Estrada begins her position as Assistant Professor of Dance in fall 2022. She was one of 60 national candidates who applied for the opening vacated by longtime faculty member, Rebecca Valls, who retired this past spring.
“My creative work embraces contemporary theatrical western dance forms and flamenco,” states Estrada on her website. “In academic settings, my creative work is often inspired by dance history, movement analysis, and social justice.”
Karen Stokes, Head of the UH Dance Program and Professor of Dance, said she is “thrilled” to welcome Estrada to the Houston dance community.
“In addition to her congenial personality, Dr. Estrada brings a deep bench of practice and scholarly activity to our program,” said Stokes. “While she wears many dance hats, including strong organizational skills, I am personally very excited about her flamenco background, and her fusion approach to using flamenco within both teaching and research.”
As an educator, my mission is to promote the appreciation of dance as art, tradition, and culture while advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion.
Dr. M. Gabriela Estrada
Estrada holds a BA and an MFA in Dance from the University of California, Irvine, and a Ph.D. in Flamenco Interdisciplinary Studies from the Department of Sociocultural Anthropology and Philology at the University of Seville, Spain.
Examples of her work and research include the solo Ni Una Carmen Más! (Not a Single Carmen More!), The Choreographic Development of The Three-Cornered Hat through the 20th Century (MFA thesis), and Flamenco’s Contributions to Ballet (Ph.D. dissertation).
Estrada also directed and produced ENI9MA: The Legend of Félix, a documentary about Félix Fernández García, the flamenco dancer who collaborated with Léonide Massine, Pablo Picasso, Manuel de Falla, and the Ballets Russes de Diaghilev in creating The Three-Cornered Hat.
Estrada was founding director of Dance Collage School of Dance in Mexico and founding faculty at the Universidad de Sonora. She has served as Community Arts Partnership Education Manager for New York’s Ballet Hispánico and is currently a Teaching Assistant Professor of Dance at East Carolina University.
Jones Hall under renovation in 2021 / Photo by Paul Hester
This summer, Jones Hall continues major renovations that will aim to improve acoustics, backstage technology, ADA accessibility, restrooms, and more – and potentially help Houston arts groups recover from the pandemic.
The projected $50 million renovation plan – which builds upon renovations made in 2020 and 2021 – will take place primarily in summer months over coming years, as recently announced by the Foundation for Jones Hall. Organizers are hopeful the work will be completed by 2024, according to the Houston Chronicle.
This multiyear approach works around resident arts organizations’ seasons, allowing them to carry on full performance schedules in order to recoup some of the significant financial losses sustained from COVID-19.
The Houston Symphony – which is based in Jones Hall, along with Performing Arts Houston (the former, recently renamed Society for the Performing Arts) – estimates that it lost about $9 million in ticket revenue between March 2020 to September 2021 due to cancelation of shows and performances to very reduced audiences for social distancing.
“Rather than close Jones Hall for a full year or more, this project will be done over a series of summers to allow the Symphony to have its full regular season in Jones Hall, its performance home, without disruption,” said the Houston Symphony in an email.
While Performing Arts Houston says it’s grateful for the support of federal pandemic-related programs, donors, and foundations during COVID, its ticket revenue also took “an extreme hit.”
“In a normal season, almost 70% of our revenue comes from ticket sales, and that revenue came to a full stop in March 2020. It was almost 19 months before we returned to live performances,” said Performing Arts Houston in an email to Houston Arts Journal.
“We look forward to Jones Hall improvements to enhance the audience experience to help us grow our ticket revenue back to normal levels and beyond,” said Performing Arts Houston.
Jones Hall under renovation in 2021 / Photo by Paul Hester
Both arts groups point out that the renovations will benefit patrons as well as performers, thus attracting both back to the venue – and potentially strengthening ticket sales, plus diversity and quality of programming.
“Returning audiences will see exciting changes to this iconic Houston structure, updates that many have looked forward to for years,” stated Performing Arts Houston. “And with an improved audience experience, we expect new attendees will be more likely to return again and again.”
