“I want to read articles about dance. I want it to be part of our world.”
- Joan Acocella, The Death of the American Dance Critic
We write about dance because we want it to be part of our world – and we want it to be part of your world too! Our bodies are containers of rich cultural knowledge, which is why we write about how we move. First-person accounts are essential for capturing and archiving the art form; they are critical to its existence.
thINKingDANCE (tD) is a collective of writers who produce a FREE online journal about dance. We create a unique space to develop and enrich dance writing.
Your contribution to tD will support and strengthen the next generation of dance writers.
thINKingDANCE advances dance writing in Philadelphia, nationally and internationally through our online publication. Since 2011, tD has published over 1400 articles, essays, book reviews, and interviews, and also created special programming with other Philadelphia-based arts organizations. This year, for example, we partnered with the Cannonball Festival, offering a community writing workshop for the festival’s participating artists; and we revived Write Back Atcha - a series of post-performance writing workshops where audience members co-created reviews for publication. thINKingDANCE writers joined Theatre Philadelphia for a panel discussion covering digital and experimental performance art. thINKingDANCE has been partnering with local universities to offer lectures and writing workshops to their students.
Why is tD unique?
- tD nurtures new writers. We offer training and editorial support.
- Our writers engage in deep critical thinking and innovative writing practices.
- A majority of tD writers are also working dance and performing artists. Our collective voice is informed by our lived experiences in the dance world.
- tD’s 20+ dance writers identify as being BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, parents, scholars, people who have emigrated to the US, teachers, creatives, elders, young professionals, and community organizers. We proudly utilize our collective identities as lenses to our dance writing.
Here’s how your giving can make a difference:
| $25 shows your support for tD’s dance writing | $75 pays for an article |
| $100 contributes to a month of Editorial Board fees | $250 funds one educational workshop for dance writing with valued guest-educators |
| $500 contributes to a month of Director’s pay | $1,000 covers two-weeks of operations |
| $5,000 helps us offer more special programming for community engagement | $10,000+ is needed for updating and redesigning our website |
Become a monthly donor today by joining our tD Giving Circle!
All contributions of any size are welcome and appreciated!
Payments can be made in many different ways:
- One time donation online through paypal or Grapevine
- Monthly donations through Grapevine
- One time donation using Zelle - enter treasury@thinkingdance.net as the contact, and list your email or mailing address in the note so we can send you a thank you!
- One time contribution via check made out to thINKingDANCE, mailed to 4605 Chester Ave A405 Philadelphia, PA 19143
- When you have to brave the world of Amazon, use amazon smile and make thINKingDANCE your charity of choice
100% of your donation supports thINKingDANCE.
What supporters of thINKingDANCE are saying...
Christine Cox, Artistic and Executive Director of BalletX - “I am so grateful to the team of writers and editors at thINKingDANCE for their passionate work reviewing dancers and dance companies. I appreciate the care and thoughtful reporting that goes into each article and love most that these are dancers writing about dance. I hope tD readers and the public will consider supporting this not-for-profit organization that not only ties our dance community together but ties us to the world!”
Lisa Kraus, Co-Founder thINKingDANCE and former Trisha Brown Dancer - “thINKingDANCE is still vital for the same reason that it was begun: it's one of the very few places where dance and performance in Philadelphia, particularly work that falls outside the mainstream, is written about regularly and thoughtfully by people who are open, inquisitive and knowledgeable. This is crucial for artists and audiences, and for the health of our whole performance ecosystem.”
Terry Shockley, former director, Community Education Center, & founding member, Urban Bush Women - “Philadelphia has a deep and rich dance scene. thINKingDANCE documents this scene in a deep and rich way that's as exciting as the dance.”
Elizabeth Zimmer, Dance Critic, former Dance Editor, The Village Voice - “thINKingDANCE is a major reason why dance in Philadelphia flourishes. While the media elsewhere has starved and abandoned its dance writers, this online publication trains, mentors, and pays critics to respond intelligently to performances.”
thINKingDANCE is registered with the PA Bureau of Charitable Organizations and is an IRS 501(c)3 tax exempt organization and, as such, your contribution is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Meet the thINKingDANCE Team!
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thINKingDANCE Leadership: |
thINKingDANCE Staff (cont.): |
| Maddie Hopfield | |
| Miryam Coppersmith (Operations Manager) | Shayla-Vie Jenkins |
| thINKingDANCE Board of Directors: | Nadia Khayrallah |
| Keila Cordova (Co-Chair of the Board) | Andrew Sargus Klein |
| Gregory King | |
| Anna Drozdowski (Board Treasurer) | Emilee Lord |
| Kat Sullivan (Board Secretary) | Ella-Gabriel Mason |
| Silvana Cardell | nikolai mckenzie ben rema |
| Terry Fox | Leila Mire |
| Rhonda Moore | Sophiann Mahalia Moore |
| Jonathan Stein | Kara Nepomuceno |
| thINKingDANCE Writers, Editors, Staff | Dana Nichols |
| Joseph Ahmed | Lauren Putty White |
| Ellen Chenoweth | Kirsten Shahverdian |
| Lu Donovan | Zornitsa Stoyanova |
| Joy-Marie Thompson | |
| Darcy Grabenstein | Mira Treatman |
| Caitlin Green | Whitney Weinstein |
