In April of 2014, Kelly Silliman/the tinydance project facilitated a collaboration between Smith College student groups Engineers for a Sustainable World, Celebrations Dance Company, and The Smiffenpoofs (a cappella group) to present an interdisciplinary event series celebrating the arts and sustainability.  Each event provided an opportunity for various campus communities to come together to witness performances and participate in presentations/discussions related to sustainability.  The engineering students worked to design a lighter, more bikeable stage, and the dancers and vocalists created performances within the low-tech framework of the tinydance project.  The resulting events brought together many students who would not otherwise have crossed paths.

Can you imagine dancers and architects collaborating with musicians and biologists?Bring Arts for the Earth to your campus or organization!!!

            When you host Arts for the Earth, Kelly Silliman will facilitate the development and production of interdisciplinary, community-building events that use live performance as a starting point for broader conversations about sustainability, culture, the arts, and the future of our world.  Although your project may resemble the original version at Smith College in some ways, it will also be custom designed for your group's needs and interests.  The goal for Arts for the Earth is to create events that include both a low-tech performance element and a presentation or facilitated discussion related to local sustainability issues.  These events bring together a wide range of people in accessible ways in order to celebrate our humanity and carefully consider the long-term impact of our interactions with the world.

            Residencies are usually one to two weeks in length with a minimum of one month pre-planning and organization.  Events may be held at the end of the residency or later in the academic calendar year.  Please contact Kelly for pricing information and other questions, and see below for links, testimonials, and our photo gallery.

Links:

Please click these links to learn more about Arts for the Earth:

Smith Arts for the Earth Kickoff Announcement

Arts for the Earth archival video (work in progress) on Vimeo

Smith Arts for the Earth on Facebook

Testimonials:
           
           "Being a part of the Arts for the Earth collaboration has been one of the best experiences I've had at Smith. The tinydance project truly promotes awareness about sustainability in a world that is so dependent on technology. I have been fortunate enough to collaborate and perform with tinydance as a Smiffenpoof, and I've also had the pleasure of watching the performances as a member of the audience. In both experiences, I felt moved and connected. Arts for the Earth allows people to experience art in its most raw and genuine form. I have never seen so much emotion and talent on such a tiny stage. Arts for the Earth is a grounding experience that will also lift you off of your feet!" 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                 -- Brittany Walsh SC '15

            "Kelly has the unique ability to push her collaborators while simultaneously offering her support.  As a director and choreographer in this project, I felt empowered to take on responsibility and yet the moment I felt in over my head, Kelly was consistently there to bring me back.  The collaboration was artistically satisfying and an incredible opportunity to move beyond the realm of dance and engage with other artists and creators to produce a performance bigger than its individual parts. I experienced unexpected connections both among facilitators and performers and between performers and audience members.  Arts for the Earth is a brilliant project with a fearless leader and I am grateful to have been a part of it."

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  -- Liv Fauver SC '14

Photo Gallery:

Photos in gallery by Kelly Silliman, Jessica Goudreault, and Alexandria Julius