For summer 2022, work in Jones Hall will include:
Refinishing of the stage floor and rebuilding of orchestra pit floors
Replacement of hydraulic lifts for the orchestra pit with a new lifting system, allowing for gentle, quiet movement and stable support of the stage and orchestra pit
Work to replumb and redirect cable and conduit, while removing electrical equipment to further modernize infrastructure
Replacement of the audio network, which consists of the equipment and data network that support amplified performances, to further revamp acoustics in the hall for musicians and patrons
By the end of 2023 and beyond, expected improvements will include:
Renovations to the Green Room, lobby, and other public spaces, easing lobby congestion and traffic flow throughout the facility; lobby layout to be expanded, along with aesthetic transformation
New seats installed in the concert hall
ADA improvements made for greater wheelchair accessibility
Restrooms added, expanded, and relocated, including those on the courtyard level; restrooms accessible by only a short flight of stairs, rather than a long walk up and down, with widened stairways between levels
State of the art lighting and rigging systems to improve the efficiency of backstage work
New stage automation control to modernize how large pieces of scenery, electrics, and audio-visual components are used in the venue
Introduction of fiber networks to enable the hall to unitize the full potential of entertainment industry technology
These renovations come at a time when Houstonians are eager to return to live performances, as evidenced by public response to the 2021-2022 season – the first full, in person season for both the Houston Symphony and Performing Arts Houston, following the pandemic’s nearly two-year disruption to the arts.
“Ticket demand has already rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, and the Symphony hopes to continue expanding audiences,” said the Houston Symphony, adding:
“Improvements to Jones Hall support those efforts as they will not only improve audience experience, but also improve the acoustics and artist experience which will enable us to continue to attract the best musicians and guest artists to Houston.”
Jones Hall: During summer 2021 renovations, the focus was on acoustic work, including custom construction with sidewall and alcove “infills,” using metal framing with four layers of sheetrock for acoustic density. This was covered by a wood veneer finish. The infills corrected echoes and sound delays that impacted musical performances and allowed sound to be evenly distributed throughout the hall. / Photo by Paul Hester
An updated Jones Hall may also attract the public’s overall return to Houston’s Theater District, whose parking revenue fell about 45% during the pandemic. Revenue from the Theater District Parking Garage dropped from $9.8 million in 2019 to $5.3 million in 2021, according to figures provided by Houston First.
“Houston has a dynamic and robust love for the arts, which are an integral part of our city’s identity and essential to the quality of life,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner in a press release. “Every Houstonian will benefit from this magnificent project.”
The Foundation for Jones Hall, the nonprofit overseeing the renovations, has currently raised $25.5 million toward the $50 million project through its ongoing capital campaign “Overture to the Future.” Donors to date include an anonymous donor, Houston Endowment, the Robert and Jane Cizik family, Janet Clark, Nancy and Chuck Davidson, the Shirley and David Toomin family, and the City of Houston.
“Jones Hall has stood the test of time and gave rise to the Downtown Theater District over 50 years ago,” said Barbara McCelvey, the foundation’s board president, in a press release. “We are thrilled to be making this new investment in the Hall so that it can serve millions of artists and the public for the next 50 and beyond.”
The venue’s post-pandemic future includes virtual offerings, which are here to stay– and the technological renovations will benefit those digital options as well.
Since July 2020, the Houston Symphony has livestreamed performances from Jones Hall, and it says it will continue doing so in 2023 and beyond, having developed a loyal virtual audience outside Texas and the U.S.
“The new renovations of Jones Hall include a substantial investment to improve audio/visual capabilities throughout the facility, bringing those systems up to the latest standards … [and] will provide very noticeable improvements in the experiences that our audiences will enjoy both in person and via livestream,” said the Houston Symphony.
Cautiously optimistic, Performing Arts Houston notes that theaters are filling up, but not at pre-pandemic attendance levels – yet:
“Enthusiasm for returning to the theater is continuing to grow … We will have to wait a few more years to enjoy the full benefits of the renovations, but the momentum of support for a thriving and enduring performing arts culture in Houston is continuing to build.”
