Last night I had the privilege to attend the Queens Council on the Arts Grant Writing Workshop with Melissa Sandor/Melissa Sandor Inc. Well... I left bubbling with so much excitement and a running faucet of ideas. I hope the valve doesn't bust!
What a concept to gather artists, a.k.a. "like minded folk," together to be professionally developed. Something very exciting happens when minds meet as it is, but this structured workshop allowed me freedom to fly on my imagination cloud. So, we gathered. The usual formal introductions were had, light applause appropriately followed, and photos were snapped at opportune moments. Ms. Sandor began...
We were given a task to present ourselves, in writing, to a potential funder. Let's figure out a concise way to define Dance Into Light, Inc. and turn heads. Hell, let's find ways to snap those necks until they are seeing the chiropractor for whiplash cures. We shared out and lots of peer feedback flew around the room.
Then Ms. Sandor begin to break down the ingredients of a grant proposal. My hand cramped several times as I simultaneously tried to scoop up Sandor's wisdom in the air while getting my own ideas down on the next page. Valuable questions were asked and answered. My synapses were on overdrive and I thought the smoke coming out my ears would alarm the other artists or maybe inspire them to explore spontaneous combustion in one's brain.
Let's take 5, 30 minutes on the clock. Have a cookie, eat a piece of fruit, grab a free bottle of water. People like tangible things they can take with them. Schmooooooooze.....get those business cards ready and distribute. Catch up - How's the new work? What's your medium again? I know so in so who knows of you from my brother's cousin's mother's sister. No kidding. TIME! Back to seat.
Genius Part Deux
Let's continue. Sandor gives us time! Loving the time and space to think, listen, learn, discuss, revise, brew, marinate, etc. Task = Revise your work based on what you learned. Okay, I revisit my paragraph and this time I get the opportunity to read aloud. I pretend to sell Dance Into Light to a panel of the most important critics I ever met, other than my mother and I. I received feedback from the impassioned crowd of my peers. Ooooh I feel so safe and warm. Flash backs of the womb. It's nice, it really is.
Wrap It Up and Send
I was a simmering pot of salty water ready for the rice to be put it. Couldn't wait to get to work. I am thrilled that there is a follow up session. I am ecstatic that I have meaningful homework to complete before the next session. I look forward to seeing my peers again. Through this LEAP QCA program* I am finding that I have an outer body bloodline that exists. Thank you universe for allowing me to ask and receive. Thank you QCA for giving and supporting. Thank you Melissa Sandor for sharing your experiences, knowledge from your travels, and giving us much needed time and space.
*The LEAP Dance Project is a professional development program designed to support individual dance artists and foster a community of dance professionals in Queens. Created by QCA in partnership with LaGuardia Performing Arts Center, this nine month program features professional development workshops with experts in the field; peer leadership circles to promote the exchange of information, resources and ideas; admission to local performances; rehearsal space, and a performance opportunity in conjunction with the Queens Art Express that is free and open to the public.
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