09/07/2021
Dear Beloved CHOP SHOP Audience,
A little over 14 years ago I stepped out on the Meydenbauer stage on a Sunday afternoon to welcome you all to the very first CHOP SHOP: Bodies of Work festival. I didn’t want this pre-show moment to be just any predictable speech, so I wrote you a love letter and read it aloud. In that letter, I talked about our shared love of dance, the magic that was about to occur on stage, and cracked a few jokes that hopefully landed. I was so excited to bring this "modern dance buffet" to you and to give you the opportunity to sample thoughtful, creative, and accessible dance that I believed would make a significant impact on your love for this art.
And now a need arises to make another kind of speech, one to let you know that after 14 glorious years, CHOP SHOP will go on official hiatus. So many incredible moments have transpired these past years, and our stage has offered its fortunate viewers powerful, tender, and completely badass moments in dance. We have made so many beautiful friends, fostered connections between artists, engaged with audiences and community, shared work on both a personal and professional level, and brought many - artists and audiences alike - to actual tears…all for the love of dance. CHOP SHOP has been one of the greatest accomplishments of our lives, and we have loved sharing these moments with you.
Lizzy and I want to thank all of you for your patronage, participation, and support over the years. Every dollar you donated, every gifted artist that brought beautiful work to the stage, every dancer that shared their virtuosic gifts, every kind word of support, every time you said, “THIS was the best festival yet,” every ticket you bought, every master class you danced in, and every free Experience Dance Program event you attended: all of it fills our hearts in such a meaningful way. We have loved every application, every crisis, every standing ovation, every panic attack, every happy face in the lobby, every post-show talkback filled with discoveries, and every dinner and drinks session at Azteca. Know that we will miss so much about producing and creating this festival, but what we will miss most is you.
Don’t be surprised if you see us again in the future with new projects or events. We are on hiatus, but still very active in the dance community and finding new ways to promote and support dance and dance artists. We will keep you up-to-date with our news and will continue to encourage you to support dance! CHOP SHOP will find its way back to the stage again, but for now, it will take a small bow and do a little happy dance of love and gratitude.
Most sincerely yours,
Eva & Lizzy
Photo credit: Ezra Thomson and Saho Kumagai perform Price Suddarth's The Spaces Between at CHOP SHOP 2014, photo by Rex Tranter.
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