About

Velocity launches Save Our Studio Campaign

Erin Johnson named Velocity’s new Artistic Director

Velocity is Seattle’s award-winning, premier art center dedicated to contemporary dance, fulfilling an un-duplicated role as the essential incubator and forward-thinking laboratory for new dance in the Pacific Northwest. A “national nexus for dance,” Velocity is recognized as a leader in artist, audience, and dance development. With artist-driven, community-centered artistic and education programs, Velocity is instrumental in making Seattle a destination city with one of the most active dance communities in the nation. Velocity is a portal for those new to dance and a catalytic community resource with artist-led classes and workshops every day, performances every week, an annual international dance festival, year-round artist residency programs, celebrated humanities programs that activate cross-disciplinary dialogue, as well as weekly community events from social dances to family-style dinners.

“It’ll be cool to see what these dancers … accomplish in the coming year under the guidance and protection of Velocity, an organization that is less a dance company and more like a hotbed of creativity that nurtures and supports dancers as they explore performing art to sometimes extraordinary limits.”—Melody Datz, The Stranger Slog

“How did [Velocity] and its support of local dancers contribute to your career?
In every way possible.”—Corrie Befort of Salt Horse, Seattle Dance Examiner

“Again and again, Velocity proves itself as both supporter and taste maker for dance in Seattle.”—SeattleDances

A leading national incubator for new dance since its founding, Velocity has presented the ideas of hundreds of experimentalists, some of whom—Tere O’Connor, Reggie Watts, Miguel Guitierrez, Zoe Scofield, Anouk van Dijk, Morgan Thorsen, Danielle Agami/Ate9, Amy O’Neal, Keith Hennessey—are now established names in contemporary dance and performance. Home to hundreds of independent dance artists and renowned for producing innovative, cutting-edge work, Velocity has also hosted intensives, performances, and premieres by contemporary performance stars including Ralph Lemon, Pat Graney, John Jasperse, Faye Driscoll, Jennifer Monson, Ismael Houston-Jones, Deborah Hay, zoe|scofield, KT Niehoff, Dayna Hanson, Kate Wallich, and many more.

Velocity is Seattle’s only dedicated contemporary dance venue where groundbreaking work and disciplined practice coexist. Our mission is to advance contemporary dance by fostering the creative explorations of artists and audiences through an invested commitment to education, creation, performance, inquiry, community participation, and inter/national exchange.

Velocity advances contemporary dance and movement-based art by fostering the creative explorations of artists and audiences through an invested commitment to education, creation, performance, inquiry, community participation, and inter/national exchange.

Velocity is Seattle’s premier art center dedicated to contemporary dance and performance. Every day we:

Support and advance artists and emerging ideas through commissioning, presenting, residencies, creative exchange; and access to space, funding, scholarships, employment and touring opportunities.

Provide quality movement education to dancers beginner through professional, in a broad range of movement styles.

Produce programs that introduce audiences to a wide spectrum of contemporary dance practices and aesthetics and bring together regional talent and world-class innovators.

Provide outreach and humanities programs that engage minds and inspire participation, while promoting cross-disciplinary dialogue and meaningful links between artists and the community.

Advocate for dance as an essential component to the cultural vitality of the country.

To be a national leader as an artist-driven, community-centered dance incubator where Velocity’s partnerships of education, artist support, advocacy and performance foster dance literacy and the artistic vitality of our community. Velocity envisions a city where contemporary dance is a regular part of civic and cultural dialogue, and a nation where dance artists are valued for their singular contribution to culture and society.

