Hi, I’m Miguel.

I’m raising funds to support a personal project that I care deeply about. In January, I’ll be creating my first long-form dance work through Velocity Dance Center in Seattle as part of The Bridge Project.

I want to share a little bit of why I’m making this work—and why I’m asking for support.

---

The Question Behind the Work

When I applied to The Bridge Project, one of the questions asked was:

“What conversation does your work need to have?”

I sat with that for a while.

I’ve been dancing for nearly two decades now, moving in and out of different communities and contexts—battles, commercial stages, community centers, classrooms, and behind the camera. Over the years, I’ve had a lot of conversations with dancers about how often they feel they have to code-switch or alter their work just to make a living from their art.

For some people, dance has slowly shifted from something social and communal into something packaged and commodified for commercial scale.

This piece is my response to that shift.

---

What I’m Making (and How)

I’m creating this work as a celebration of the social and communal origins of street dance—not just as subtext, but as the story itself.

And if I’m going to make work rooted in community, then the process needs to reflect the values I care about:

* Equitable pay and respect for labor

* Support for non-traditional / non-“fine art” forms

* Sustainability for the artists involved

Dancers deserve more than shares, likes, and reposts.

We can’t pay our bills with exposure.

We deserve wages, time, resources, and systems that support long-term careers.

---

Where Your Support Goes

The funds raised here go directly toward making this work possible in a way that feels ethical and aligned.

Your support helps cover:

* Fair pay for the cast and collaborators (over 50 hours of work including rehearsals, meetings, and multiple show days)

* Production and planning costs

* Wardrobe

* Music licensing

* Documentation of the work

The goal is to raise **$6,000**, which allows this project to exist without asking artists to give more than they already do.

---

Thank You

If you believe dance deserves funding,

if you believe artists deserve fair pay,

or if you simply want to help bring thoughtful, community-rooted work into the world—

I’d be grateful for your support.

You can also learn more about the show and The Bridge Project here:

here

No artist is an island.

This work isn’t something I build alone.

With respect and gratitude,

Miguel