L-R: Donald Rabin (“Come Together Houston” project manager), Dr. Courntey Crappell (Director of the Moores School of Music, University of Houston), and artist GONZO247 at the Lyons Avenue Festival, April 9, 2022 / Photo by Donald Rabin
At the height of the omicron variant surge in January, the CDC Foundation awarded $2.5 million in funding to 30 organizations across the U.S. to create arts and culture-based approaches to promote vaccine education and acceptance.
Among the grant recipients was Dr. Courtney Crappell, Director of the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston.
The arts and culture can be crucial tools in public health communication. Because local artists have long served as trusted messengers and translators of vital information in their communities, they can support vaccine education and acceptance in ways that cut through cultural barriers, skepticism and misinformation.
Neighborhoods include Third Ward, where the percentage of vaccinated individuals is lower in comparison to other parts of Houston, said Donald Rabin, the series’ project manager.
Outspoken Bean / Photo by Donald Rabin
Performances will feature four Houston artists: GONZO247, a graffiti muralist; Mariachi Pumas, the UH Mariachi ensemble; Outspoken Bean, Houston Poet Laureate; and Urban Souls, a contemporary dance company.
The first event took place at Lyons Avenue Festival on April 9, and the series continues May through July:
May 6, 5:30 – 8pm, Outspoken Bean at MECA Dow Campus (Multicultural Education & Counseling through the Arts) 1900 Kane St, Houston, 77007
May 21, 12 – 2pm, Outspoken Bean at Trinity Houston United Methodist Church, 2600 Holman St., Houston, 77004
May 27, 5:30 – 8pm, Mariachi Pumas at MECA Dow Campus (Multicultural Education & Counseling through the Arts) 1900 Kane St, Houston, 77007
During the events, a team from the Moores School of Music will record stories from audience members, reflecting on their COVID experience. Individuals who wish to participate will answer prompts, such as “How did COVID affect you using one word?” and “What did you learn from COVID so far?”
Organizers say the answers will be used to inspire the performances, in an effort to raise awareness of the benefit of vaccines. Digital stories may also be featured on the Come Together Houston website and shared with the CDC Foundation.
Most of the events will have access to free vaccinations, and brochures with information on vaccines and vaccine hesitancy will also be distributed.
Currently, the percentage of fully vaccinated individuals (ages 5 and older) in Harris County is 67%, compared to the national rate of 70%.
Organizers say the series uses the arts not only to encourage vaccination but also to bring the community back together from the pandemic.
Mariachi Pumas at the Lyons Avenue Festival / Photo by Dr. Courtney Crappell
The new name goes into effect on April 12, along with a new website, new branding, and a new membership program. That same day, Performing Arts Houston will also announce its 2022-2023 season and open applications for its 2nd annual Houston ArtistCommissioning Project.
“Dropping the word ‘Society’ from the name helps us welcome everyone to the performing arts. This is an experience for all Houstonians,” said the organization in a statement.
The shorter new name is intended to celebrate the connection to local communities, while capturing the depth of arts presented.
“It also lets us lose the acronym SPA,” stated the organization, adding cheekily: “As therapeutic as the performing arts may be, we are not a spa.”
We’ve presented Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for over 50 years. We’ve brought Marcel Marceaux, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Yo-Yo Ma, Martha Graham Dance Company, Lang Lang, STOMP, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Spalding Gray, American Ballet Theatre, and hundreds more world class artists to our city. Parallel to what you see on stage, our education and community programs create and inspire arts engagement to the wider community. We’re proud to continue that work as Performing Arts Houston.
The new name was first revealed to attendees of its April 2 gala, The Kaleidoscope Ball, which raised nearly $600,000 is support of the organization’s presentations and education and community engagement programs.
Former Houston Ballet Principal Lauren Anderson as the Sugar Plum Fairy in Ben Stevenson’s The Nutcracker / Photo by Jim Caldwell (2005), courtesy of Houston Ballet
Houston Ballet has announced the company’s first endowed scholarship to be named for a dancer.
Established in honor of the company’s first African American Principal Dancer, the new Lauren Anderson Young Dancer Scholarship Fund will provide yearly scholarships “for up to four underrepresented artists who aspire to be professional ballet dancers and show great promise in their physical and artistic abilities,” according to a press release.
The scholarships will cover full annual tuition costs at Houston Ballet Academy and aim to help develop the next generation of elite ballet dancers.
