You may have been to a cafe or a bar once upon a time that featured an open mic night, but have you ever been to an Open Floor Night?
Every first Friday of the month, BodyVox presents Open Floor Night, where dance and movement artists-- as well as artists of all disciplines-- can invite their friends and communities and showcase what they are working on!
Whether it is an excerpt from an upcoming show, an original choreography to fit this specific occasion, or simply an improvised dance, we want to see what you bring to the Bodyvox dance floor!
Open Floor Night, to me, is an experiment aimed at taking the metaphorical temperature of our local arts scene.
The idea that we could use our space to amplify and uplift the voices of our community while eliminating the financial and production related barriers to presentation that exist in the arts world seemed somewhat farfetched, but motivating as we never turn away from challenges here at BodyVox. These barriers deter artists from pursuing their artistic calling and audiences from participating in and viewing art, creating a landscape in which cash and clout govern performance instead of encouraging it.
But in my view, art is a humanistic element that is meant to be shared- full stop. It is made by people and for people, so why not share it with our communities in a “no strings attached” context? After all, art cannot exist without witnesses. In line with these maxims, Open Floor Night is not owned by anyone: not by myself or the various presenting organizations, not even by BodyVox itself, Open Floor Nights exist because of and for YOU the artist and YOU the audience.
There are also no barriers to entry, encouraging a safe and open environment to present and appreciate one of the most vulnerable forms of storytelling. It is with this philosophy that we will welcome artists and their communities into our space every month so that we all can experience the beauty, the inspiring force, and power of art. Due to your presence and patronage of this event, art exists and thrives within our walls, and ultimately in our hearts. Thank you so much for believing in and being a part of this project, and I hope you enjoy YOUR Open Floor Nights.