Student-Led Dance Residencies

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Fall 2026 Residency Dates

Sunday, November 29 - Sunday, December 6

Eligibility

All officially recognized undergraduate student-led dance groups may apply for a residency at the Harvard Dance Center which is supported, organized, and facilitated by the OFA Dance Program.

To be eligible to receive a residency, student-led dance groups must have sent a representative to attend the Disability Inclusion Workshop led by Harvard’s University Disability Resources office at Harvard Dance Center, Friday, September 13, or agree to read thoroughly the PowerPoint presentation from the workshop.

The OFA Dance Program prioritizes

• Residency proposals that are in alignment with the OFA Dance Program's mission and which reflect the Dance Program's values of community, culture, and belonging.
• Residency proposals which demonstrate why a 1-week production residency at Harvard Dance Center would uniquely support their goals.
• Residency proposals which reflect an interest in a collaborative shared residency with another group, and a willingness to be adaptive and efficient with their tech timeline in order to allow for two groups to share a residency.
• Student-led dance groups who have not received a production residency at Harvard Dance Center within the last two semesters of the residency program, e.g. Spring 2026 or Fall 2025.

About the Residency

The student-led dance group residency will offer up to two officially recognized undergraduate student-led dance groups the opportunity to share a one-week production residency in the Harvard Dance Center's 3,500 square foot Studio 1/performance space. Student-led dance groups are invited to propose a 30-60 minute performance which may be a mixed bill of works or one coherent piece. This residency is meant to expand the opportunities for student-led dance groups to share their work in a performance setting. Student-led dance groups whose dance tradition/style utilizes hard-soled shoes are welcome to apply; modifications to the dance floor may be made for that production week.

To allow enough time for each group within a shared production week, the performance may not exceed 60 minutes.

Each group will receive up to two performance opportunities. In the case of a shared residency with two groups, performances can be either separate group-specific performances, or the groups may decide to mix within a given performance. Possibilities can be explored collaboratively after the groups are awarded.

Students are expected to take full ownership of managing, staffing, ticketing, promoting, and producing all aspects of their residency. Each student group must provide their own technical and front-of-house staff. This includes a minimum 5-person front-of-house staff (2 ushers, 2 managing tickets, 1 front of house manager); and a minimum 3-4-person production crew (lighting designer, lighting board operator, sound board operator, stage manager) in addition to your production manager/producer. Stage Manager* must be present at all technical and dress rehearsals.

The OFA Dance Program staff can provide guidance and resources and will offer training and mentorship throughout the semester. There are four required trainings for the groups' leadership and technical staff: a virtual lighting design for dance training; an on-site tech booth training; a ladder training; and an emergency safety training. There will be standing bi-weekly check-ins with the groups' leadership and production manager and OFA Dance Program staff.

For Spring 2026 residency, a designated student technical crew must be confirmed no later than January 26, 2026. Technical training will take place the first week of the semester. Additional training will be offered later in the semester.

*A Stage Manager (SM) is the central point of communication between the cast and technical crew. Key duties include running rehearsals, calling technical cues during performances, tracking all production elements and ensuring the show runs smoothly and safely. The SM must be a non-performing member.

What is provided

• Full risers (157 seats)
• Use of theatrical lighting within HDC’s set rep plot and soft goods (e.g. side curtains)
• Full access to HDC Studio 1 from 8:30am-11:45pm during the residency week, with the exception of TDM credit courses
• Use of Studio 2 (downstairs) and dressing rooms for dress rehearsal and performances
• 1 training/consultation on lighting design for dance prior to residency week
• 1-2 on-site technical training sessions on the lighting and sound equipment prior to residency week
• Supervised load-in/load-out of theatrical soft goods. Students must plan to execute the load-in and load-out after final performance.
• Technical on-site mentorship will be available throughout the residency week.
• Regular, bi-weekly check-ins with OFA Dance Program lead administrator, Elizabeth Epsen, throughout the semester.
• Administrative and artistic mentorship available from OFA Dance Program staff throughout the semester. We will also be able to help connect students to other potential advisors and/or collaborators.
• Performances featured in at least one OFA Dance Program e-blast and promoted through the OFA Dance Program's social media.

A required residency orientation meeting with the OFA Dance Program staff will be scheduled the last week of September semester to review the residency structure, overarching goals, and timeline. Additional trainings and check-ins will be scheduled at that time as well, based on students’ and staff availability.

Students are encouraged to think about how residency activities will be accessed for people with disabilities. All student-led dance groups receiving a residency will have sent a representative to attend the Disability Inclusion Workshop led by Harvard’s University Disability Resources office on Friday, September 13, 4-5pm, at Harvard Dance Center.