The company says that incoming and current students in the Academy’s Professional Program may be considered for the award, and the first scholarship will be presented at the Academy Spring Showcase in late April 2022.
Former Houston Ballet Principals Lauren Anderson as Kitri and Carlos Acosta as Bastilio in Ben Stevenson’s Don Quixote / Photo by Geoff Winningham (1995), courtesy of Houston Ballet.
Native Houstonian Lauren Anderson danced with Houston Ballet from 1983 to 2006, during which she became the first African American promoted to Principal Dancer at the company in 1990. She remains one of the few African American ballerinas to hold the highest rank at a major U.S. ballet company.
Anderson’s critically acclaimed 23-year career with Houston Ballet spanned performances of leading roles in all the great classical ballets, as well as roles created for her including Ben Stevenson’s Cleopatra – though her deep relationship with the company goes back to when she began training there at age 7.
“Fifty years ago, I started at the Houston Ballet Academy on scholarship, which gave me the opportunity to begin my journey towards becoming a professional dancer,” said Anderson in a statement.
“To now have a scholarship named after me means everything,” she continued. “Houston Ballet is the foundation of my life … It’s where my dreams came true, and I am so proud that this scholarship will give the next generation of aspiring young dancers from underrepresented communities an opportunity to reach further than they ever thought they could go.”
Houston Ballet Education and Community Engagement Associate Director Lauren Anderson guest teaching students during the Academy Summer Intensive Program / Photo by Chenay Newton (2019), courtesy of Houston Ballet
The Lauren Anderson Young Dancer Scholarship becomes the Academy’s 9th endowed scholarship. Information about donating to the fund can be found here.
“It is our mission that our student body reflects the city of Houston, the most diverse city in the country. This will allow us to reward deserving students based on their merit to receive the highest level of training,” said Jennifer Sommers, Houston Ballet Academy director, in a statement.
Lauren Anderson continues to serve the Houston community through master classes and lectures in her role as the Academy’s Associate Director of Education and Community Engagement, and she continues to inspire the ballet world and beyond.
Melissa Pritchett as Marianne Dashwood, Laura Kaldis as Anne Steele, Todd Waite as John Dashwood, Michelle Elaine as Fanny Dashwood, Chris Hutchison as Mrs. Ferrars & Melissa Molano as Lucy Steele in Alley Theatre’s production of Sense and Sensibility, March 28 – April 10, 2022 / Photo by Lynn Lane
While the omicron variant wave forced some local arts groups to cancel events in late 2021 and early 2022, nearly all of the major Houston Theater District arts organizations have lifted masking or proof of vaccination requirements for audiences this past month – following the significant decline of COVID-19 cases in the City of Houston and Harris County.
In a statement by the Alley Theatre, which changed its protocol to ‘masks optional’ on March 9: “The Executive Directors at the Theater District organizations were in communication with each other around updating policies,” indicating information sharing and support within the arts community.
As March continued, arts groups – one after another – began announcing updated COVID policies on their websites or social media, citing guidance from public health experts, government officials, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (A list of updated protocol appears at the end of this article.)
Two local milestones also helped pave the way. On February 24, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner lifted mask requirements for employees and visitors in city buildings, and on March 10, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo lowered the county’s COVID threat level to yellow, signifying a “moderate or controlled level of COVID-19.”
With a recently reported new BA.2 subvariant now in the Houston area, it’s unclear to health officials if that could lead to another surge. The average positivity rate in Harris County currently remains low, under 2%.
For now, audiences have the opportunity to attend spring performances with less restrictions, while arts groups – many of whom have recently announced their 2022 – 2023 seasons – hang onto the hope for a healthier future.
Here’s a summary of updated COVID protocol of the 8 major Theater District arts groups and 3 Houston theater companies that operate their own venues:
As of March 1, A.D. Players no longer requires masks and temperature checks for patrons.
Due to the recent, rapid decline in positive COVID-19 cases in our area, revised union guidelines, and the new CDC guidance regarding indoor masking, we are pleased to announce that masks will no longer be required when attending a performance at the George Theater. We cannot thank you enough for your patience and support during this difficult time and we look forward to seeing your smiling faces once again at The George!
Kevin Dean, Artistic Director and Jake Speck, Executive Director
As of March 4, the Houston Symphony no longer requires masks for patrons, though “mask-wearing is strongly recommended for all audience members while inside of Jones Hall.”
Beginning today, Wednesday, March 9, we are pleased to announce that the Alley will no longer be requiring proof of negative COVID test or proof of vaccination to enter the Theatre. Additionally, guests and volunteers will no longer be required to wear a mask inside the Theatre, though anyone is, of course, still welcome to do so.
As of late March, Main Street Theater no longer requires masks, but continues to require proof of negative COVID-19 test result or vaccination, for audience members of its MainStage productions at its Rice Village venue.
Due to the intimacy of our MainStage theater in Rice Village, we are erring on the side of caution and continuing to require proof of a negative COVID test or vaccination.
We are prepared to be flexible. We will adjust as the virus and positivity rates adjust. Also, keep in mind that for our MainStage, we operate under an Actors’ Equity Association contract, so some rules they set. Basically, we are re-evaluating before each new production on both our MainStage and Theater for Youth stages.
Shannon Emerick, Director of Marketing and Communications
Previously in late February, Main Street Theater lifted mask requirements for its Theatre for Youth productions at MATCH. Proof of vaccination was never required for patrons of that series.
Elias String Quartet at the Menil Collection, March 29, 2022 / Courtesy of Da Camera
As of March 21, Da Camera no longer requires proof of negative COVID-19 test result or vaccination, while maintaining its mask requirement: “All patrons must wear a mask that covers their nose and mouth at all times, except while actively eating or drinking.”
DACAMERA’s safety policy was recently updated to reflect changing conditions in the community while remaining consistent with the policies implemented by the various venues in which we present performances.
As presenters at The Hobby Center, both companies follow the safety protocol of the venue.
As of March 21, The Hobby Center no longer requires proof of negative COVID-19 test result or vaccination, while maintaining its mask requirement: “Currently, all patrons must only wear a mask while inside the building and are required to provide their own mask.”
Houston Grand Opera’s 3rd Annual Giving Voice Concert, March 19, 2022 / Photo by Lynn Lane
As of March 25, Houston Grand Opera no longer requires masks for patrons.
Per the latest guidance on COVID-19 safety from the HGO Health Advisory Committee, local health officials, and the Centers for Disease Control, HGO will no longer require masks for audience members, effective immediately, although we continue to encourage their use.
In addition, HGO will remove all previous requirements (masks, proof of vaccine/negative COVID tests) for those attending special events at the Wortham Theater Center, including Opera Ball on April 9, and we will be reopening the Green Room for our spring repertoire.
As announced in a March 28 email, SPA will no longer implement the same requirements – masks and proof of negative COVID-19 test result or vaccination – at all of its shows.
SPA has revised policies for several upcoming shows, on a case-by-case basis.
We present artists from around the world, each with varying needs and perspectives. Conversations around health & safety differ for them all.
As the situation around Covid has changed, we’ve kept those conversations going. And we have updates.
Please see revised Covid policies below for upcoming 21/22 Season performances. Like our programs, there’s no one-size-fits-all.
Society for the Performing Arts
Details can be found on its FAQ page, under Health and Safety.
In an email to Houston Arts Journal, Houston Ballet says it plans to lift mask requirements for patrons in time for its next production, Pretty Things, opening May 20, 2022.
As we are planning to head back to the theater in mid-May, our current plan will include having a mask as an option, not a requirement. However, we will continue monitoring local conditions and updating our COVID policies with guidance from our medical partners, government officials, and the CDC.
Angela Lee, Director of Marketing and PR
Updated March 31, 2022, 1:20pm: This article has been updated to include new information provided by Houston Ballet.
Urban Souls Dance Company in the World Premiere of “Colored Carnegie” by Harrison Guy, 2021 SPA Houston Artist Commissioning Project / Melissa Taylor Photography
After more than 50 years of being known as Society for the Performing Arts – or SPA, for short – the nonprofit arts presenter will change its name on April 12, 2022.
As recently announced in its March newsletter:
You’ve known us as Society for the Performing Arts. On Apr. 12, we’re changing our name, and our look.
