YOUNG CHOREOGRAPHERS INITIATIVE

Competition for The 2008 Susan Braun Award

DFA is offering an opportunity for a choreographer between the age of 16-25 living in New York City to create a short dance film and/or adapt a stage choreography for the camera with a young filmmaker with a small grant from DFA. Named after DFA's founder, the late Susan Braun, the award is cash and guidance from mentors who are dance and film professionals.

1st prize: Susan Braun Award Winner
* Cash prize to be used towards the production
* Opportunity to advance your cinematic ideas with team of mentors
* Screening of recent Dance on Camera Festival winning shorts

2nd prize: Honorable Mention
* Opportunity to advance your cinematic ideas with team of mentors
* Screening of recent Dance on Camera Festival winning shorts

3rd prize: Special High School Student Prize
* Workshop in shooting dance for the camera
* Opportunity to shadow a mentor

All applicants will be invited to a special session to learn more about adapting choreography and the process of making dance films.

Deadline to enter: May 9, 2008

Our purpose: To encourage a new generation of dance filmmakers.

Requirements:
* Submit a VHS or DVD of any form (performance, narrative, music video, etc) and any style (from hip hop to ballet). The submitted choreography should represent the basic ideas to be developed further for the camera. Length: No more than 5 minutes nor less than 2.

* Write a statement explaining your vision for developing your choreographic skills for the camera. If you have in mind a filmmaker you would like to collaborate with, please include their contact information. This must be mailed with your VHS or DVD.

* Pay the entry fee of $25 - cash or check made payable to Dance Films Association (includes a DFA Student Membership). Free to DFA members & interns. You can alternatively work for 2 hours at DFA to pay the fee.

Evaluation Process: The mentors will judge the entries for the strength of the choreography and the vision as to how the choreography would be created or adapted for the camera. We are less concerned by the the technical level of the film submitted. The finalists will be contacted for an interview.

What happens if I win? The participant must be available to work with the mentors in the summer 2008 to develop, film, and edit the project which will be less than 5 minutes. A caveat: the music for your project must be cleared.

If you have problems competing the form, please e-mail us.

Young Choreographers Initiative 2008 Entry Form

Title of sample:
Choreographer:
Director:
Year Produced:
Dancers:
E-mail stills identified as to title to: info@dancefilms.org
Name of Entrant:
Street:
City
NY:
Zip Code:
Phone:
E-mail:
Signed:
Date:
Please print this form, send or deliver your entry form, dvd or vhs, entry fee, and statement of intent to: Dance Films Association, Inc. 48 West 21st Street, #907, New York, NY 10010, USA Entry must be post-marked by and/or delivered to DFA by, 6pm, May 9, 2008

Read about last year's winner Austin McCormick

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION!