CHOREOGRAPHER'S FELLOWSHIP INCLUDES:​

• talented dancers to play, create, and discover with 

• 20+ hours of rehearsal time & space

• budget of up to $1,500 for sets, props, and costumes

• intern: help in the studio, perform research, source materials, run errands, etc.

• pre~fellowship inquiry with TBA choreography mentor

• planning session with Lillian Barbeito

• feedback sessions 

• patron dinner

• tech and dress rehearsals with lighting designer 

• performance venue 

• post~performance reception

• edited video of  The Showcase

+ option to participate in:

• daily technique classes

• Ballare Carmel repertory sessions

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CHOREOGRAPHER'S NOMINATION PROCESS

 

​1)  PROCESSING FEE ~ $65
To have a nomination reviewed by our selection panel, the choreographer must submit a $65 processing fee.

This can be paid via:

• Venmo: @CarmelDanceFestival (memo: “Choreography Nomination Fee”)

• Or PayPal using the QR code below:

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​​​​Please note: The nomination fee is the responsibility of the choreographer, not the nominator.

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2) NOMINATION

At  CDF we understand the importance of and deeply value teamwork. Therefore, to encourage teamwork, choreographers can not nominate themselves; they must be endorsed by someone else. Choreographers should not submit their materials themselves. Nominators should USE SUBJECT LINE: "2025 CHOREOGRAPHY FELLOW NOMINATION" and send the following materials to Lillian@carmeldancefestival.org:   

• Nomination Letter ~ Parameters for the letter are wide open, however, you may consider including the following:

  1. How do you know the choreography fellowship candidate?

  2. What's unique about them?

  3. Why they are deserving of an award?

  4. How would they benefit from the fellowship?

  5. What could they do with the experience gained during the fellowship in the future?  

• Candidate's Resume (must include candidate's email and phone number)

• Link(s) to Videos of Candidate's Choreography (see below for details)

• 1 additional letter of recommendation

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WORK SAMPLE GUIDELINES

• Works Sample ONE ~ performance footage of a complete 5+ minute piece with little or no editing (wide shot). When we refer to a "complete piece," we mean an entire work from its beginning to its end, regardless of its duration.

• Work Sample TWO ~ 3 + minutes of performance or rehearsal footage from an additional piece (any setting acceptable). This should not be a reel, but a piece or section of a work with little to no editing.  For choreographers who have created longer works (over 15 minutes), it's advisable for Work Sample Two to be an excerpt ranging from 3 to 10 minutes that showcases candidates choreographic prowess and/or promise.

• Please provide links (and include passwords if needed) to the candidate's work samples that have been uploaded to Dropbox, Vimeo, or Youtube. Videos that need to be downloaded will NOT be considered.

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NOMINATION DEADLINE​: Sunday, September 28th at 5:00 pm Pacific 

Nominations will be accepted and reviewed from Monday, September 1st through Sunday, September 28th at 5:00 pm Pacific Time. Three choreographers will be selected based on what candidates have done, the work proposed, and how they will apply what fellowship supports to future choreographic endeavors. 

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FINALISTS

Following nomination, nine choreographers will be selected by a diverse panel to move forward into the proposal round. This phase is designed to give each artist the opportunity to articulate their creative vision across multiple formats and demonstrate versatility, imagination, and intentionality.

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Finalists Will Be Asked to Submit:

1. MUSIC~INFORMED CONCEPT
Select from a CDF~curated library of music and create a short movement phrase in response.
Purpose: To observe musicality, phrasing, and your choreographic approach to pre~existing sound.

2. COSTUME~INFORMED CONCEPT
Respond to a provided costume moodboard and write a brief concept for a piece that incorporates or is inspired by the visual aesthetic. Purpose: To explore visual storytelling and the connection between design and movement.

3. OPEN CONCEPT PROPOSAL
Pitch a project of your own design. Include:

• Number of dancers

• Movement vocabulary

• Music/sound design

• Costumes, lighting, set, and/or props

• Additional elements (e.g., text, projection, audience interaction, site specificity)

• General structure or arc of the work
  Purpose: To understand your artistic voice, scale of ambition, and clarity of vision.

 

Finalists will also complete a short questionnaire, including:

• A synopsis of their proposed work

• What you hope to give and gain through the Fellowship

• What you hope the audience experiences

• Any special artistic or production needs

Finalist proposals will be reviewed by a multidisciplinary panel, with an emphasis on originality, communicative power, and alignment with the spirit of the Carmel Dance Festival.​​​​​​​