Dear Crimson Coast Dance community,
At Crimson Coast, we believe in magic.
A dancer transforms before your very eyes. A story, an image, disappears and reappears, reinvented. The source of our magic lies in creativity and change, in not knowing, and in remaining curious.
In the current of the profound and unexpected changes of this past year, Crimson Coast has, along with each of you, endeavored to remain responsive and accessible. We have struggled around unforeseen barriers and confronted an unpredictable future through a creative response. We are committed to harnessing the ‘invitation’ to reflect and reconsider dance presentations through the power of curiosity, creativity and a willingness to learn, grow and change.
We are proud of the ways our team has risen to the challenges of bringing our events online and onboarding artists and participants for shows, workshops and conversations:
- On March 17, 2020 the lockdown was called and our March 22 to 27 our Body Talk Youth program began online.
- In April 2020, restrictions were still in place so we onboarded artists, Olivia C. Davies and Rosemary Georgeson to deliver their Indigenous women specific workshop, Home: Our Way, to women of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.
- In July 2020, with some ease in restrictions, our annual InFrinGinG Dance Festival thrived with 10 days of online programming in addition to small audience, small stage performances outside and around town, as well as a drive in live and drive in movie experience.
It has been demanding. We know you know.
And it has been worth it because art changes people.
Dance holds a place for beauty.
It stimulates dialogue.
It inspires.
It makes magic at every level of our senses.
It does so without words.
No “Abracadabra!” required. If that’s not magic, what is?!
In this time of uncertainty and resilience, there’s one thing we know: everyone deserves – to experience the magic of dance. Sure change is destabilizing, yet it also opens the door for recovery, opportunity, healing, progress.
Like the magic offered by a new day, we hope to offer the enchantment of Crimson Coast’s programming and residencies next year to everyone at no cost. That is, that your donations will fund the opportunity for everyone in our community to enjoy the magic of dance, not just those who donate.
Imagine our season being accessible to all!
Will you consider making a monthly donation?
Think of it as a subscription to a service like Netflix, or Spotify, and rather than supporting a streaming giant, you are supporting the best in innovative new dance from your own community and around the world and the opportunity of your community to participate in the experience.
When we secure:
- $1000/mo in contributions, we will make two shows, and one associated workshop in our season, free for everyone
- $2500/mo in contributions we will make our entire Mainstage Season and all associated workshops with visiting artists free for everyone
- $3500/mo we will make our entire Mainstage Season and all associated workshops with visiting artists free for everyone including our week-long youth program, BODY TALK, free to teens, AND its culminating show free to everyone
- $5000/mo everything we present in our Mainstage Season, our Body Talk Youth Program, and our InFrinGinG Dance Festival, all residencies, workshops and ongoing classes are absolutely free for everyone. Everything we present.
$0
$5,000
Whatever amount of money you contribute, know that your contribution is invaluable.
What's in it for you?
- All donations will receive a charitable tax receipt at the end of the year.
- When you donate $20/mo you will receive a charitable receipt for your total contributions through December 31 annually. By making affordable monthly donations your annual charitable deduction decreases your tax burden while increasing our ability to plan for CCD’s future.
- Donations of over $5/m receive automatic enrollment as a member at CCDS.
- We’ll continue to release new programming as our season planning unfolds, and we’re especially eager to shine the light on local talent.
- Peggy Baker (Ontario) and Sarah Chase (Hornby Island): unmoored, an exquisite work based on Peggy’s true life story, that captures the utter emptiness of loss and its accompanying opening for illumination.
- Tania Amaral (Mozambique, now living in Nanaimo): Tania will share her exuberance through Afro Fusion Sharqi Dance®.
- A’nó:wara Company (Kahnawake-or-Montreal): Originally of Mohawk Nation, Barbara Diabo brings Sky Dancers, a multi-disciplinary piece that explores the impact of the Quebec bridge disaster of 1907 on its Mohawk ironworkers.
Thank you for joining us in believing in magic.
~ Your Crimson Coast Dance Society Team
Crimson Coast is now also on TikTok: @CrimsonCoastDance
Watch for #CCDanceFree. Join the movement.
We want everyone to be able to share in this magic, to help ease the financial and emotional struggles caused by the pandemic. So, please help us share the spotlight and make 2021 a year to celebrate with free programming we can all enjoy together. Let’s make 2021 a magical year of #CCDanceFreel!
Aside from offering captivating, transformative and transportive, movement experiences, we are committed to:
- Supporting the environment by presenting local artists or purchasing carbon offsets with each plane seat and production. You can even help us select a carbon zero company.
- Support local artists – and you! – by presenting professional development opportunities.
- These are for everyone and support your work in many occupations and skills; performance skill building, Public speaking, composition, teamwork, etc.
- Supporting professional development by commissioning local artists.
- Supporting commissions by making connections locally, nationally, and internationally.
- Making connections through digital knowledge and mixed media.
Developing digital knowledge for artists, provincial presenters and audience in our upcoming symposium, Our Digital Reality.
We know intimately the potential for dance to elevate people’s spirits, ignite creativity, and captivate audiences and participants. Our unique, high-calibre performances leave viewers riveted, inspired, transformed, and moved. Thank you for offering your support in this work.
FAQs
Below we have included information for people who wish to support.
You can imagine that 2020 has had a huge impact on, not only our budget, yet also the way we do things. As a supporter, you likely noted that we have stayed ahead of the ‘curve’! We continued programming through the first health authority restrictions and into the summer to ensure that our annual Body Talk Program, A movement/poetry residency for Indigenous women and inFrinGinG Dance Festival were realized in conscientious platforms to uplift our precious community. We learned by doing, experienced significant learning curves, and always held to our belief that inspiring live art offers encouragement, expression and understanding. Creative movement is healthy. Here we are, providers of this powerful form, yet with no sure revenue source for these events because of the curtailment of live shows.
