Digital: Sydnie L. Mosley Dances BodyBusiness Virtual Marketplace

BodyBusiness Virtual Marketplace

BodyBusiness is an interactive production, premiered by Sydnie L. Mosley Dances (SLMDances) in 2015, that re-envisions the economic practices of the dance world and encourages greater transparency of the artist experience. BodyBusiness occurs in three essential parts: a marketplace, live performance, and resource sharing among audience members.

This event is a virtual iteration of the BodyBusiness Marketplace where participants can envision and engage with resources that sustain artists and small creative businesses. This Marketplace will support participants in building their advocacy muscles by inviting dance advocacy groups into dialogue with resources and community members who can support transformative goals our field continues to work towards. Space will also be held for one-on-one resource sharing among all who are present. Stay tuned for additional information about BodyBusiness Marketplace vendors.

This event takes place over Zoom Meeting. Please ensure that you have the latest Zoom update installed.

About SLMDANCES

Sydnie L. Mosley Dances (SLMDances) is a New York City-based dance-theater collective that works in communities to organize for gender and racial justice through experiential dance performance. SLMDances’ works engage audiences in the artistic process; our dances provoke a visceral reaction to the physicality on stage and incite conversation toward community action.

The works reflect real life experiences central to our identities, and pulls focus to the stories of women and Black folks. The movement vocabulary fluidly integrates modern dance techniques and movement of the African Diaspora, while dancers frequently use their voice with spoken text and audible breath. Through dimensional compositions, specific, textured movement, humor and character development, choreographed works appeal to a sense of humanity.

The collective situates itself amongst the Harlem arts community by creating and presenting dance uptown; partnering with other Harlem artists and businesses; and focusing community-based initiatives within Harlem. SLMDances travels for projects both domestically and internationally as relevant to the mission and interests of the collective.

NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio and First Lady Chirlane McCray recognized Artistic Director Sydnie L. Mosley for using her talents in dance to fuel social change. Other support and recognition includes: Black Art Futures Fund (2021), Harlem Stage Fund for New Work (2020-2021), Manhattan Community Artists in Residence through Lincoln Center Education (2018-2020), LMCC Creative Engagement (2017, 2019, 2020), CUNY Dance Initiative (2016- 2017), Dancing While Black Artist Fellowship (2015-2016), and The Field Leadership Fund (2015-2017), The Performance Project @ University Settlement (2015-2016). Sydnie is a 2013 alumna of the Create Change Fellowship with The Laundromat Project, and the Gibney Dance Institute for Community Action Training. In 2011, she became the inaugural Barnard Center for Research on Women Alumnae Fellow.

SLMDances has shown work at Dixon Place, Gibney Dance, The Chen Dance Center newsteps program, the FIGMENT Festival on Governor’s Island, RoofTopDance, 92Y, as a part of the New York Foundation for the Arts Boot Camp Arts Festival at Surreal Estate and Joyce SoHo, The Actor’s Fund Arts Center, the Harlem Arts Alliance Artz, Rootz & Rhythm Festival, Movement Research at Judson Church, BAX|Brooklyn Arts Exchange, The Riverside Church, The Red Carpet Theater at Taino Towers, Harlem Stage’s The Takeover, Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance (BAAD!), Triskelion Arts, The New School for Hollaback!’s HOLLA:Revolution, Barnard College, Cornell University, The Pennsylvania State University, Amherst College and Duke University, in addition to the NYC anti-street harassment rally, annually, and many outdoor performances including the Suite Summer Festival at Socrates Sculpture Garden in Queens and Multicultural Arts Festival in Harlem.

Gibney encourages people with disabilities to attend online offerings, and we welcome the opportunity to make this event more accessible. This event features live ASL interpreters and live captioning. If you have any questions or additional access needs, please email us at constanza@gibneydance.org or call us at 212-677-8560 (voice only) at least 24 hours in advance of the event you plan to attend.

All Fall 2021 Season events will be held online via Zoom. Gibney’s Box Office can be reached via email. For ticketing inquiries or requests, please email Marketing & Audience Services Manager, Kimiko Tanabe, at boxoffice@gibneydance.org.

Image Description: Two SLMDances artists (Kayla Hamilton and Kimberly Mhoon) and an audience member connect in a circle by pressing their palms together. They are smiling and sharing their weight.

BodyBusiness, 2015, by Kearra Gopee.