The new Motion State Dance Festival is designed to introduce Rhode Island audiences to the latest in contemporary dance. Local and national artists converge to share their boundary-pushing creative explorations with the growing dance-loving community in Rhode Island.

The inaugural festival will focus on solo performances that showcase the diversity of who makes dance and the types of dance being made today. Each night includes work by artists from Rhode Island, New York City, New England and beyond, including solos choreographed by the late Merce Cunningham, recently performed as part of “Night of 100 Solos” in celebration of the choreographer’s 100th birthday.

Interspersed between the performances will be short films of dances made specifically for film. Each evening features a unique program of four different choreographers and two films, for a total of 18 singular pieces.

In addition to the performances and films, master classes at local colleges and community talks with the artists will expand audiences understanding of contemporary movement-based performance. Visit http://www.motionstatearts.org for more info.

Motion State Arts is thrilled to be partnering with WaterFire Arts Center on this new venture. WaterFire’s cathedral-like 37,000-square-foot Main Hall, built in 1929 for the US Rubber Company as a manufacturing facility, is spectacularly inspiring–a truly unique space for these unique artists.