The CoMotion Dance Project is in residence at the University of Montana (incorporated 1893). The company is an extension of the Mo-Trans Dance Company (founded in 1993). We reside in the Department of Drama/Dance at The University of Montana and are served by the School of Fine Arts Advisory Board.
The mission and purpose of the CoMotion Dance Project is to increase the presence of dance in Montana schools and communities. We promote our mission in three ways:
1. Long-term dance residencies in Montana Schools. The on-going MoDE Project, begun in 2008 hires highly qualified dance teaching artists for K-12 schools.
2. Interdisciplinary performances for school children.
3. Professional development for classroom teachers and professional dance teaching artists. Artistic Director Karen Kaufmann published Inclusive Creative Movement and Dance©2006 a textbook for classroom teachers used in these training sessions. University or recertification credit is available. We prepare dance artists to work in schools, and initiate new dance teaching residencies.
Previous activities have included national and international performances in: rural Alaska; Spokane, Yakima and Seattle, WA; Hermiston, Oregon; Saratoga Springs, NY and Kuopio Finland. In Montana we completed a week-long residency in Choteau, and multiple performances throughout much of Montana, including (partial list): Alberton, Arlee, Augusta, Bigfork, Billings, Bozeman, Chester, Conrad, Darby, Dillon, Florence, Gardiner, Great Falls, Hamilton, Havre, Kalispell, Lakeside, Lewistown, Libby, Lincoln, Marion, Missoula, Ovando, Seeley Lake, Stevensville, Swan Lake, Thompson Falls, Townsend, West Glacier and Whitefish.
The company has enjoyed a successful partnership with Young Audiences since its founding. We have been supported by: The National Endowment for the Arts, Dana Foundation, Montana Cultural Trust, Montana Arts Council, Finlandia Foundation, American-Scandinavian Foundation, US West Foundation, The University of Montana, Young Audiences, National Dance Association, local businesses and hundreds of private individuals.
Artistic Director Karen Kaufmann serves as core faculty in the Creative Pulse summer graduate program for teachers. She was recently invited as an Honorary Research Associate at Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand. While overseas she also presented workshops for dance educators in Auckland, New Zealand. Kaufmann has authored eight articles in professional journals and a dance textbook for classroom teachers.
The company performed A CoMotion in Motion in June 2007 at the National Dance Association’s Pedagogy for the 21st Century Conference at the National Museum of Dance in Saratoga Springs, NY. Mo-Trans performed Dancing Waters at the International Dance and the Child Conference in Kuopio, Finland in 1997. Kaufmann has presented at National Dance Education Conferences in Minneapolis, Buffalo, Long Beach, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis and East Lansing.
We serve a largely rural population that has limited access to live dance. We primarily serve K-12 school children, classroom teachers, principals and parents. We regularly serve children and adults with disabilities.
Recently The CoMotion Dance Project launched MoDE (Montana’s Model Dance Education program) a special project to train professional dance educators and hire them in K-12 public schools. This project promises to change the climate of dance education in the state, bringing dance into the classroom alongside other arts teachers in art, music and drama.
