New York Theatre Barn is seeking two dynamic dancer/choreographers with experience in Latin Dance and/or the dances of the African Diaspora for Sol of El Barrio, a special edition of the company’s Choreography Lab on May 11th, 2022. This lab is produced in conjunction with Maria Torres Emerging Artists Foundation, co-founded by Vanessa Williams, John O’Connor and Maria Torres.

Maria Torres’ Sol of El Barrio is its own unique evening of theatre that explodes the box of conventions. At the intersection of art and policy and converging past and present, it weaves together music, movement, dance, spoken word, poetry, and conversations that resurrect the ancestors of the Afro-Latinidad. In the summer, the work will culminate in a partnership with Jacob's Pillow, and one choreographer from the lab will receive a full scholarship to participate in the 90th anniversary of the Jacob’s Pillow season. The brand new dance-theatre Afro-Latin Immersion program will assemble a diverse ensemble of 24 dancers for a unique residency concluding with live performance opportunities.

The two choreographers selected will receive a small stipend and a team of dancers to create a piece while being mentored by Broadway, TV and Film’s Maria Torres (Enchanted, On Your Feet!, Swing!, El Cantante, So You Think You Can Dance).  One of the choreographers will receive a full scholarship to participate in the Jacob’s Pillow Afro-Latin Immersion program.  Both pieces will be filmed in front of a live audience and streamed on NYTB’s YouTube Channel.

Choreographers must have availability to participate in the Jacob’s Pillow Afro-Latin Immersion program August 8th - 21st, 2022.  The selected choreographers are also required to dance in the piece they are creating for the May 11th lab. To apply, please fill out the Choreography Lab application by Tuesday, April 5th, 2022 on the company’s website: www.nytheatrebarn.org. 

Now in its 9th season and curated by Avital Asuleen, New York Theatre Barn’s Choreography Lab is the only platform for choreographers and writers to collaborate on movement for new musicals during incubation. Funded in part by a generous gift from the Amber Foundation, the Choreography Lab was created to elevate and expand the use of dance in musical theatre.