dance theater training to work to create another interactive performance for all ages.

Young audience members MEOWed, danced, and directed Pas de Chat as she danced her way home, meeting a strange cast of characters on the way!

Don't miss out on...

Pas de Chat’s 

New Year’s Eve Adventure at First Night

December 31st, 2012, 6:15pm 

Busch Student Center, 3rd Floor

New Artist: Laura Murphy

Laura  is a St. Louis, Missouri native who received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with an emphasis in modern dance from Webster University. While at Webster, Laura also earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Human Rights. Laura uses this unique knowledge base to address critical issues afecting humanity in her creative process and choreography. Laura has performed with the Webster Dance Ensemble, ANNONYArts, and the aTrek Dance Collective. She continues to create work with Leverage Dance Theater.



In the performance of "Brave Women"
Performed at StLou Fringe
Photo Credit: Jonathan R White Photography

New Artist: Audrey Simes

Audrey was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and recently finished a Self-Designed Interdisciplinary Major in Performance Art at Webster University. Her work involves the integration of dance, visual arts, and music composition. Audrey has performed across the U.S. and abroad and is committed to continuing to impart her passion for art-making throughout Saint Louis.


At Centene Center for Arts and Education
Photo Credit: Daniel Castro
 

New Artist: Erin Lane

Erin holds a BFA in Dance from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. There she worked with and performed works by Karole Armitage, Merce Cunningham, Cassan- dra Pfier, and James Martin as well as having the opportu- nity to train and perform abroad at the Salzberg Experimental Academy of Dance and numerous summer programs with distinguished NYC artists varying from Billy Young to Complexions. Upon graduation Erin worked with modern and contemporary companies, while creating and teaching dance programs for seven NYC public schools. With her arrival in the midwest she continued her love of teaching in studios and public schools. Erin is very happy to be making her debut this season with Leverage Dance Theater.



In the performance of "Dancing to Music" by Victoria Marks
Performed at New Dance Horizons 2012
Presented by: Dance St. Louis

New Artist: Grace Barlow

Grace hails from Bloomington, Illinois. She began her dance training as a young girl and has not stopped dancing for the past 20 years. Grace earned her Bachelor of Arts in History and Religious Studies from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Currently, Grace is finishing her Master of Arts in Secondary Education at Washington University in St. Louis. She also teaches dance and fitness classes in and around St. Louis.



At Centene Center for Arts and Education
Photo Credit: Daniel Castro

Brave Women

aTrek/Leverage took the stage by storm for the StLou Fringe’s breakthrough season! Director Diana Barrios and Assistant Director Hannah Fischer adapted existing work from ‘Conversations in Concert’, added theater and lots of comedy (much of it taken from improvisation and rehearsal 'bloopers' that ended up being just right).

"Who are the "Brave Women” in aTrek Dance Collective's comedic performance by that name at the St. Lou Fringe?? Turns out they're just ordinary women, living their lives. Also turns out that comedic dance is an effective way to bring them to life as loveable, flawed figures." - The StL Beacon

The cast of 'Brave Women' had a blast inserting anecdotes about stealing make-up, body hair, being too young or too old into a series of dance 'shorts' about the day-to-day lives of women.

Leveraged Learning Initiative

With the launch of Leverage we also embark on three new programming partnerships. Targeting underserved teens, the Leveraged Learning Initiative has our teaching artists work with community partners to leverage the resources of both organizations to offer classes that fulfill the educational goals of both organizations. Classes typically focus on building personal awareness, strength, creativity, confidence, and effective, collaborative, problem solving and communication skills through dance.

Safe Connections provides integrated counseling and support services for women who have been victimized by domestic violence, sexual assault, rape and/or childhood sexual abuse.

Prison Performing Arts is a multidiscipline ornization, serving youth & adults in detention and incarceration centers by nurturing discipline, team- work and communication skills for successful re-entry into society.

College Bound provides high school students from under- resourced backgrounds with the academic enrichment, social supports and life skills needed to apply & succeed in four-year colleges.

Leverage's Premiere, presented by Dance St. Louis

The premiere took place on October 5, 2012 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center as part of PNC Arts Alive New Dance Horizons. This new project selects local companies to perform works commissioned by nationally recognized choreographers. Leverage worked with Victoria Marks of Los Angeles, who choreographed a piece entitled "Dancing to Music". Following the St. Louis premiere of New Dance Horizons, the show toured throughout Missouri and Illinois.

Conversations in Concert

aTrek's first full-length concert in 10 years premiered April 6 & 7 at the Clayton High School Theater. Directed by Leverage’s Artistic Director, Diana Barrios, and new Leverage member Hannah Fischer, the Conversations in Concert cast included seven aTrek/Leverage dance artists and six community members. Community members rehearsed and performed alongside our professional dancers, bringing a diversity of perspectives to the creative process. The performers ranged in age from 22 to 60 years old, contributing to a dynamic performance blending modern dance, abstract storytelling, comedy and theater. The relationships formed on and off stage were both evident onstage and clearly woven into the narrative of the work. During post-performance talk-backs, audience members expressed that some of the most poignant moments during the performance were the interactions between the aTrek dancers and the community members.

Guest Artist: Kim Epifano

San Francisco based guest artist, Kim Epifano, spent a week and a half in St. Louis in June 2012 creating a new work for the company.  "Were They Allies?" has been selected for Dance St. Louis' prestigious Spring to Dance, May 2013.

Epifano also provided teacher training and pilot programming for Leverage Artists at the St. Louis Detention Center and College Bound.  College bound provides high school students from under-resourced backgrounds with the academic enrichment, social supports and life skills needed to apply & succeed in four-year colleges.  Look for more information on Leverage's three new programming partnerships to be posted on Monday!

Epifano Speaking with students

College Bound students practicing partnering to establish trust with one another

College Bound students creating their own movements

Leverage Dance Theater: New Beginnings

On October 1, 2012, aTrek Dance Collective became Leverage Dance Theater. Leverage Dance Theater is committed to innovation and collaboration in both its artistic work and organizational structure as part of a mandate to have a greater impact on our community.  

After 24 years under the aTrek banner, the company has evolved its focus. Our primary mission is still the production of professional works of modern dance art. However, we believe that no matter how good our work, it is only as valuable as its impact on the larger community.

Furthermore, we have come to see our young artists not as just the expressive arms and legs of the company but as its source of creation and innovation. Leverage Dance Theater puts a premium on training its artists in less traditional and more theatrical styles of  dance and offers formal mentorship to young choreographers, educators, producers, arts administrators and grant writers.  Leverage seeks to instill in its artists a vision of themselves as stewards of their communities with the capacity to make a difference through our unique brand of progressive arts outreach programming.