Foreal Art Company is a world-class nonprofit dance-based undertaking the vision of which defies all models of convention. Its mission, To mix real life with contemporary dance and other diverse artists for the public of Indianapolis and beyond, speaks of a desire to serve that social structure which values the arts as an essential part of its foundation. By presenting movement as collaboration with a range of voices reflecting the breadth of its audience, Foreal will be recognized as a civic leader. The forum of public performance will be a catalyst for the creation of jobs and expressive outlets for individuals of all kinds, ages and abilities. Active outreach to the immediate community in determination of thematic content and partnering with other creative entities upholding mutual commitment to social responsibility will elevate the appreciation of common social values. Involvement with nonprofit interests outside the arts community which share nonpolitical concerns in the specific themes of the Organization’s own major projects will serve as a public charity. Emphasizing the importance of human stories in mixed-media presentations depicting actual people in their everyday environments will deepen understanding both of contemporary realities and a widened sensibility of dance as an art form. The presence of a voice the nature of which is unprecedented in the place of its founding will identify the Organization itself as a groundbreaking artistic creation. Foreal fully acknowledges the extent to which its ambition as stated may seem unrealistic. What may not be readily apparent to those unfamiliar with the Organization’s history is how based in experience the proposition of such a standard is. Past Upon completion of a period of intense study at the leading contemporary dance company in England, Jennifer K. Sutton returned to a region of the Midwest often referred to as ‘The Crossroads of America’, founding Foreal Art Company with its initial Board of Directors through the Secretary of State in Indiana on February 14 of 2005. The Organization joins a local community of two major established dance organizations and several smaller movement-based groups as the first such body placing as much importance on the manifestation of real-life experiences and subject matter as it does on specialization in a style largely unrepresented in the geographic market of its origin. In the months subsequent to Foreal’s creation, a group of individuals committed to its mission statement was assembled. This Board of Directors was and is comprised of moral and ethical persons sharing an interest in dance as an artistic medium which functions to serve an audience beyond that conventionally drawn to the fine arts. While core membership centered around personal relation to the Artistic Director, initial public appearances expanded the Organization’s circle of reference to that of a body which draws upon backgrounds ranging from finance to journalism to the visual and performing arts. Traditionally recognized more as a meeting-place of agriculture and industry than for a fostering of its local arts scene, the city of Indianapolis represents a challenge, not just to artists, but past, present and planned assumptions about community itself. Just as the mind which would give birth to Foreal’s vision of the future studied abroad to define itself, the hometown of its Artistic Director began undergoing a rebirth of its own, one geared towards attracting attention as not just a regional or national but international destination with the establishment of the Cultural Development Commission in 2002. Partnering such nonprofit efforts as Indianapolis Downtown, Inc. with the Arts Council of Indianapolis in the implementation of programs designed to increase awareness both within and outside the city, this new body has been celebrated for stimulating increased participation in the arts by native and visiting audiences with an infrastructure designed to merge the creative voice with that mechanism more historically pragmatic in its building and maintenance of a vibrant economy. Foreal’s embrace of multimedia techniques and expanded vocabulary of movement reflects an energy which is timely in the most cosmopolitan centers around the world. At the same time, its vision remains grounded both in classical training and participation in a dialogue from a vantage point not removed from the everyday by the privilege of artistic distance but mixed right in with the diversity of life which it sees as essential, a language which it defines as for real. What is proposed by the Organization may sound unfamiliar to those in its immediate surroundings, when in fact, as demonstrated by the success of the creative ventures of its very first year, this mission is quite literally the voice of those to whom Foreal speaks. For Confusion, Foreal’s first major project, the Artistic Director created a one-hour film with videographer Jerry Ricks, documenting the lives of eight fellow Indiana High School graduates from the class of 2000 whose professions across the country included those of hairstylist, environmental educator, canvasser, fashion designer, photographer and PHD student. Contemporary dance segments shot in locations such as the Colorado Rockies, Arches National Park, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon and San Francisco complemented the stories of the film’s young professionals. Original music by Tod F. Parker and Dan Lande was composed as accompanying soundtrack to what would become the audiovisual element of a multimedia performance. Live movement featured Sutton and three of her high school students and premiered at downtown Indianapolis’ Athenaeum Auditorium in August as five presentations spanning the city’s week-long inaugural Fringe Theatre Festival, a nonprofit event coordinated by local philanthropic and arts initiatives. Subsequent workshops are planned for high school students to discuss the interpretation of this work and encourage their own collaboration with peers while thinking about the future. Audiences suitable for this production may be found both in and outside of Indianapolis. In September, both Artistic Director Sutton and Assistant Artistic Director Jesse J. Sebastian, now deceased, dedicated a 17-minute piece titled “Memoire: Struggle, Loss and Remembrance” to the victims of the previous month’s hurricane as part of Dance 4 Katrina, a benefit which brought Indianapolis’ major dance companies onto the stage of Christian Theological Seminary for one night. The structure of this new composition linked three sections of movement with prerecorded voice-over quoting actual victims as reported in media footage of the disaster. Arts correspondent Rita Kohn of local print newsweekly NUVO observed, “Sutton and Sebastian make dance story achingly real”. Collaboration with Motus Dance Theatre, a locally-based 501(c)(3) organization, led to a suite of original works presented in November under the title Confessions. Exploring various states of mind in movement and music, this series of eight compositions was presented in November at the University of Indianapolis’ Ransburg Auditorium and allowed Sutton and Sebastian to choreograph “Paranoia” and “Obsession”, respectively, and appear as guest dancers in other artists’ work. Rita Kohn of NUVO recognized the artistry of the Organization’s primaries as “the most polished and profound”. In addition to performing, Foreal has taken initiative in expanding the conventional dance audience with the conduction of seminars for audiences