We’re changing our name, but not our commitment to ignite and cultivate passion for the performing arts, and more than ever, to support and amplify the voice of the artist.
Society for the Performing Arts
Founded in 1966, Society for the Performing Arts is considered one of the major arts organizations in downtown Houston’s Theater District, and it has become “the largest nonprofit presenting organization of its kind in the Southwest,” according to its website.
Its founding dovetailed with the 1966 opening of Jones Hall. Created with the intention of filling the new venue with performances, Society for the Performing Arts – which would make its home in Jones Hall – would help ensure audience attendance in that space season after season, along with performances by the Houston Symphony and, until 1987, Houston Ballet and Houston Grand Opera.
CEO Meg Booth interviews 2021 SPA Houston Artist Commissioning Project awardees: musician Sonny Mehta of Riyaaz Qawwali, poet-playwright Deborah DEEP Mouton, and choreographer Harrison Guy / Melissa Taylor Photography
In addition to bringing international touring artists, musicians, dancers, actors, and speakers to Houston, the organization also champions local artists through its Houston Artist Commissioning Project – an initiative launched in 2020 that aims to support new works by the city’s artists, in particular those of marginalized communities.
Houston Arts Journal reached out to Society for the Performing Arts with a few questions about its forthcoming name change:
Why is SPA changing its name now?
For years, there’s been interest in changing the name. With our 2020 Strategic Plan, working with our board, community partners, and staff, it was clear that this was a natural time to make the change.
What prompted this decision, and is it possible to say anything about what it might symbolize?
We wanted a name that better represented who we are, to match the scale and diversity of the arts we present on stage.
Will the name change be accompanied by any other changes within the organization or programming that you can share with us right now?
Yes! We’re getting a whole new look, launching a new website, and a new membership program. On the programming side, we’re building on the success of the Houston Artist Commissioning Project.
Something that isn’t changing—we’ll continue presenting the most diverse live arts experiences in Houston. We’re set to announce the 22/23 Season next month.
So the new name will be revealed to the public on April 12 and officially go into effect that day?
The new name and brand, the 22/23 Season, and memberships all go live on April 12. Attendees at the 2022 Kaleidoscope Ball get a first look at the brand on April 2.
We’re so thankful for our stakeholders, supporters, partners, and audiences. Without their financial support, their minds, their love for this city and for the performing arts, this work wouldn’t be possible. Under a new name, we’re ready for decades of arts yet to come.
MVMT Dance, choreography by Amberly Altamirano Daniels / Photo by Badshooting Photography
When I interviewed Houston dancer-choreographer Adam Castañeda in March 2021, he was getting ready to launch his inaugural Texas Latino/a/x Contemporary Dance Festival, which in some ways became a statement of resilience.
At that time, Castañeda, who is director of Pilot Dance Project, called the festival a culmination of a year of “trying to survive” and rallying his fellow dance makers, amidst feelings of anger and resentment caused by the loss of performance opportunities and health inequities during COVID-19.
But this year, he says he’s in a much better place.
“Since I last spoke to you, I’ve produced three evening-length dance works, two of which were sold out. Our annual Houston Fringe Festival [produced by Pilot Dance] happened, and now we are gearing up for an even fuller 2022,” said Castañeda.
“The opportunities as a choreographer have just continued to flow with new commissions that I haven’t announced yet. I’m just so grateful,” he said.
His efforts and resilience have paid off, as seen in the growth of that festival.
Held virtually as a digital dance concert last year, the inaugural edition included 11 works by local Latinx choreographers.
This year, it’s turned into three nights of unique programs with more than 20 works by artists from Houston, Dallas, Denton, and San Antonio, as well as Atlanta – and it’s finally able to be held in person, as COVID rates decline locally following the omicron variant wave.
Castañeda says he was “overwhelmed by applications” this year, signaling that Texas artists are eager to get back to making dance and performing it – and having paid opportunities, which his festival has always offered.
“With the funding we have been awarded for our season, including a Festival Grant from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, we are paying each choreographer a stipend,” he said. “Dance festivals are nothing new, but it’s still a surprise to find a festival that pays in 2022.”
