Episode 27: AXIS Dance Company

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A transcript, lightly edited for clarity and length, follows.

Show Guests: Marc Brew, Artistic Director & Choreographer and Danae Rees, Managing Director of AXIS Dance Company

Voices of the Community Introduction: Welcome to voices of the community which explores critical issues facing Northern California communities. We introduce you to the voices of community thought leaders and change makers who are working on solutions that face our fellow individual community members neighborhoods cities and our region. This is George Koster your host. 

Series Introduction: This episode is part of our series exploring COVID-19’s impact on nonprofits and small businesses in San Francisco. We started the series back in April 2020 during the height of the first phase of the Covid 19 pandemic and the Shelter In Place requirements. Over these past nine months, the Covid-19 pandemic and economic meltdown have wiped out millions of jobs in both the nonprofit and small business sectors as well as shuttered tens of thousands of small business operations.

The goal of the series is to shine a spotlight on the nonprofits, small businesses, and their staff who are struggling to deal with the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on their operations, services and sustainability. The series of interviews we conducted features voices from a cross-section of organizations that make up the fabric of our community.  Each of them brings a unique perspective on how they and we are dealing with the issues facing our community during the global pandemic and economic depression.

Show Guest Marc: And there are these kids who were there in the audience who are just, in aw and having these role models that are representative of who they are, um, and the diversity of their students. And then to hear kids go, wow, that's me. I can do that too.

Episode Intro - Show Host George: In this episode, our featured voices are Marc Brew the Artistic Director and Choreographer along with Danae Rees the Managing Director of AXIS Dance Company. AXIS Dance Company’s mission is to bring together both disable and non-disabled artists to create a radically inclusive dance sector and world by removing barriers and showcasing the beauty of difference.

Show Host George: I'm joined remotely via zoom by Marc Brew, the Artistic Director and Choreographer and Danae Reese, the Managing Director of AXIS Dance Company. Thanks for being here, Marc and Danae. 

Show Guest Danae: Thank you

Show Guest Marc: Thank you for having us

Show Host George: Mark, would you like to please provide a little overview of the AXIS Dance Company and who you guys serve your key programs? I know you do a lot of, training and engagement and advocacy, and your whole history of, dance and disability, collaborations. So, tell us more. 

Show Guest Marc: Definitely, AXIS Dance Company. We are 34 years old where in Oakland, California. And our mission is to collaborate with disabled and non-disabled artists to create virtuosic productions that challenge perceptions of dance and disability. Our, artistic statement is that access is artistry, redefines, dance, and disability.

And we do this through three pillars of activity, our artistry, which is all about performances and touring work that we do. We have a home season every year and then we tour it nationally and internationally, and a part of that of course, is our engagement pillar. And as we tour, we have an extensive engagement program and also locally, we, serve our community locally through different workshops, assembly programs, teacher trainings, and masterclasses. And of course, advocacy, which is very much, embedded in all of the work that we do is to really support and create opportunities for disabled artists to have access to dance and dance training.

Our vision at AXIS is to strive to create a radically inclusive dance sector and world by removing barriers and showcasing the beauty of difference. Some of our programs that have been most successful have been, our dance access day and family matinee that we have every year for our youth programming, our assemblies, as I mentioned, where we as a team go into different schools, around Oakland district, and beyond, and we educate, young audiences about accessibility, inclusion, dance and disability, as well as of course, contemporary dance.

And another program that we do is around our, summer intensive program that happens every year, where we invite people from all around the world to come in and study with us. And that is, through three different modules. So, we have our, choreography and performance module. We have an improv insight specific module, and then we have our teacher training and each of those modules are three days and they're really, really important, because this is about engaging and supporting, people who work in the field of physically integrated dance and disabled artists, and also our teacher training to really give tools and support to teachers. So, then they can go back within their communities or institutions or organizations and look at how they can remove barriers and make their work more accessible to others.

We also have, online classes and workshops that we do in master classes, which is really about sharing accesses, thinking and processes of how we make work and how we try to include, and then find an inclusive environment for everyone to feel welcome in our workshops and classes. So that's just a few things of what we do. We're very busy, and there's always more.

George: Thank you, that was a great overview a lot of history in a short amount of time. So much of your work is in person. Can you talk a little bit about how, COVID-19 is impacted, the dance company's operation and what your team has done with regards to COVID-19?

Show Guest Danae: So, you know, obviously when shelter in place happened, we all had to be at home. So, we are all still continuing to work remotely, administrative staff, we're all working from home. And initially the dancers were working from home too. And that was, an entirely new experience.

Dancers were finding space in their homes to be able to move and, dance as best they could, which is always a challenge. And we were very quick to kind of pivot to the online format of things. We have always had an open company class, and we kind of felt like. We needed to make that online and bring everybody in because we felt like people needed something, they needed to move their bodies.

