What Is The
Garden State Dance Festival
Founded
in 2001, the Garden State Dance Festival (GSDF), under the
artistic direction of Suzy Zucker, quickly established itself as a cutting
edge and innovative presenting performing arts organization. Suzy, with over
25 years in the dance arena (teaching, choreographing, producing and
mentoring), began this non-profit community venture with a vision to share
her passion for dance in the area where her own training began and was later
nurtured.
The GSDF’s mission has always been to provide opportunities for the
creative and performing ends of the dance world.
It enables local, emerging choreographers could work with aspiring
professional dancers and through that collaboration, showcase the very best
talent and creativity that we have to offer our South Jersey audiences.
Now a
much-anticipated annual event, the Garden State Dance Festival
proudly presents an eclectic mix of dance genres (ballet, modern, jazz, tap,
hip hop, musical theater). After
holding open auditions, each choreographer selects those performing artists
that they believe will best express and execute their original pieces of
work.
In addition to
showcasing our regional talent, the GSDF seeks to bring in both nationally
renowned and emerging guest companies.
Over the past 8 years we have proudly given over hundreds of guest
artists the opportunity to perform on our stage and add to the excitement,
sophistication, and diversity of the festival.
Held over a
two-week period, the GSDF has several evening performances as
well as matinees, some of which are geared to reach out to the schools,
seniors, and disadvantaged youth in our community.
The festival also invites our military troops at Fort Dix who are
waiting to be deployed or have just returned from an overseas tour of duty
in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are
most proud of this commitment to those particular audiences who might
otherwise never experience the joy of the performing arts.
All festival-goers are given the extraordinary opportunity to enjoy a
level of dance rarely seen outside of New York City and Philadelphia.
The
Garden State Dance Festival is
the only festival of it’s kind in the state of New Jersey.
Joining the GSDF in its mission this
year is The Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts (RCCA), who has
invited the GSDF to become their “Festival in Residence.”
This partnership with our state university is exciting to all those involved
who have envisioned the great advantages and impact it would have, both
culturally and economically, for the community. The 650-seat Gordon Theater,
with its superior, state-of-the-art sound and lighting system will be home
to the festival and is an ideal venue.
Located on the Rutgers campus with ample available parking, its
location is highly accessible to both our artists and audiences from New
Jersey and Pennsylvania. The
GSDF will be working closely with the RCCA’s communications, marketing
and outreach program staff in presenting the 2009 festival.
Proud Member of Dance New Jersey, South Jersey Cultural Alliance, Art Pride