The Case of the Imaginary Monsters

 REBECCA M. SPROUL AND THE IMAGINARY MONSTERS

A dance company with ridiculous creativity, killer talent and a nasty bite. These Monsters are amazing, arts funding is not. Get these dancers paid, donate now!

SUMMARY

We are a small dance company based in Brooklyn, NY. We are a co-hort of SUNY Brockport graduates making art professionally in the big city. This campaign will be used to raise money specifically to pay the performers for our upcoming show on February 22nd and 23rd at Triskelion Arts Aldous Theater. While other fundraising efforts will cover the cost of costumes, props, sets, space rentals, etc. this money is earmarked for the dancers only. For two years each dancer has rehearsed, collaborated and been involved in the creation of this project. Funding this campaign will provide each dancer with a performance stipend.

WHAT WE NEED? WHY WE NEED IT?

To pay each dancer we need to raise $1,000. **We've surpassed our initial goal due to your incredible generosity. As we continue raise funds the money will be divided equally between all five dancers. Curious about these five people you're considering giving money to - meet the Monsters:

Kristi Ann is a frightening redhead, standing all of 5'1" tall. She arrives at every rehearsal with not one, but two, coffees in hand. Sarah is our resident skeptic, oozing sarcasm and making us all laugh with her quick wit. Maggi An is our soft spoken, nature loving, big hug-giving, friendly, sweetheart. And she's engaged to be married! Angela is a bubbly brunette with a habit of both laughing and crying at every rehearsal. She's been with the company since 2007 and spends most of her days with dancers or dogs. Woof! Last but not least, Eileen. Eileen, is addicted to scary movies and given a piece of yarn and a button, she's craftier than a squirrel. And while the choreographer doesn't get a cut of these funds we'll tell you a thing or two about Rebecca as well.

Rebecca M. Sproul is a native of New Gloucester, Maine. As an artist she looks to her youth and genera for inspiration and commentary on commonalities among us all. She earned her Master's of Fine Arts in performance and choreography from the College at Brockport and a Bachelor's of Arts degree in dance from Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. The mission of Rebecca M. Sproul and Dancers is to create and perform art that stimulates a kinesthetic perspective, generates sensational physical experiences, and harnesses a broad qualitative range for the expressive execution of movement by engaging in a collaborative creative process, rehearsing regularly and performing here, there, and everywhere.

MONSTERS, HUH?

Our newest work is largely inspired by our ability to scare the crap out ourselves. It's about being nervous walking down a dark alley, the tricks your mind plays on you when you know you're alone, or think you're being followed. This piece explores how imagination can be a very dangerous and frightening tool. The work drops in and out of haunting narrative, bad ass dancing, shouting and a little song. Hence the title of our new project The Case of the Imaginary Monsters. For the second year in a row we are performing at the fabulous Triskelion Arts Aldous Theater in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Our amazing contributing artists are kicking ass like never before. This year the company is excited to reveal our collaborations with set designer Daniele Dejesus, 

costumer Laurie Turnbull Hollis and Triskelion's resident lighting designer Andy Dickerson.

Tickets are available at brownpapertickets.com

Dates: February 22nd and 23rd

Time: 8:00 PM

http://www.triskelionarts.org/split-bill-mainstage

Get tickets here!

THE IMPACT

As dance artists, we love what we do and we think you'll love it too. We think anyone who says they "don't get modern dance" just hasn't seen the right performance yet. We strive to make art that is not only accessible but enjoyable. That's why when we make dance we think about you, our audience. As we continue year after year to make and present work we find inspiration from the communities we live in, the company we keep, the current cultural climate and the world. To share our project with you the company must cover certain costs. Unfortunately arts funding is low and very competitive. The company's current financial model is unsustainable. At this point, the dancers are paid a performance stipend each year by Rebecca, out of pocket. In order to hire more dancers per project and perform more frequently our model must change. This is our first attempt at crowd funding, many of our peers are finding it to be a successful method for fundraising on a per project basis. Please help us share new work, change our financial model, and give not just to the arts, but to artists you know personally by donating to our campaign.

DON'T HAVE ANY SPARE CHANGE?

There are many other ways you can help. Buy a ticket to our show here. Make some noise! Help us spread the word by sharing our campaign with your facebook community or going to our facebook page and clicking 'like.'