The Leader as Artist
September 10, 2011
I’m reading a book called Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and Leadership for one of my graduate courses, and was really struck by a paragraph that I thought was worth sharing. The authors, Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. Deal, were discussing the lack of imagination that is all too common in leaders and managers, and how important imaginative thinking is in order to tackle organizational challenges. I agree wholeheartedly with them.
“Artistry is neither exact nor precise. Artists interpret experience and express it in forms that can be felt, understood, and appreciated by others. Art embraces emotion, subtlety, ambiguity. An artist reframes the world so others can see new possibilities. Modern organizations often rely too much on engineering and too little on art in searching for attributes such as quality, commitment, and creativity. Art is not a replacement for engineering but an enhancement. Artistic leaders and managers help us see beyond today’s reality to new forms that release untapped individual energies and improve collective performance. The leader as artist relies on images as well as memos, poetry as well as policy, reflection as well as command, and reframing as well as refitting.”
-From Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and Leadership (Bolman & Deal, 2003)
Masters of Modern Dance: Exclusive Discount Offer
August 10, 2011
FORA.tv has partnered with MacNeil/Lehrer Productions to present Masters of Modern Dance, a video series featuring in-depth interviews and rehearsal footage with five leading male choreographers: Mikhail Baryshnikov, Bill T. Jones, Trey McIntyre, Mark Morris, and Paul Taylor. Each video in the series is 30 to 55 minutes long and includes exclusive behind the scenes footage of the choreographers, rehearsals, and performances. Some excerpts from the series are available on FORA.tv’s site for free (see below), but to watch the full series requires purchase. Fortunately, FORA.tv has created a special discount offer for Dancing Perfectly Free readers!
You can get 20% off the entire series by doing the following:
1. Visit Masters of Modern Dance at Fora.tv
2. Click on the “BUY ALL NOW” button under the red offer box.
3. Join FORA.tv (FREE) or log in if already a member.
4. At checkout, enter coupon code: DPF20 and click “Apply”
5. Enjoy the series! The programs are available for 60 days after purchase. Limit one coupon per person.
Below are links to the free clips:
Trey McIntyre: Rehearsal Excerpt
Trey McIntyre Dance Company Steals Hearts in Heartland
Bill T. Jones: Rehearsal Excerpt
Bill T. Jones: Bringing Art to an Evolving Audience
Mikhail Baryshnikov: Rehearsal Excerpt
Baryshnikov on Opening the Baryshnikov Arts Center
Paul Taylor: Rehearsal Excerpt
Paul Taylor Puts Dancers’ Morale Above Choreography
Gibney Dance Center Announces Major Expansion
May 19, 2011
Exciting news from Gibney Dance Center! This is certainly a wonderful addition to the dance community. Below are excerpts from the press release:
Gina Gibney, artistic director of Gibney Dance, is pleased to announce the expansion of the Gibney Dance Center (GDC) in the historic performing arts building at 890 Broadway in New York City. This added space will be a tremendous asset to the arts community, making high quality, affordable space more broadly available and accessible.
In 1991, Gibney operated a single studio at 890 Broadway as a home base for her company and the dance community, and she officially launched the Gibney Dance Center in 2010 when she acquired two additional spacious studios. GDC is now adding 8,400 square feet of pillar-free space scheduled for a grand opening in July 2011. This new expansion will house four additional studios, including one extra-large 70′ x 45′ space, all of which will be available for rehearsals, showings and special programs. The expanded facility will also provide a green room, dressing rooms, storage rooms, production offices, a media room and new office space. The additional facilities will support the role of GDC as a creative hub for dance artists and as a home base for Gibney Dance.
GDC’s expansion has been made possible with generous support from Eliot Feld’s Ballet Tech, the Board of Directors and Honorary Board of Directors of Gibney Dance, and the Jerome Robbins Foundation.
MADE HERE to Air on NYC Life
May 15, 2011
Beginning May 23, 2011, NYC life (channel 25), the flagship station of the official network of the City of New York, will air MADE HERE, the documentary series devoted to examining the lives of performing artists in NYC and timely issues that affect them. The filmmakers involved are excited to expand the visibility of the project through the NYC life audience. Airing at 10:30 PM on Mondays on NYC life, episodes will cover a range of topics, including Artistic Homes, Day/Night Jobs, Artist as Activist, Technology, Inspiration, and Process.
Now in its second season, MADE HERE’s short-form videos have featured myriad artists, including Reggie Watts, Charlie Todd (Improv Everywhere), Joan Jonas, Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky, Elizabeth LeCompte and Kate Valk (The Wooster Group), Oskar Eustis (The Public Theater), Thomas Bradshaw, Young Jean Lee, Basil Twist, Elizabeth Streb, James Tigger! Ferguson, Taylor Mac, and Julie Atlas Muz.
Watch the trailer from season 1, and tune into NYC life on May 23rd to see episodes of MADE HERE.
