MOVERS + MAKERS WORKSHOP

maker track

The Maker Fellowship is designed to help professional and emerging professional choreographers create their next choreographic masterpiece and to strengthen their skills, build their portfolio, and expand their vision.

This three-day intensive includes time to learn from masters as well as time to put the principles into action on your very own cast of professional level dancers. The event culminates in a performance of works created during the intensive. A single Maker is chosen by adjudicators to have their work staged on Wasatch Contemporary Dance Company during the 2025-2026 season and win a $500 cash honorarium.

This year 5 featured Makers will be invited to attend the workshop and work with a cast of professional level dancers at NO COST to the participant, making this experience more like a fellowship.

Travel and lodging are not included and must be arranged by individual participants. The Maker Fellowship includes 5 carefully crafted masterclasses in composition and improvisation taught by esteemed local artists, the chance to teach a class of their choosing to Movers (performers attending the intensive on the Mover track), as well as 11.5 hours of rehearsal time in a state-of-the-art studio space with a cast of professional level dancers. Makers receive costuming at no cost from the company’s extensive closet, a professional performance space for presenting their work, and photo and video of the performance.

Applicants who are not selected for the 5 featured Maker fellowships can still be accepted into the intensive, where they will enjoy composition classes in the first half of the day but not work with a cast of dancers to produce work for the concluding performance. Tuition for these classes is just $115 if paid by April 24 (roughly $10/hour of instruction).

Please read all of the following useful information before applying. Further questions can be directed to jessicaheaton@wasatchcontemporary.com.

class + rehearsal info

June 12-14, 2025
See schedule below
SMASH Dance Academy
188 W River Park Drive, Provo, UT

performance info

June 14, 2025
7:30 PM
Orem Library Hall
58 N State Street, Orem, UT

important dates

• January 8 – February 19: Applications open for the Maker Fellowship.

• March 5: All Maker applicants will hear back with results about the Fellowship.

• March 19: Deadline for featured Makers to accept the Fellowship.

• April 24: Last day to pay Early Bird Maker tuition ($115) for those participating in the class portion only (not working with a cast to create work).

• April 24 – May 28: Regular tuition rates apply.

• June 12 – 14: Movers + Makers Intensive

schedule

To read about class descriptions and teacher bios, click here.

eligibility

Choreographers must be at least 18 at the time of application with a suggested minimum of 5 years previous choreography experience. This intensive is designed to help invested and dedicated choreographers to further their skills and career and is not designed to teach choreography principles for beginning or intermediate choreographers.

application process

There is a $15 application fee to be considered for this intensive. All interested choreographers should apply between Jan 8 and February 19. The online application is relatively simple and requires the following:

• Basic contact information

• A one-page resume

• 1-2 links to videos of completed choreographic works

• A brief description of applicant’s choreographic and teaching experience

• A proposal which details the new work the applicant would like to create at the intensive (or a description of the changes the applicant would like to make to an existing piece of choreography)

All applications are reviewed by 3 adjudicators from Wasatch Contemporary Dance Company’s staff. While the intensive can only accept 5 featured Makers, there is class space available for 7-11 additional choreographers. These additional choreographers would attend the masterclasses but not create work with a cast to present at the intensive’s end. These additional class spots are offered first to those who applied for the Maker Fellowship but were not selected to create work. This “class only” option costs $115 if paid by April 24, and the application fee will be applied toward the total.

classes

While classes change up every year, the intensive always offers a wide array of composition tools and modalities, taught by esteemed local artists. Utah County and the surrounding area is home to many incredible teachers and choreographers who have experience in academia, research, professional performance, arts administration, and composition. Classes cover topics such as structuring your choreographic work, using narrative, utilizing technology, videography, and props in choreography, utilizing different group sizes, different movement generator tools, and unique improvisation inspiration to enliven your work.

rehearsals

Each of the 5 selected Makers will be paired with a cast of professional level dancers. Each Maker receives studio space and 11.5 hours of rehearsal time over three days to create new work (or rework existing choreography) in preparation for the final performance on Saturday evening. Cast sizes vary and applicants can specify how many dancers they would like to work with. Generally, cast sizes range from 3-8 dancers per choreographer. Final decisions on cast numbers are made by the directors of the intensive.

Rehearsals should be used to create a work to be presented on Saturday evening, June 14. Featured Makers can propose a new work to create during the intensive or refine an existing work of choreography. We suggest aiming for a finished work of 6-9 minutes.

teaching

This year, featured Makers will have the opportunity to teach 1 technique class to Mover participants during the intensive, allowing them the opportunity to experiment with movement ideas, technique modalities, and expression of their unique personal styles. You can see these classes on the tentative schedule labeled as “Makers Workshop”.

naming a winning maker

Shortly before the start of the performance on June 14, Makers will get a chance to meet the 2 adjudicators and engage in a conversation with them about the process behind each work. Makers can use this time to explain more about their inspiration and process.

Adjudicators watch the performance and choose one Maker to receive the opportunity to have their work staged on the company for the Fall 2026 concert.

The winning Maker receives $500 as a cash honorarium and plans will be made individually with the winning Maker to determine the best method for working with the company to further the work. For example, a winner who lives locally may be invited to direct 2-3 rehearsals with the dancers after company members learn existing material from video. A winner who is not local may Zoom in for 2-3 rehearsals to complete the work. In both cases, the Maker would work closely with a company rehearsal director for about 10 weeks leading up to the Fall 2026 performance.

tuition

The 5 featured Makers who are selected for the Fellowship will not owe any tuition. Those who are accepted into the Maker classes but aren’t given the opportunity to work with a cast (we call this the Maker track) will owe a tuition of $110-$140 (see deadlines). If a participant on the Maker track wishes to perform in a cast of one of the featured Makers, this can be offered on a case-by-case basis by emailing jessicaheaton@wasatchcontemporary.com AFTER first receiving acceptance into the Makers track.

refund policy

Application fees are nonrefundable. Tuition refunds (for those participating in the classes but not selected as featured Makers) can only be made until March 31 (minus a $40 nonrefundable portion). If the event is cancelled and cannot be rescheduled, participants will receive their full refundable portion.

performance

The performance space will be the Orem Library Hall, a beautiful 400-seat venue located just minutes away from the rehearsal space. The winner of the commission will receive a $500 cash honorarium and have their work restaged on the company for Wasatch Contemporary Dance Company’s Fall 2026 concert at the same venue. Tickets to this performance are $15 and can be purchased beginning in early June.

apply today