Hunter College’s Dance Department is hosting a company and a solo dancer as part of the CUNY Dance Initiative, which underwrites the work of early and mid-career artists.
The dance company, Kyle Marshall Choreography, uses movement to impart history, ignite social reform, and celebrate life. The solo dancer, tap artist Funaki, was named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch.”
The residencies exemplify Hunter’s importance as an anchor institution providing high-impact opportunities for diverse creatives and mark the return of Hunter to the initiative after more than a decade’s absence. Hunter will provide the artists with monthly rehearsals in our studios, while the artists will conduct workshops and demonstrations of works-in-process for Hunter students.
The CUNY Dance Initiative, launched in 2014 with foundation support, provides scarce rehearsal time and performance space for choreographers and dance companies across the five boroughs.
Even as New York City is the dance capital of the United States, rising real estate prices have created a shortage of affordable rehearsal space. Since its inception, the initiative, a consortium of 14 CUNY colleges and four arts organizations, has hosted more than 20 artists in residence each year, benefiting 270 choreographers.
With Hunter College rejoining the program, the initiative now partners with more than half of CUNY colleges.
“The reciprocity of professional artists working in Hunter College dance studios will reverberate across our community,” said Dance Department Chair Maura Donohue. “These residencies will forge a pathway into and out of our curriculum and provide needed support to artists we know will benefit from time and space on campus.”
About the Hunter College Dance Department
The Hunter College Dance Department offers and supports programs in Dance Performance/Choreography and Dance Education: a BA and MFA in Dance, a BA in Dance Education with New York State PreK-12 certification, an MA in Dance Education with New York State PreK –12 certification, a Post-Master’ s Advanced Certificate in Dance Education with New York State PreK – 12 certification, and the MSEd in Educational Leadership.
Our curriculum provides students with a strong foundation that can lead to professional careers for performers, creators, scholars, educators, and arts advocates. Hunter Dance alumni have worked with artists and companies such as Bill T. Jones, Doug Varone, Pilobolus, Liz Lerman, Trisha Brown, Vicky Shick, Heidi Latsky, Pilobolus, director Peter Sellers, NY Baroque Dance Company, Phantom Limb, Camille A. Brown, Christal Brown, BodyCartography Project, SYTYCD, in various Broadway productions, and as independent choreographers. From a campus in the heart of New York City, the Dance Department faculty and guest artists and scholars are active leaders in the field. The cultural diversity of the student population, the active, professional faculty, and the wide range of program opportunities make the Hunter College Dance Program a dynamic place to study Dance.
