Site Dance: Choreographers and the Lure of Alternative Spaces

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments When creating a collection such as this, the task can seem incredibly daunting . After all, who in their right mind would put 17 independent and determined artistic directors together with two highly persistent artist-editors and expect any end result, much less a successful one? Luckily, we had much help as well as inspiration along the way to make this collection come to fruition. First and foremost, the artists featured in this book have been remarkable in terms of their knowledge, support, and flexibility. We would like, above all, to thank Olive Bieringa, Martha Bowers, Ann Carlson, Heidi Duckler, Merridawn Duckler , Joanna Haigood, Marylee Hardenbergh, Sally Jacques, Jo Kreiter, Stephan Koplowitz, Meredith Monk, Eiko Otake, Sara Pearson, Otto Ramstad, Tamar Rogoff, Leah Stein, and Patrik Widrig for providing their insights with such generosity. Working with them has been an enlightening and exciting experience for both Carolyn and me. In addition, Elise Bernhardt, the founder of Dancing in the Streets and currently the executive director of the National Foundation for Jewish Culture, has been very helpful and encouraging throughout the process. She gave us excellent insider’s information, and we are grateful for her foreword, which grounds this book, as well as for the many years that she dedicated her life to supporting site works around the world. Others were also instrumental in the realization of this book; we would like to thank Aviva Davidson as well as the many supporters, producers, company members, and staff of The House, Collage Dance Theatre, Blue Lapis Light, Eiko & Koma, Dance Theatre Etcetera, and Dancing in the Streets. We are also deeply indebted to the photographers who contributed photos of the pieces discussed; their generosity is humbling and much appreciated. Owing to the large number of contributors and the subsequent organization that such a collection entails, we also would like to thank the following people for their feedback at critical times: Sharon Friedler, Ann Daly, Jan Cohen-Cruz, Susan Foster, Ann Cooper Albright, Joan Herrington, Andrew Lilley, Greg Nicholl, and Brian Norman. We would like to express our gratitude to the director of UPF, Meredith Morris-Babb, our project editor, Jacqueline Kinghorn Brown, and our copy editor, Elaine Durham Otto, whose guidance has proven xviii invaluable. And, of course, our production crew at UPF were extremely helpful during the entire process. Finally, we would like to thank our partners, Andy and Anne, as well as young Eli Pavlik, who, through the years of trials and tribulations that this book entailed , stuck by us and were supportive even in the stickiest of moments. Acknowledgments ...