All of this leads to a positive contribution to the arts ecosystem, says Castañeda, in particular making a needed impact on Latinx choreographers – whose diverse, layered identities have not been fully explored on stage in contemporary dance, but will be centerstage at this festival.
“There are so many intersections when we talk about present-day identity,” said Castañeda.
From LGBTQ+ artists to Indigenous artists to those who embody the crossroads of Indigenous and European heritages, he wants the festival “to dig a little into all of those identities and holistically show how they make up this category of Latino/a/x.”
Castañeda also says he’s excited to spark a local conversation about ableism in dance.
“[Atlanta dancer-choreographer] Mark Travis Rivera works with bodies that have been traditionally considered disabled,” Castañeda said. Rivera is presenting a solo set on a dancer with a limb difference.
“What he’s doing is so important because we really haven’t had this discussion in Texas,” he said. “There are great organizations, like Axis Dance Company, which Mark previously worked for in San Francisco, but we don’t really see dance extended to the disabled here in Houston. It’s going to be significant having him on this year’s program.”
Choreography by Mark Travis Rivera / Photo by Andrew Fassbender
The Houston dance community is “slowly re-emerging” from the pandemic, according to Castañeda.
The expansion of his festival is one sign of that, and he says that new works are being presented more regularly these days, while also acknowledging that the pre-COVID challenges of funding and producing dance still remain.
Mollie Haven Miller is the Executive Director of Dance Source Houston, a dance resource and advocacy nonprofit, and she agrees, adding: “Live dance performance is re-emerging, but it’s a slow process because of how dance works are created. It’s not an on/off switch, as works take months to develop.”
“Companies are strategically creating and presenting work, as they’re used to limited resources even in the best of times, but it’s even more of a challenge right now even as we re-emerge from the omicron surge,” Miller said.
Still, Castañeda is forging ahead with the goal of sustaining an annual presence for his Texas Latino/a/x Contemporary Dance Festival, and he has other big plans.
“We also want to broaden the scope of what we mean by contemporary,” said Castañeda.
“I want to know what folklórico choreographers are doing, what salsa and merengue looks like on a concert stage. I want to see contemporary hip-hop and Latin ballroom in the mix,” he continued. “We’ve already started this conversation, as we have two Aztec dance groups on the roster this year. Latinx is a broad category, and so are our dances. Eventually I’d like the festival to encapsulate all of that diversity.”
Updated March 13, 2022: The word “impairment” has been changed to “difference” to be more inclusive and aligned with disability culture.
TEATRX, a Latinx theater company and BANF grantee [pictured from left to right: Fabiola Andujar, Michael Sifuentes, Matthew Ruiz and Matthew Martinez] / photo by Melissa Taylor
In its first round of funding, the BIPOC Arts Network and Fund (BANF) has announced that it is awarding a combined $2 million to 120 Houston-area arts groups serving Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern and other communities of color.
The grants range from $5,000 to $50,000 for 59 artist collectives and 61 arts organizations – with support from the Ford Foundation, Houston Endowment, The Brown Foundation, Inc., The Cullen Foundation, Kinder Foundation, and The Powell Foundation.
“This is a moving moment because there are many grantees who are being funded for the first time, despite having a strong and lengthy track record of work in their communities,” said Marissa Castillo, co-founder of TEATRX, in a press release. The Latinx theater company is the recipient of a $7,500 BANF grant.
“This grant helps TEATRX advance our mission of making Latinx performance arts a vital and prominent part of the artistic identity of Houston by representing and supporting the Latinx community, its artists, and its stories,” Castillo said.
While Houston is the most racially and ethnically diverse city in an increasingly diverse country, 90% of local arts philanthropy goes to 27 mostly white-led organizations, according to a 2017 study by Houston Endowment.
Nationally, the 20 largest mainstream arts organizations have a median budget of $61 million – 16 times the median budget of the 20 largest organizations of color at $3.8 million, according to a 2015 Diversity in the Arts study by the DeVos Institute.
BANF was launched in September 2021 to address these inequities locally. The multi-year initiative aims to support BIPOC-led nonprofits that provide arts and culture programming, as well as fiscally-sponsored artist collectives, across the nine counties of Greater Houston (Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller counties).
