Amid looming threats of technological dominance, funding cuts and unsavory comments from certain celebrities, it is easy to fall for the narrative that the arts are in peril. At the Footprints Dance Festival, held at the newly opened Amanda Selwyn Dance Studios from March 12 to 14, a full audience and artistic excellence were a welcome reminder that the narrative is far from the truth.
Festival curator Amanda Selwyn originated the event while running arts programming at the West Side YMCA. This year, her company, the Amanda Selwyn Dance Company, opened a long-awaited studio space in downtown Manhattan, and the festival moved into the new space for its fifth season.
According to Selwyn, this year she had a record amount of choreographic work to choose from. With about 130 applications, she whittled it down to 13 works split into two separate programs. One program also included an excerpt from Selwyn’s upcoming work “Exposed,” which will be previewed during her season in May and officially debut in April 2027 at New York Live Arts.
While at times there was a notable variety in technical experience, that range was overshadowed by the overall excitement that arose from a night of dance where audiences could truly see new choreographic perspectives — a rare occurrence in a rapidly expanding contemporary dance world that can often feel oversaturated with an uptick in digital content.
I think it’s important to provide these opportunities. … Part of our mission is to expand audiences for dance and expand access to dance. Amanda Selwyn, Footprints Festival Dance Festival curator
At the 8:30 p.m. performance on March 14, standout performances included “Opportunity,” a serene yet heart-wrenching work from Obremeski/Works and choreographed by company director Jesse Obremeski (also a dancer with The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater) and “Iliocostal,” a stunningly intimate yet often times grotesque duet choreographed by Jack Randel.
Obremeski/Works, possibly the most well-known name on that night’s program, is a contemporary dance company composed of dancers from the Asian American and Pacific Islander community with a large focus on equity and what they call “why-driven performance art.” “Opportunity” centered on the theme of connection, as dancers moved in and out of tender moments: holding each other, then tragically sliding away. The work offered a fluidity in its movement that many strive for, yet few reach.
“Iliocostal,” from freelance choreographer Randel, was possibly the most exciting piece of the night. Dancers Kevin Avila and Alisha Khatwani displayed both technical mastery and a rare level of chemistry. In his choreographic choices, Randel presented something excitingly unfamiliar, most notable in his innovative floor work and partnering. The dancers intertwined in a way that both resonated with human experience and had an almost otherworldly beauty.
For a large part, Selwyn’s method of curation was the reason for the refreshing novelty present at the festival. She aimed for cohesive nights of dance that would still keep audiences engaged. Applications were open to all dance styles; however, all the work selected ended up falling into the contemporary/modern style, which was a welcome throughline in her goal for cohesion.
In selecting the pieces, she looked at the dancers’ submitted work before reading any resumes, meaning previous experience or accolades were not a factor in participant selection. This allowed many new voices in the dance world a valuable opportunity to show their work.
“Whether or not they were super experienced or not, I let the work speak for itself,” Selwyn said.
Once selected, dancers did not have to pay a fee to participate. They were given space to rehearse, lighting, stage management and professional photo and video at no cost. For freelance or smaller artists and companies, that kind of opportunity can be hard to come by and provides major relief in a world where production costs are only rising.
You are an artist, and you need to do this work … it’s not something one would take into casually, because there’s no committing to a career in dance casually. Amanda Selwyn, Footprints Festival Dance Festival curator
“I think it’s important to provide these opportunities. … Part of our mission is to expand audiences for dance and expand access to dance,” Selwyn said.
Alongside funding challenges, choreographers and dancers today battle the growing argument that concert dance is losing its audience. Dance and dance creation is a tireless career, with not much promise for great financial gain. Selwyn said this concern is not new; she herself received a similar message as a young person entering the arts world. Nevertheless, Selwyn is adamant that dancers should and will keep showing up.
“You are an artist, and you need to do this work … it’s not something one would take into casually, because there’s no committing to a career in dance casually,” Selwyn said.
The Footprints Dance Festival was proof that that passion is reciprocal — audiences will keep showing up too. At the performance, audience members milled in and out of a studio space that Selwyn had turned into a sort of lobby for the event. There is nothing like excited chatter and a full house to prove that the arts are far from dying.
“The fact that people are showing up, whether it’s to a studio showing, a festival or to a performance at the Joyce, people want to see art, and people are going to see live performances in New York,” Selwyn said. “As long as that’s happening, it’s not going anywhere.”
Audiences can attend the Amanda Selwyn’s Dance Company’s upcoming season featuring the studio preview of “Exposed” from May 1 to 2 at her all new studio space.