And here you are. Lovers of this form and benevolent yourselves. We realized that given the circumstances of the time, we require to turn to you and in doing so we might extend your support far beyond a fundraisers usual reach. Maybe, if everyone who has the funds will make a contribution, we can make it possible for the entire community (and global village) to benefit from freely accessing high-calibre dance. And so we are asking.
Over time, your loyal involvement, contributions, attendance and engagement with our initiatives have truly created our success. Your donations not only support our offerings, they also assist in leveraging additional funding support by making a statement about your belief in what we do and interest in having access to it right here in Central Vancouver Island.government funding.
As a charitable non-profit, we sensitively serve everyone including vulnerable youth, and underrepresented artists such as those who identify as IBPOC, people with diverse needs, and the LGBTQ2+ communities.
Lifting all of our spirits.
We’d like EVERYONE to experience the magic of the healing art of dance as we recover from the covid-19 pandemic. To make that dream equally possible to all, and only with your help, we plan tooffer programming and residencies next year to EVERYONE at no cost.
Yes, you will.
If you CLICK HERE, you will see the list of what will happen for you and the community when we reach particular milestones.
THANK YOU!
Now, simply decide how you’d like to make your donations monthly:
ONLINE with a Credit Card: (Also through Canada Helps? Yes. sure.
- Once you have submitted your donation we will contact you.
By cheque, credit card or cash.
- If the online form does not work for you, we are happy to accept credit card information over the phone, or cash donations by arrangement, by calling +1 (250) 716-3230
- You can always email us email us and we will follow up with you.
We will, as always, be sure you receive information about our events in advance. Due to the nature of COVID, we ask for your patience as we navigate the on-going challenges behind the scenes to make this happen.
Once “tickets are on sale” you will book just like before ONLINE or through a Box Office and
Reserve your Seat.
The Price will be $0 Zero.
If you don’t arrive by the time noted, your seat may be forfeited.
There may be changes in some of the registration details depending on the project, but generally everything will be the same as usual, yet it will be free.
We understand this question.
Nobody ever said that libraries were under-valued because they were free. No one ever complained that a TofinoCape Breton sunset wasn’t beautiful because it was cheap.
From our perspective, more dance is available to more people, more of the time. And that is a good thing. This campaign runs through MONTH and the benefit to our entire community is currently planned for the 2021-2022 season. At that point we will reassess and seek community reflection on the value of this initiative. Meanwhile, we are producing exactly the same content as ever, the same calibre artists in our usual venues. Artists continue to work at, Crimson Coast continues sustainability, our community continues to be inspired, enlivened and enlightened.
As long as you are able to maintain a sustainable plan. When you contribute monthly we commit to continuing to provide high-calibre dance locally and online. The commitment to monthly contributions enables us to plan ahead with confidence and to keep programming accessible. We hope to reach our goal by MONTH. If this initiative is successful and donations continue to be renewed, we may offer free events forever more!
The math:
At $20.00/month you essentially break even if you attend all of our events. On top of that you will receive your charitable donation of 30 to 50% AND you have paved the way for anyone in our community to attend regardless of their financial circumstances.
Remember, the more you contribute, the more people you directly support to attend more events and the more people you get to share dance experiences with.
MAGIC!
Our Mainstage series, Dance On The Crimson Coast, is a series of 4 full scale dance productions held between September 1, 2021 and October 31, 2022.
Residencies is when an artist takes up residency in our town! We support an artist to either visit and create work OR we support a local artist to spend dedicated time to the creation of work.
Yes, reserve your spot by registering for a FREE ticket as soon as they are released per event. It confirms that you are attending and holds your seat.
What an exciting dilemma!
We have never turned anyone away in twenty three years, yet all the more reason to stay connected through our Newsletter, Facebook page, Instagram and regular visits to our website. All of our activities are announced on each platform at the same time! Act fast! And we will find you a seat.
If we have learned anythng by our actions staying ahead of the curve, it’s that until we DO know when we may be likely gathering again, Crimson Coast will plan for events to be online. The moment an opportunity to ‘go live’ takes place, we will pivot to ‘the good old fashioned way’ AND do we EVER look forward to that!
Furthermore, if we get to that top goal, we will be sure to organize live streams of each Mainstage show, so people who are not yet comfortable entering a public theatre will still get to participate from home – as can our donors from anywhere in the world!
Yes, they will be.
$60,000 is 18% of our annual budget and will fully cover the costs of 2.5 shows. We produce minimally 6 shows indoors, over a dozen outdoor shows, a school year long youth program, artists residencies, inclusive dance classes and workshops. Our budget goes a LONG way as it is, yet during these times of unpredictable revenue, knowing these resources are coming in, we will be able to produce our FULL season and you and all your friends and neighbors get to be there.
This will be one stream of revenue and will replace ticket sales, which are currently stalled.
No, we found this approach practiced at The Hat
The idea was formed in the states. It is a Radical approach that is becoming more common-place and helps communities define who they are by what they care about and, therefore, support. Hey, if it works and renews, we may continue this model and offer free dance for everyone all the time!
No, we will track your contribution and inform you of the value of your contribution and what it will give you.
Make your donation
- By Credit Card. Once you have submitted your donation via our Donation page we will contact you.
- By cheque or credit card or cash. If the online form does not work for you, we are happy to accept credit card information over the phone by calling (250) 716-3230.
- You can always email us and we will follow up with you.
More ways to help
- Share our campaign with 3 friends directly by messenger, WhatsApp, Text, email or Call
- Start your own fundraising campaign for us, use this media kit to support your initiative
- Seeking Volunteers to help make phone calls