Embedded Writer Program

MANCC’s Embedded Writer Program has hosted 38 writers invited by 36 lead artists in residence since its inception in 2016, supported by the Mellon Foundation. The program came about in response to MANCC artists’ requests to find ways to bring writers into their developmental process and was informed by MANCC’s 2016 Writers Convening. A think tank of MANCC artists, dance writers who publish on regional and national platforms, and FSU scholars, the convening both examined the need and explored potential methodologies for engaging with the creative process in dance, at MANCC and beyond. The program does not require any ‘final’ product; instead, it prioritizes an opportunity through a residency to explore a relationship between a writer and artist or deepen an already existing one. A range of writing, nonetheless, has come out of this program since inception, including published articles in cultural ‘zines, scholarly reviews, writing contributions to creative works, program notes, and curriculum.  

For the full report on the Writers Convening, see this link.

“As a writer, I’ve never had the opportunity to be in an artist’s rehearsal in such an intensive way. I’ve done writing fellowships where I get to develop relationships with artists over time, …; but the studio visits are very much “show and tell,” rather than an actual working process.“

– Anh Vo, Embedded Writer with Juliana May (NY), 2023

“Embedded writer program also brought a new possibility of our creative process. Writer Ajani (Brannum) was literally embedded in our rehearsals participating (in) the movement routines physically as well as archiving and facilitating the rehearsal conversations. This made me envision about collaborating with a writer/dramaturg for the future process.”

– DaEun Jung (CA), 2023

Publications Program 

In 2018-2019, MANCC initiated its Publications Program, with Mellon Foundation support, to commission writings that are seeded by the Embedded Writer Program’s residencies. The Program has, to date, commissioned 14 publications, supporting fully or in part fees for writers, designers, editors, and/or printing, by the following MANCC artists, their embedded writers, and other contributors.  

In order of support (Artists listed first, Embedded Writers listed second):

• Jeanine Durning with Jenn Joy – softbound 71-page book, nonstopping  

• Will Rawls with Kemi Adeyemi, other contributors to be finalized – to be published book related to [siccer]  

• Milka Djordjevich with Dot Hamilton – prototype for playbook, CORPS 

• Edisa Weeks with Jerome Dent, James Scruggs, Thomas F. DeFrantz and Jasmine Johnson – four handmade ‘zines, Roots, Life, Liberty, Happiness 

• netta yerushalmy with Katherine Profeta – program notes and citations for MOVEMENT 

• Joanna Koetze with Lauren Slone – softbound 158-page book, ‘lectric eye 

• Benjamin Akio Kimitch with Jeffrey Gan, Maura Nguyen Donahue, Lai Yi Ohlsen, Xin Wang and Noa Rui-Piin Weiss – softbound 70-page book, Tiger Hands 

• Faye Driscoll with Jesse Zarrit – Reader for premiere and touring of Weathering 

• Leslie Parker with Naimah Pétigny, nia love and Marlies Yearby – newsprint style essays, CALL TO REMEMBER   

• Maria Bauman with Sharon Bridgforth- to be published ‘zine, These are the bodies that have not born 

• Sara Shelton Mann – to be published choreographic teaching manual, Moving Alchemy