as wide-ranging as those of Noble Industries, a 501(C)(3) advocacy and service provider for the disabled in Central Indiana, and Franklin United Methodist Care, an elder care facility south of the greater Indianapolis area. Based on the repertory and methodology available to the artists present, such workshops can be technical, creative, or a combination of the two, featuring actual performance as well as discussion of the individuals involved in a piece, dance in its many forms and collaborative or creative processes. Choreographic elements may be explained, analyzed and exhibited. Each workshop or seminar is specially-designed for the audience requesting this service. On February 9, 2006, the Organization’s first fundraising event, Presents with Presence, was coordinated with local businesses and open to the public in recognition of Foreal’s one-year anniversary, expanding awareness of the mission it has pledged itself to and serving as a retrospective of the accomplishments of its first twelve months. Present With the reception of its declaration letter from the Internal Revenue Service, Foreal Art Company officially joined the nonprofit community as a 501(c)(3) organization on April 12, 2006. The brand-new composition Feel Something premiered at the 2nd annual Indianapolis Fringe Theatre Festival to unanimously enthusiastic response from critical print, online and live audiences. The 30-minute performance featured selections from Rainer Maria Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet as spoken-word accompaniment to a score composed by Tod F. Parker and all-original video created by Jason Carr. Choreography and onstage movement were the work of Artistic Director Jennifer K. Sutton. An intensely personal reflection on creative process, Feel Something marks the first time the artists involved in such a project were each paid for their talents. In response to audience feedback gathered during its first year of activity, the Organization is preparing the development of its next major work. In fulfillment of Foreal’s role as the provider of a charitable service, questionnaires submitted to the public function as a prime source from which themes for future work become evident. As the consensus indicates interest in addressing the topic of domestic abuse, plans are being directed towards creating a one-hour film with live dance accompaniment addressing this issue for premiere as early as fall 2007. Commentary will include interviews with domestic abuse survivors as well as social workers who have an in-depth understanding of the work’s importance. Due to the inherently mature nature of this major work, the company also intends to develop a separate hour-long film and performance entitled Super Heroes, in which interviews with real-life figures such as firefighters, police officers and environmental workers suggest actions children can take to make the world a better place. Board Membership continues to attract the interest and reflect the orientation of those in the community whose specialized skills are a benefit to future growth. Future The Organization looks forward to expanding performances both across the country and internationally. The generation of original projects designed to supplement major works will continue, as will movement workshops for all levels and abilities of the public. The Organization intends to continually solicit outside nonpartisan opinion on what views and issues are key in society. Major works will involve film, dance, music and other media. These projects will maintain the already-established hour-long model with accompanying discussion and interactive forums. Balancing subjects as large in scope as international relations and chemical dependency with smaller-scale, more personal themes is central to a creative process which appeals to its audience by virtue of new and unexplained combinations of expressive forms. In the course of its growth as a nonprofit arts entity, Foreal will comply with all federal and state requirements regarding disclosure, acknowledgment of donations and IRS quid pro quo rules. The Organization will not discriminate against any possible employees, independent contractors or segment of the public. Copyright of all original work will be maintained by the Organization. No individual or group other than FoReal Art Company may utilize work the authorship of which is attributed Foreal for their own financial benefit. All federal trademark copyright laws will be obeyed. Foreal Art Company will keep all agencies informed of fundamental changes in the operating nature of the Organization. The Artistic Directorship and Board of Foreal intend to see the company grow to its fullest potential, joining the status of Indianapolis’ premier agencies, Dance Kaleidoscope and Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre. An undertaking of this scope must take into consideration practical matters ensuring the quality of the service it grants the community. In the provision of art, performances, workshops and seminars at low fees to the public, single-ticket admission fees vary according to venue and are projected to maintain the range charged thus far, from $10 to $15. Discounts will be available for students and premium seating will be offered for up to $50 on occasions such pricing is deemed appropriate. All volunteers will have free tickets, and opportunities will be made for low-income individuals to volunteer in exchange for free tickets. Workshops and seminars will generally be provided for $100 per hour. Fundraising will continue to involve personal solicitation to cover production costs and the selling or auctioning of original art to supplement general expenses. Everyday activities utilize mail, email, personal and phone solicitation to appeal to donors for or invitees to events, though no direct solicitation for monies is conducted by phone unless as followup to calls returned from interested parties. Proposed operations envision introducing official merchandise such as T-shirts, books and DVDs as well as drawing on foundations and government grants for specific projects and the adaption of web capabilities to accommodate online donation. All monies raised will be directed to those purposes for which they are earmarked when so specified. The creation of a one-hour multimedia project and annual salary for an Artistic Director are both projected at $50,000. While those involved in Artistic Direction were crucial in personally establishing the identity of the company in its early incarnation, Foreal anticipates eventually hiring ten dance performance artists with an estimated compensation of $600 weekly and two apprentices with an estimated compensation of $400 weekly. Also to be employed with annual compensation as funds become available are an Executive Director, Administrative Director, Publicity Director, Resident Videographer, Resident Musician and Resident Physical Therapist. Foreal looks forward to establishing its own studio space not owned by a Board Member or Officer in which workshops and performances can be more readily provided. General liability insurance, Directors’ and Officers’ insurance, workers’ compensation and full medical health care coverage for all employees are part of long-term plans. As trends in contemporary urban dynamics forecast increased collaboration between traditional business models and the processes involved in creativity, Foreal Art Company’s mission resonates in the right place at the right time. The Organization looks forward to the future and beyond!