ABOUT EMERGE125
EMERGE125 is a Black female-led hub for dance performance, creation, and education. The organization operates dual homes in Harlem and the Adirondacks, New York, while serving audiences both locally and around the world. EMERGE125 has established itself as a leader by setting new standards for dancer care; creating innovative, cross-disciplinary collaborations with leading artists; and using movement as a catalyst for community building: expanding the reach, purpose, and impact of the art of dance. The company has expanded its scope and vision to become a truly 21st Century organization; flourishing, growing, and expanding its network and reach outside of the traditional modern dance sphere. From community dance classes to stadiums filled with thousands of spectators, EMERGE125 demonstrates that modern dance can be accessible and relatable to people of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds.
VISION STATEMENT
Under this new leadership, the company has redefined our organizational identity while remaining true to our founding vision. The company had always wanted to be grounded in the vibrant artistic culture of Harlem; we’ve since realized this goal by establishing a thriving education program that operates throughout the neighborhood, forging deep creative partnerships with leading Harlem arts organizations, and devising community engagement activities that respond directly to local constituents’ core interests. Tiffany has also set the company apart in our prioritization of care for the whole artist: from our professional dancers to our students, each person is celebrated as both an individual and a vital contributor. Our company doesn’t see dancers as simply tools to bring choreography to life, but as artists in their own right and critical collaborators – a perspective that is a significant shift from the field’s traditionally strict view of a dancer’s role.
“Tiffany and her team help you to understand that there’s more than just becoming a principal dancer––there’s so many different types of things you can do with dance. [They teach you that] you need to be healthy in your mind, not just your body but in your mind too.”
Active│Grounded│Powerful
“The mission is to have a high level of dance performance, but I think intertwined with that is a high level of awareness about what’s going on in the world...”
E125’s relationship to our company members embodies the organization’s larger ethos towards equality, equity, and elevation: our dancers are viewed as holistic artists who deserve our support and resources to push themselves and discover new levels of their artistic practice. In recent years, the company has moved our work beyond traditional stages, creating immersive experiences in large-scale spaces.
![[April 14 2021] EMD H.E.R Morningside-46 (1).jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5333328de4b0daf4c7fe189a/1620197582284-34KINU6GIC2V7HZZOO00/%5BApril+14+2021%5D+EMD+H.E.R+Morningside-46+%281%29.jpg)
Leader│Innovative│Present
“One of the things that drew us to EMERGE125 [is] that the arts have so much to say and to do in terms of social issues.”
Being an artist is inherently a political act – since we channel our insights and views about the world into our creations – and E125 is proud to use our artistic platform to serve as a community organizer for civic action.
![[April 14 2021] EMD H.E.R Morningside-69.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5333328de4b0daf4c7fe189a/1620197388960-WHHY3WLQLFYFEMNX5L81/%5BApril+14+2021%5D+EMD+H.E.R+Morningside-69.jpg)
Meaningful│Vital│Audacious
“What spoke to me was the relationship of preserving the past and moving the company forward at the same time. That’s what really sets the company apart and makes it special, it has a strong lineage with a really forward thinking leader. [...] This company is a pioneer and it has the history to back it up, it takes our history and our community forward while still holding onto masterpieces.”
With our values of developing the whole artist and providing access as our guide, we look forward to continuing to build community within our Harlem neighborhood, New York City, and the entire dance field.