What is the mission of Barnstorm Dance Fest?

The mission of Barnstorm Dance Fest is tied to Dance Source Houston’s mission – to empower the diverse individuals and organizations working in the field of dance throughout the Greater Houston region by means of advocacy, inclusive community engagement, and support services.  The core goal of the festival is showcase to the breadth, depth, and diversity of dance in Greater Houston and beyond.

Who can submit to the festival?

Choreographers and companies working in all dance genres are encouraged to apply.  Over the life of the festival, a wide range of genres have been featured including Afrodance, ballet, belly dance, Bharatanatyam, contemporary, flamenco, hip hop, jazz, Kathak, modern, performance art, tango, tap, and more.

Artists and organizations that do not reside within the Greater Houston area are eligible to apply.  Through featuring a limited number of out-of-town artists each year Dance Source Houston hopes to foster an exchange of ideas between other cities and states that does not happen often enough.  The inclusion of non-local artists enriches the experience for local artists and audiences alike. Typically 3-5 artists/companies from outside of Greater Houston are featured in the festival.

Can I submit a work in progress?

Yes, works currently in development may be submitted to the festival.  To ensure your application is easily understood by the curators, detail the trajectory of your work in progress along with the description of the work.  The application allows for two work sample links.  One is required and must be of the proposed work.  The work sample does not need to be of the completed work but must show that the work has been initiated.  The second work sample can be of past work.  Describe each work sample in the provided blank and feel free to guide curators to a specific time in the video.  Please do not include promotional reels.

Can the festival support live music?

Yes, but it will depend on your instrument setup and technical needs. Please be prepared to include everything that is essential to the sound presentation for your work in your application, including instruments and equipment you intend to provide, as well as what you would need the festival to provide. The Barnstorm production schedule only allows for up to 1 hour of tech time per work. Due to these time constraints, some sound setups may not be possible. We recommend contacting Production Manager Jhon Stronks at [email protected] ahead of time to assess whether your specific set up is possible.

Can the festival support set pieces, large props?

Yes, but it will depend on the specificities of your set pieces. Please be prepared to include everything that is essential to the presentation of your work. MATCH Box 2 has audio playback, projection capacity, and microphones can be made available upon request. Because of the limited backstage space and storage at MATCH, large set pieces and props may require additional discussion. We recommend reaching out to [email protected] ahead of time to assess whether your specific setup is possible and gain a greater understanding of what additional responsibilities you may need to take on.

Can I submit more than one piece?

Yes, you may submit multiple works to the festival, however, applicants will not have more than one piece selected for inclusion. You must complete a full application for each piece.

Can I submit a dance film?

Yes! The application for dance films will open in September 2024. Selected films are incorporated into Programs A, B & C, and presented alongside live performance works. A maximum of 6 films will be selected for the 2025 festival.

Do choreographers whose works are selected receive a stipend?

Yes! Each live performance work presented in Barnstorm 2025 will receive a $300 stipend and dance films will receive a $100 stipend.

How is the festival curated?

Applications are curated by a community panel of 3 judges.  The selection process is guided by Aesthetic Perspectives: Attributes of Excellence in Arts for Change framework​, which helps to ensure that panelists give every application a fair and thorough consideration, despite potential individual genre unfamiliarity, aesthetic bias, or lack of high-quality work sample documentation. After applications are scored by panelists individually, the panel meets with the DSH staff to filter their results through the mission and vision of the festival to ensure an accurate representation of the Houston dance community is presented based on the applications received.

Previous panels have included Lauren Anderson, Annie Arnoult, Alexa Capareda, Rachel Cook, Roberta Paixao Cortes, Matthew Cumbie, Ashley Dehoyos, Marlana Doyle, Xandra Eden, Lindsay Gary, Elijah Gibson, Harrison Guy, Jasmine Hearn, David Lake, Lavanya Rajagopalan, Michelle Ramos, Sue Schroeder, Armando Silva, Jennnifer Sommers, Jenni Rebecca Stephenson, Kalpana Subarrao, Sixto Wagan, Helanius Wilkins, Nancy Wozny, Janie Yao, Lori Yuill, and Uwazi Zamani.

How many works will be selected?

A maximum of 15 live performance works and 6 dance films will be selected for inclusion in the 2025 festival. In addition to these works, Dance Source Houston’s 2024-25 Artists In Residence will each present a new work in Barnstorm.

What is the format of the festival?

Barnstorm features 3 unique programs – A, B and C. The production schedule for May 28-June 1, 2024 has been set and can be found below. Please be aware that all 3 programs require participants to be present for rehearsals and performances at MATCH spanning a minimum of 3 days during the week of the festival. Review the schedule before submitting your application so that you can select which programs you and your cast are available for.

  • Program A
    Tech – Monday, April 28 between 3pm and 7pm
    Dress Rehearsal – Monday, April 28 7:30pm Call / 8:30pm Run (all performers must attend the dress rehearsal)
    Performances – Tuesday, April 29 – 6:00pm Call / 7:30pm Curtain and Friday, May 2 – 5:30pm Call / 7:30pm Curtain
  • Program B
    Tech – Tuesday, April 28 between 9am and 1pm
    Dress Rehearsal – Tuesday, April 28 – 1:30pm Call / 2:30pm Run (all performers must attend the dress rehearsal)
    Performances – Wednesday, April 30 – 6:00pm Call / 7:30pm Curtain and Saturday, May 3 – 3:30pm Call / 5:00pm Curtain
  • Program C
    Tech – Wednesday, April 29 between 9am and 1pm
    Dress Rehearsal – Wednesday, April 29 – 1:30pm Call / 2:30pm Run (all performers must attend the dress rehearsal)
    Performances – Thursday, May 1 – 6:00pm Call / 7:30pm Curtain and  Saturday, May 3 – 6:00pm Call / 7:30pm Curtain

What is the timeline for the festival if accepted?

  • August 1, 2024 – Live performance application portal opens
  • September 1, 2024 – Dance film application portal opens
  • September 5, 2024 – Live performance applications due
  • October 1, 2024 – Dance film applications due
  • November 1, 2024 – All applicants are notified of the panel’s decision
  • December 2024 – Mandatory participant meeting (in person for locals, virtual for those outside Greater Houston)
  • January 2025 – Festival participants are announced
  • February 2025 – Video of completed work due to DSH and Barnstorm production staff
  • April 28-May 3, 2025 – Barnstorm Dance Fest rehearsals, performances, classes, artist panels and more!

Have additional questions?  Contact us at [email protected]!