Dear Friends of Project III,

From ballet to hip-hop dancers, to designers, composers, artists, actors, photographers – New York City hosts a diverse range of talent that deserves to be recognized and celebrated. Yet, there's a problem in our community where new talent cannot get hired, and contracted artists cannot break free from their niche to challenge their artistic endeavors.

With this initiative, I aim to connect movement-inspired artists to other creators, commercial venues, LLC partners, researchers, and beyond to provide more employment opportunities and a platform for experimental, unexpected, yet equally targeted and engaging collaboration.

But I didn’t want Project III to just be about the creators: the idea of art being demystified is out and being real is in. I am passionate about redefining the way our evolving audiences engage with art straight at the core of the process. The traditional stage limits the concept of what defines performance. Now, with an audience revolutionized by media, the performance happens in the creation, the marketing, and the process. Our artists involved with Project III are poised to change that.

By hosting an array of live immersive experiences, digital content, networking sessions, festivals, and industry events, we aim to create a vibrant community of artists and art enthusiasts who are passionate about pushing the boundaries of creativity and reframing classical dance in a new era.

In August 2022, we created our first work, Heaven, in a car garage with nothing besides manual string lights and–of course–a smoke machine; and we are now celebrating two years of official operations. We've produced 17 projects across 3 countries, reaching 69 artists. I cannot wait to share what schemes and surprises we have in store for our artists and audiences in 2025.

I am delighted to see how exponentially this initiative has been developing, and it's genuinely overwhelming in the best way possible to see the impressive turnout and enthusiasm that has accumulated to today. I want to express my gratitude to everyone involved in making Project III a reality: our growing board, volunteers, and all of the artists who were willing to help build this project before we were even connected to funding–but, it all starts with you. Whether you give $3 or $3,000, you are changing the future of classical dance.

This initiative has the power to transform the way we create and consume dance and to provide more opportunities for talented artists to shine. I can't wait to see how we carry the torch for our generation of creatives together.

big love,
Kasey Broekema
Founder of People's Performance Project