They need to feel connected. So, we moved to online classes pretty quickly, dancers doing it from home. And that was really important too, for us, because for many in the disabled community, even before COVID, they've not been able to leave home. And so, we were able to provide these classes and, we've seen a lot of, classes coming out that, you know, people are able to experience sometimes for the first time.

And that has also increased kind of our audience, you know, whereas our classes, we usually locally in Oakland now through zoom, our audience is everywhere. Nationally, internationally, and, we've seen a really big progression in how many people have been engaging with our classes, which has been great.

We also had, quite a lot of extensive touring for this year we had just at the beginning of the year, gone to Holland and we were meant to go to Switzerland for a, four or five days, tour of, various cities that that'll had to obviously stop. But we've been engaging with, lots of streaming performances, which have been great too.

And we've been able to present with organizations that, ordinarily we haven't been able to work with. So that's been a new, building of relationships that has been great. And then we also had our assembly program where we had several schools that had booked us to come in. And when the pandemic happened again, we kind of felt like, you know, the teachers and the students really needed this as a resource.

So, we took a lot of existing video that we had, and we created these online classes for teachers to be able to distribute to their students. So, we had sent that out to our network of teachers who had signed up to the assembly program and we also provided, sort of worksheets for the students to do after they'd watch the videos.

So, these are all really sort of positive things that we're now looking at how do we carry these forwards, and have this sort of blend of when we are able to come back in person, obviously we want to be able to do these things in person, but also how can we utilize, the online content to reach more audiences?

George: So, do you, see other needs, right now that, people can get involved with, there's the funding component, of course, membership.

Danae: Yeah, obviously all of these changes and the different working environments that we're having to do now, we have been able to bring our dancers back to rehearsing in person, but obviously that takes a lot of with protocols we have a very strict list of how they are to be together in the space.

And some of that is, you know, we have to provide a lot of PPE for them to be safe as well. So those are some of the things that these are new costs that as a company we haven't had to deal with before, but all companies are having to do this now. So, that is definitely a need that we have. The other thing for us is that we strive to be as accessible and inclusive as possible.

So, moving to the online content, we've also had to include captioning and ASL interpretation and, audio description, so that our audience, is able to access this as inclusively as we would in person. So that is an additional cost to us as well, but we feel like it's really important because based on our mission, we want to make sure that, we continue to be inclusive, both in-person and online.

George: Thank you. So, Mark, over the three plus decades that, AXIS has been around, what would you say has been your largest impact on the community of, both ableded, and disabled community members in Oakland and the Bay area.

Marc: Yeah. I mean, this is something that's been really empowering for me as an artistic director and as a dancer. When I first came to start working with AXIS, this was just seeing how supported the community is of AXIS and also in AXIS, giving back to our community. You know, we wouldn't be where we are today without our dancers and disability community. So, for me, the impact, has really been about, you know, how we serve our community and how we make our work as inclusive as we can. And that's for whenever you know we're nationally working and internationally working, that is integral to all the work that we do.

George: Thank you. So, here we are on the 18th of November the governor just closed everything back down this week I don't see performing arts coming back in person anytime soon. So, going to turn back to Danae, how can people who are watching, listening to this, support you guys? 

Danae: So, we, literally last week, beginning of November, started our annual fundraising campaign. Obviously, like I mentioned before, there's a lot of additional costs that are coming up now, in order for us to continue to do the work, be it in-person or not.

So, we've started our annual campaign. We have goal of reaching $30,000, before the end of this year, December 31st. And that is really going to help us to, fund a lot of these additional costs that were having to put in place to keep out dancers safe, to make sure that we're staying accessible in everything that we're doing.

Our aim is that we want to continue to be doing the work that we're doing and reaching our audiences, and we have a lot of programming scheduled for next year. Some of that will be online.  But we also planning for doing in-person if we can and if it's safe to do so. So, if people want to make a donation and help support us to be able to continue to do this great work, they can go to our website axis dance dot org and you'll see us on the home page, you'll be able to click and donate. We also are having a fundraising event on December 5th. Last year, we premiered a new work by Arthur Pita and it's called Alice in Californiland. So, we are doing a special screening of that piece followed by a Q and A with Marc Brew and Arthur talking about the work.  And there's tickets available for that on our website. It is December 5th, at 5:00 PM pacific time.

George: Thank you. I wanted to turn to both of you and ask if you could each share one of your favorite stories, in the operations of, AXIS Dance Company and, your impact in the community, Mark, do you want to start?

Marc: One of my favorite things of all time is, you know, really engaging with sort of next generation. And I that's where I really love our assembly program that we do in going into schools and also a dance access day and family matinee. But being there and the audience and watching our access dances on stage, whether it's in the cafeteria or in their assembly hall, um, you know, performing, showing exits of work and, and then engaging with the students, educating them around accessibility and dance and disability, and also the history to um, you know, disability culture and American disability act. And there are these kids who were there in the audience who are just, in awe and having these role models that are representative of who they are, um, and the diversity of their students. And then to hear kids go, wow, that's me. I can do that too. and to know that, oh, look, I have a disability too and it's a positive. You know, like through difference, there is beauty. And I think that's just really enriching to me as an artist to see, younger minds being open to possibilities.

