Founded in
2000, under the artistic direction of Steven Weisz, Music & Motion
is a fresh, innovative, performance-oriented, youth dance company. Rather
than relying on a single dance style or technique, Music & Motion
has developed its own unique movement for each new dance work created.
The variety of ecletic styles incorporated into its programs include ballet,
jazz, tap, lyrical, modern, funk, hip hop and acrobatic styles.
Music &
Motion Dance has performed throughout the tri-state area and even internationally
to a range of audiences in its short yet diverse history. With a deep
commitment to group collaboration and exposing new audiences to dance
and the performing arts, the company has won both critical acclaim as
well as many new fans.
Music &
Motion Dance continues to recognize the importance of the performing arts
in serving the community and increasing cultural literacy. The company
has been at the forefront in organizing and implementing such initiatives
as Dance for Hurricane Relief in 2005, Dance for Social Change
in 2006 to aid in ending child hunger and RED in 2007 to support
the efforts of the The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
For
the area's Dance community, Music & Motion, in 2006, launched a virtual
portal called PhiladelphiaDANCE.org. This web site has become the most
comprehensive internet presence and resource guide for the professional
dance community in the greater Philadelphia region. Additional web projects
have included the dance listserv, a dance directory of companies and services,
a video portal to share dance works, an online dance calendar, monthly
e-newsletter of area dance performances, and a virtual dance box office.
This community now has membership base of over 8,000 dancers and supporters.
In addition, Music & Motion subsidized and created Philly Dance
Fest in 2007 to expose audiences to Philadelphia's vibrant and performing
arts community.
Music &
Motion Dance continues to reach a wide range of audiences each year with
mesmeric dances and unique performance concepts. The body of work created
by this group, all of which has been created and choreographed by the
entire cast, is as diverse as its members.
Commissioned
dances by the company have included Primal for the Philadelphia Zoo and
Futura for the Franklin Institute. The group now in its fifth year as
a participant in the Philly Fringe and Live Arts Festival was one of the
first youth based companies to be incorporated, presenting Illuminescence
in 2004, Elements in 2005, To A Different Beat in 2006,
Red in 2007, Continents for 2008 and the 9 muses
in 2009.
This collaborative
effort of this group is rich in synergy, imagination, celebration and
spirit. Audiences have responded with enthusiasm, finding themselves caught
up in a world of exhilarating rhythm, movement and music created by this
multi-talented group.
Mission
Statement

Music & Motion's mission is to empower youth through dance, movement
and the performing arts, ultimately building self-esteem and inspiring
creative self-expression and community action and interaction.
As a company,
we seek to bring dancer and audience closer together by performing in
both traditional and non-traditional venues, having meaningful dialogues
and discourse about our dance works, offering free or subsidized programs
to venues and generally making dance more accessible to the public.
Music &
Motion Dance fulfills the need of providing young dancers with performing
experience in a nurturing environment with professional guidance, while
continually exciting audiences wherever they perform.
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