Help Support Our Efforts to Redefine Classical Ballet
MorDance’s conception of artistic excellence is inseparable from its commitment to accessibility and creativity. To achieve artistic excellence is not only to combine technical prowess with innovative expression, but to consistently articulate beyond words a notion that is deeply felt, no matter the background or lived experience of the spectator. As a dance maker working with the genre of ballet, the company inherently operates within a lineage fraught with injustice. Countless popularized historical works of ballet such as La Bayadère, The Nutcracker, and Le Corsaire alienate large percentages of contemporary audiences by perpetuating ideals laden with sexism, racism, and xenophobia. MorDance breaks free of these problematic legacies by creating original pieces based in contemporary subject matter and presenting progressive interpretations of traditional narratives. Making a work of ballet accessible is directly linked to relatability and openness, the capacity for a piece to compassionately welcome a viewer into the story. MorDance moves towards the goal of artistic excellence through its ability to inspire and empower diverse audiences.
The overarching goal of MorDance is to expand the possibilities of classical ballet by challenging its problematic precedents from within. Taking a multifaceted approach, the company works to break down barriers of inequality and cultivate an empowered and nurturing environment for artistic expression and exploration. MorDance’s overall vision is embodied through public performances and in-school workshops; intentional artistic collaborations; and dance making that centers underrepresented perspectives and reimagines traditional narratives.