George: Danae, would you like to share ah story?

 Danae: I'm thinking back to the beginning of this year, you know, we started the year, we were invited to participate in the Holland Dance Festival and the performance that we had there, like we had a standing ovation and that was just, I think for me, especially this year was a highlight, um, because it really showed the impact of our work and how people are responding to our work and where it can go and how much we've got to do. And I'm hoping for that time where we are able to be back in person, because I feel like that's where people really connect with our work is, seeing it in person and having that personal experience in the theater, seeing transformative dance that is really like changing people's perceptions.

George: Final question for both of you, what would you like to see as some of the positive things that could come out of the pandemic and our economic meltdown here to support, the presentation of dance, but also the engagement of, abled and disabled community members and, really getting people engaged in the arts and in supporting the arts?

Marc: Yeah, I can jump in and go first. This is Mark speaking.  I think a silver lining for me is you know, being a dance company and being a physical, you're a dance company, you know, we're very used to having to be adaptable and looking at translations where that's a material, all the work that we do.

And I think that has been something in the arts world that has really helped us to move forward and pivot, and now programming to online, and finding other creative solutions to ways to continue to serve our communities. Especially, you know, for me, with working with access to the dances, you know, being in technology isn’t a natural way , of dancing, engaging.

Normally it's like in person and we do a lot of improvisation physical contact work. So just how we've had to re-imagine what dance is and how we can connect and still have that visceral, physical connections with each other, even though may be virtual and also still being able to engage with our community.

And I think going forward, we're able to now to take that learning. And look it with our programming for next year. You know, what are ways that we can continue some of the online programming as well as in-person and also how that in-person, programming and work may look. So, I think it's just giving us more, breadth of looking at, you know, versatility of our program. And I think that will help us to continue to engage more people as we move forward.

Danae: Yeah, I agree. And I think also like the other silver lining that I say a lot is, that, we've had some time, you know, we, as a dance company or any dance company, you're always like moving very quickly.

You're going from one performance to the next. You're like doing engagement work and things like that. And we don't often get the time to kind of have a moment to stop and reflect. So, the one sort of silver lining that has come out of this is it has enabled, I think, particularly for us, like sitting back and looking at things in a longer scope of, how this is impacting our work and who we work with and the community that we're serving.

And so, we can get sort of like Marc said, we can really think about what we are going to be doing moving forward that is going to really support our community, but also meet the goals that we're trying to achieve in different ways. And I think it's really going to open up lots of new audience members for us.

George: Thank you. I'm hoping, for the best as the silver lining coming out of all of this, I feel like it's been a really wonderful opportunity to kind of put the proverbial black light on, all of the cracks and fissures, in that we take, you know, arts and culture just for granted that they're just always going to be there.

So, if you love what AXIS Dance Company does, you need to step up and participate in supporting, and foster in your community. With that, I would love to thank both of you for sharing AXIS Dance Company's work today, and I'll make sure that all the viewers and listeners have your information website, social media so people can get engaged, hopefully support your mission going forward. Um, is there website that you want to direct people to, for your special December fundraiser performance that they can go to and participate in watching the video screen?

Danae: Yeah, if they just go to our website, axis dance.org, um, there'll be links there for you to click through purchase tickets and, um, get all the information.

George: thanks very much. I really appreciate what you do and, hope that we can continue to enjoy your wonderful work.

Marc: Thank you, George so much it's been a pleasure.

Danae: Thank you

Episode Outro - Show Host George: That’s it for this episode of voices of the community. You have been listening to the voices of Marc Brew the Artistic Director and Choreographer along with Danae Rees the Managing Director of AXIS Dance Company

To find out more about AXIS Dance Company and their fundraising event on December 5th with the special screening of Alice in Californiland at 5pm pacific time go to axis dance dot org

Series Outro: We hope that you enjoy the insights, points of view, and personal stories from the voices of change-makers and their nonprofits and small businesses featured in this series. To find out more and get engaged with the nonprofits, small businesses and staff members, featured in this series please go to my web site george koster dot com and click on Voices of the Community to find links to the extended versions of these interviews and to listen to the entire series. After listening to these stories we hope that you will consider making a donation and volunteering to provide a hand up to your fellow community members.

Series Credits: I want to thank my associate producer Eric Estrada, along with Mel, Michael, and Lila at the San Francisco Public Press and KSFP. To listen to our next episode in this series and to our archived past shows which feature community voices working on solutions to critical issues facing Northern California communities, please go to george koster dot com. While you are on our website please consider making a donation to help us provide future shows just like this one. Please subscribe to Voices of the Community on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or where ever you get your podcasts. Follow us on twitter @georgekoster and please email us with feedback and show ideas at george@georgekoster.com. I'm George Koster in San Francisco and thank you for listening.

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