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About Us

Over the years Putty Dance Project has evolved from producing socially conscious multi-dimensional shows, to concentrating on live jazz music and dance. The masterful married duo, Lauren Putty White and Brent White, blend their expertise in their respective fields, to continue creating meaningful narratives through the lens of Free Jazz music and dance improvisation. Putty Dance is now presented in two forms, with dance as the primary focus and with music as the centerpiece adding dance as a visual component. 

Company Profile

Putty Dance Project (Putty Dance) produces new choreographed works that explore the topic of social consciousness in our evolving world.  Melding live instrumentation, multimedia, and elements of theater these works respond to diverse issues impacting modern-day life and allow for active audience participation through open conversation following performances.

Putty Dance debuted its first evening-length work in October 2014 Going, Wanting in the Age of the Selfie in Philadelphia, PA, shaking up societal perspectives about technology and its effect on human relations. Since then, the company has performed in showcases such as; the Dilworth Park Performance Series at City Hall, Koresh Come Together Festival in Philadelphia, the K Dance Yes! Invitational in Richmond, VA, the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts MLK Celebration, and at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania. In October 2015, Going, Wanting went on tour at the Crossroads Theater in New Brunswick, NJ. In November 2015, Artistic Director, Lauren Putty White decided to take the risk of attacking an even more personal subject, civil responsibility, ethics, and racism with their second evening-length production, iStand: Stories of an American Civil Struggle. This debuted at the Community Education Center and received critical acclaim in the Philadelphia Inquirer. iStand went on to be performed and continue communal conversation in the Philly region throughout 2016, showing excerpts at the historical Cliveden in Germantown and Delaware Valley University in Doylestown. This resulted in the company performing a one-night encore presentation of the production at the Painted Bride Art Center in October 2016.

Along with community engagement, Putty Dance is also heavily committed to educational outreach. In addition to teaching annual Putty Dance master classes at Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts since 2014, Lauren has taught on faculty for Ailey Camp, a program that has reached thousands of youth across the country. Having the experience of teaching and lesson plan development for such a prestigious organization as Ailey Camp, working with underserved youth in her hometown Baltimore, MD; proving dance as a tool to create positive change in their environment inspires the hope for what Putty Dance Project can become in Philadelphia.

Reviews

“The petite Putty­ White packs a punch and she knows how to move big…White’s live combo was creatively and satisfyingly layered with  recorded music…I look forward to following Putty Dance Project.” ­

– Lisa Bardarson, Thinking Dance

“(Putty White) created a restrained, emotionally canny and artistically charged work in iStand.”

– Merilyn Jackson, The Inquirer

“In a time of racial reckoning, to see a woman of color move with such command and self-assurance is nothing short of uplifting and healing.”

-Kathryn Boland of Dance Informa.

Avada Classic Demo

iStand: Stories of an American Civil Struggle

Going, Wanting: in the Age of the Selfie

Support

Click the Fractured Atlas icon below to donate your pledge or call 267-713-9783 for assistance. Your contribution is 100% tax-deductible and provides you with exciting benefits. Putty Dance Project is grateful for the generosity of all supporters who help make our performances and workshops possible.

Musician ($25+)

Package includes an official Putty Dance Project 20 oz. Water Bottle that is perfect for bike riders or those who love to go to the gym and an autographed full company Poster that is the perfect piece to frame as a keepsake.

Choreographer ($75+)

Package includes recognition in the program book and a Putty Dance limited edition T-shirt. These T-shirts are 100% cotton printed by Statement Clothing and Silk Screen.

Composer ($250+)

Package includes all benefits of lower pledges plus an invitation for you and a friend to attend an exclusive rehearsal and VIP reception for Performances.

Dancer ($500+)

Package includes all benefits of lower pledges plus 2 tickets to the show and a special beginner dance class with Lauren Putty White to learn choreography and dance with the artist.

Collaborator ($1000+)

Package includes all benefits of lower pledges plus 2 tickets to the show, 4 dance lessons, a DVD of Putty Dance show, and CD of Putty Dance soundtrack.

Fractured Atlas is a 501(c)(3) public charity. Contributions for the purposes of Putty Dance Project are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

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Upcoming Performances & Workshops

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This project is supported in part with funding from Small But Mighty Arts
Graphic Design & Website Updates/Edits by Sammi Pfeiffer
Photography by Ola Baldych