CONDER/dance Presents

Breaking Ground 2027

Contemporary Dance Festival

January 29–30, 2027Tempe Center for the ArtsTempe, Arizona

Breaking Ground 2027 will be presented in a proscenium format.

Application Deadline: November 1, 2026Selection Notification: December 1, 2026

Application Categories

Please select the category that best describes your submission:

• Existing Work
• New Work

Performance Specifications

Maximum Length: 12 minutesPerformance Format: ProsceniumPerformance Area: Approximately 35 feet × 50 feet

Application Fees

• General Application Fee: $60
• Arizona Resident Application Fee: $30

Artists may submit multiple works. Each work requires a separate application and application fee.

Artist Honorarium

Selected artists and companies will receive a $200 performance honorarium.

No production fee is required if selected.

Curation Panel

Carley Conder

Carley Conder is the Artistic Director of CONDER/dance, founded in Arizona in 2003. Based in Tempe, Carley has dedicated her career to creating opportunities for contemporary dance artists in Arizona. CONDER/dance is an artist-in-residence organization at Tempe Center for the Arts, and Carley’s recent projects include creative collaborations with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and Wonderspaces.

Her choreographic work has been presented at Dixon Place in New York City, the Center for Performance Research in Brooklyn, the Martha Graham Studios in New York City, the John Ryan Theater in Brooklyn, and the Diavolo Space in Los Angeles. She was profiled in Phoenix New Times’ “100 Creatives” and was named the publication’s “Best Dancer” in 2015.

Carley has received arts funding from the City of Tempe, the Arizona Commission on the Arts, Target Arts Grants, and the Consulate General of Israel. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Dance in the School of Music, Dance and Theatre at Arizona State University.

Additional curators will be announced.

Application FAQs

How are works selected?

Submissions are carefully evaluated by a panel of choreographers, educators, and dance professionals from around the country.

The panel considers:

• Creativity and originality
• Thematic development
• Choreographic structure
• Technical execution
• Diversity
• Historical, social, and cultural relevance

The Artistic Director will curate a festival program that reflects the panel’s recommendations while emphasizing equity, representation, and a range of local, regional, and national voices.

Final programming decisions also consider the length and tone of each work, the number of performers, geographic representation, and the festival’s overall time and space limitations.

The selection process is highly competitive, and many excellent works cannot be included. Not being selected is not a reflection of the quality of your work. Artists who are not selected are encouraged to apply again in the future.

What kind of work are you seeking?

Breaking Ground presents a broad range of contemporary dance forms. The definition of “contemporary dance” is intentionally flexible, and artists are encouraged to interpret it in their own way.

Can I submit more than one work?

Yes. Multiple submissions are welcome. Each work must be submitted through a separate application and accompanied by its own application fee.

Can my submission video be recorded during a rehearsal?

Yes. Both rehearsal and performance videos are accepted.

Please make sure the video clearly represents the choreography, performers, and overall artistic direction of the work being submitted.

Can I request a particular rehearsal or performance time?

No. We are unable to accommodate requests for specific rehearsal or performance times.

By submitting your work, you agree to perform at the time assigned by Breaking Ground and to attend all required spacing, technical, and dress rehearsals.

How will I be notified?

You will receive your submission status through the email address included in your Submittable application. Please check your spam or junk folder regularly.

If selected, you will be required to accept the invitation promptly. Failure to respond within the specified timeframe may result in your place being offered to another artist.

Why wasn’t my work selected?

Limited programming time and space prevent us from accepting every strong submission.

Final programming decisions consider the tone and length of each piece, the number of performers, geographic representation, technical requirements, and how individual works contribute to a cohesive festival program. The process is similar to assembling a puzzle: each work must fit within the artistic and practical needs of the overall event.

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide individual feedback on works that are not selected. We sincerely encourage artists to apply again in the future.

Do selected artists receive a stipend?

Selected artists and companies receive a $200 performance honorarium.

Artists are responsible for their own travel, lodging, meals, transportation, parking, and other expenses associated with attending the festival.

Core Values

Artistic Support

Provide artists with a strong platform to develop and present their work in traditional and nontraditional settings for invested and enthusiastic audiences.

Community Engagement

Strengthen relationships with community partners and use the festival as a catalyst for connection among communities that may otherwise remain isolated from one another.

Inclusive Programming

Actively seek dance programming that represents the artistic, stylistic, and cultural breadth of contemporary dance.

Requirements for Selected Artists

Artists selected for Breaking Ground 2027 must agree to the following:

1. Arizona Performance RestrictionThe selected work may not be publicly performed in Arizona between December 1, 2026, and January 30, 2027.
2. Promotional ParticipationArtists must provide all requested promotional materials and participate in reasonable marketing efforts by the deadlines established by the Breaking Ground administrative staff.
3. Technical and Dress RehearsalsArtists must be available for all assigned spacing, technical, and dress rehearsals scheduled between January 28 and January 30, 2027.
4. Mandatory Production ShowingArtists must participate in a mandatory video showing on December 10, 2026. The video should demonstrate the work in its current stage of development. Studio recordings are acceptable.
5. Artistic and Production ReadinessCONDER/dance reserves the right to remove a work from the Breaking Ground program following the production showing if:
   • The work is not ready for public performance.
   • The work has deviated significantly from the original submission.
   • Festival requirements and deadlines have not been met.

Festival Engagement ActivitiesSelected artists may be asked to participate in artist talkbacks, lobby meet-and-greets, and preshow movement experiences for the public. These activities are considered part of the artist’s festival participation.

Selected Artists Receive

• One in-person performance in the Theater at Tempe Center for the Arts
• A minimum of 30 minutes of technical rehearsal time
• A full dress rehearsal onstage
• A $200 performance honorarium
• Standard production support, including theater rental, lighting design, marketing, public relations, technical direction, and program administration
• Professional photos and video of their work
• Reduced rates for Breaking Ground 2027 master classes and merchandise
• Potential paid teaching opportunities for invited artists

Selected Artists Are Responsible For

• Travel expenses
• Lodging
• Meals, local transportation, and parking
• Technical needs that extend beyond the standard Tempe Center for the Arts rental package

Additional technical expenses may include items such as a hazer, piano, or specialized projection equipment.

Please email conderdance@gmail.com with any additional questions.