The groundwork for the effort was laid by the Ford Foundation’s America’s Cultural Treasures initiative, which in September 2020 committed an unprecedented $156 million to support BIPOC arts communities nationwide in response to the devastating economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of that amount, $5 million was invested in the Greater Houston region and combined with contributions from local foundations to create BANF.
Alief Art House, a BANF grantee, was founded and organized by Houston Filipinx artist Matt Manalo. A shipping container that houses free art exhibits and events, it brings art into the one of the most diverse neighborhoods within Greater Houston and serves as an outlet to showcase Alief artists. The collective is in the process of expanding to two shipping containers to house offices and workshops. / courtesy of Alief Art House
“We took the opportunity to prioritize learning and abundance and to de-emphasize competition in our grantmaking process,” said Sixto Wagan, BANF Project Director, in a statement.
“We saw this as an opportunity to learn from the written and spoken words of applicants what our communities’ strengths and challenges are as they face the current economic, social, and health realities of today,” Wagan said.
Organizers say that this community-learning approach that centers BIPOC voices will continue to guide BANF as it develops ways to assist artists beyond financial investment – such as by “broadening networks or expanding development opportunities.”
In this coming year, the initiative will host a series of information sessions with grantees and the arts community at large to identify how BIPOC arts organizations and artists want to be supported specifically to meet challenges and needs.
Photo credit: Young Audiences of Houston / Facebook
The National Endowment for the Arts is awarding 1,498 grants totaling nearly $33.2 million for its first round of funding for fiscal year 2022.
Of that amount, $1,746,000 is going to 77 institutions in Texas, with 22 Houston arts organizations receiving $632,000.
The overall funding spans every state, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. The types of grants awarded include Grants for Arts Projects, which represent 15 artistic disciplines; Challenge America grants, “for projects that extend the reach of the arts to populations that have limited access to the arts due to geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability”; Literature Fellowships in creative writing and translation; and Arts Research grants.
“These National Endowment for the Arts grants underscore the resilience of our nation’s artists and arts organizations, will support efforts to provide access to the arts, and rebuild the creative economy,” said Ann Eilers, NEA Acting Chair, in a press release.
“The supported projects demonstrate how the arts are a source of strength and well-being for communities and individuals, and can open doors to conversations that address complex issues of our time,” Eilers said.
Among local grantees, Young Audiences of Houston will receive $50,000 for its Neighborhoods, Identity, and Diversity Project, which aims to increase arts access and equity. By providing free programs across 10 communities, the project works to amplify youth voices, infuse local cultures and traditions into arts-based learning, and collaborate with teaching artists and schools.
“We look forward to sharing over the next year the progress of this exciting project, unique to Houston and the communities that create our region’s vibrancy,” said Mary Mettenbrink, Young Audiences of Houston’s Executive Director, in a statement. “This project will support Acres Homes, Alief-Westwood, Fort Bend Houston, Gulfton, Kashmere Gardens, Magnolia-Park Manchester, Near Northside, Second Ward, Sunnyside, and Third Ward.”
Houston’s Discovery Green Conservancy will receive a $15,000 NEA grant in support of its project, Tejas Got Soul: Celebrating Houston’s Tejano Roots Music Legacy.
Initiated by East End residents Pat Jasper, Nick Gaitan, Isaac Rodriguez, Robert Rodriguez, and Angel Quesada, the project includes 3 free concerts in fall 2022 that feature traditional music genres popular in the Chicano community, from orquesta to conjunto and Tejano to Brown-Eyed Soul. There will also be panel discussions about the history of the local Chicano music scene and a social media campaign to add historical and cultural context about the music, musicians, and the community.
“Part of Discovery Green Conservancy’s mission is to shine a light on the diversity of traditions that exist in Houston,” said Barry Mandel, Discovery Green Conservancy President, in a statement. “The Conservancy is very proud to work with talented Houstonians to present these concerts and is very grateful for the National Endowment of Arts support.”
A full state-by-state listing of grants is available here.
A full list of Houston grantees follows:
Alley Theatre $20,000 Grants for Arts Projects – Theater
Houston Arts Journal 