Our Team
General Inquiries at info@velocitydancecenter.org

Executive Director
Catherine Nueva España – executivedirector@velocitydancecenter.org

Interim Artistic Director
Erin Johnson — erin@velocitydancecenter.org

Development Director
Colleen Borst — colleen@velocitydancecenter.org

Communications Manager
Gedney Barclay — communications@velocitydancecenter.org

Office & Operations Manager
Shirley Wong — operations@velocitydancecenter.org

Media Associate
Vladimir Kremenovic — vlad@velocitydancecenter.org

Technical Director
Jessica Jones — jessica@velocitydancecenter.org

Interns

Executive Intern
execintern@velocitydancecenter.org

Administrative & Front Desk Interns
info@velocitydancecenter.org

Communications Intern
communications@velocitydancecenter.org

Development Intern
devintern@velocitydancecenter.org

Programming Intern
programs@velocitydancecenter.org

SH*T GOLD Facilitators
Ben Goosman + Frances Wolfe — gold@velocitydancecenter.org

Founders
Michele Miller and KT Niehoff

Board

Velocity’s Board of Directors is composed of artists and arts advocates who combine a passion for dance and the arts in our region with exceptional leadership skills. Listed below are Velocity’s current board members.

Owen David, President
Melissa Feldman, Secretary
Cameron Irwin, Officer
Negarra A. Kudumu, Officer

Advisory Board

Byron Au Yong – Assoc. Professor, University of San Francisco; Composer; Educator; Arts Activist
Betsey Brock – Executive Director, On the Boards
Mark Haim – Dancer, Choreographer, Teacher
Jack Hilovsky – Placemaking, Fund Development, Theater / Strategic Planning Task Force
Jen Salk – Chair, University of Washington Dance Department
Kevin Smythe – Accountant, Acucela / Finance Committee
Robert Stumberger –Technology Consultant, 501c Commons
Josh Windsor – Windsor Consulting

EMPLOYMENT

Velocity is does not have any positions open at this time.

INTERNSHIPS

Velocity is dedicated to mentoring and supporting the next generation of art administrators. Velocity offers internships in Development, Programming, Office Administration, Communications, Design, Tech, Video and Social Media. Internships at Velocity are unpaid at 10-15 hours per week. Interns are entitled to unlimited class at the rate of $5/class, discounted rehearsal space at Velocity, and more.

Administrative Intern
Interested? Email a letter of interest to Shirley Wong, Operations Manager @ operations@velocitydancecenter.org

WORK STUDY

Velocity’s Work/Study Scholarship program provides financial aid to dedicated students with opportunities to take class no matter what their financial means. Our program requires 4-5 hours a week, and consists of cleaning our facilities. We ask that all work study applicants commit to the program for at least 3 months. This is not a volunteer position and Work-Study applicants must be able to demonstrate respect, reliability and accountability. In exchange, Work/Study Scholarship students receive discounted dance training and study space.

General Work/Study Scholarship Program (Ongoing)
Click here to download the work/study application. You may email, snail mail or drop off your completed application at the Velocity Dance Center office. Feel free to contact us at info@velocitydancecenter.org for more information.

TEACHING AT VELOCITY

Interested in teaching at Velocity? All ongoing classes, Workshops, Master Classes, and other discussions and events that happen at Velocity are curated seasonally by our Artistic Director, Erin Johnson.

Because of the volume of requests we receive, we greatly appreciate you filling in the following form to notify us of your interest.

VELOCITY TEACHING INFORMATION AND REQUEST FORM

There so many ways to engage with Velocity, from taking classes and seeing performances, to attending Speakeasy events and volunteering. We invite you to get involved in any way you can!

• Volunteer at the next performance. Admission is free! Contact operations@velocitydancecenter.org for more info. 
• Follow us on facebook, twitter, or instagram.
• Sign up for our mailing list to receive our monthly newsletter and other email communications.
• Velocity provides support for artists through a number of programs. Check out our current open applications.
• Volunteer to help in the office or at a performance. Write to Shirley at operations@velocitydancecenter.org if you’re interested!
• Join our Board of Directors or become a member of a committee.
• Inform us of funding opportunities. Know of a foundation, government grant or corporation that might be interested in investing in our mission? Let us know.
• Tell a friend why Velocity is such a vital part of the local—and national—arts community.

Thank you!