Support: Andy de Groat revival project

Goal: $3000 by February 10, 2015 (all donations tax-deductible)

Last year I began a project of reviving the work of two artists who I greatly admire and consider to be important figures of New York avant-garde heritage: choreographer Andy de Groat and playwright Jim Neu. Since Andy’s move to France in 1982 and Jim Neu’s passing in 2010, these two artists’ work is rarely seen anymore in New York. By engaging in this process of archiving through re-performance in collaboration with my peers and fellow artists, together we will pass this important legacy on to a new generation of audiences and performers.


Since I embarked on this project last year, I’ve been moved by the level of enthusiasm expressed for these artists’ work and for these recreations, and this has helped to buoy the project forward. The de Groat revival project alone has received the following:


* an invitation from curator Catherine Tharin at the 92nd St Y
* a travel grant from the Jerome Foundation to work with Andy in person
* an invitation from Danspace Project to present in December 2015
* a residency for the group at Robert Wilson's Watermill Center


In addition, there's an incredible group of New York dancers on board who share my passion for Andy’s work and this project.


We have an important opportunity for this project coming up: a program of Andy’s pieces at the 92nd Street Y Fridays at Noon series on February 6. This is a critical moment-- the dancers and I are mid-way through the reconstruction process and are ready to share it with an audience, but what's missing is the funds to pay these dancers for their work. This is what I need help with RIGHT NOW.


We’re raising $3,000 to pay the dancers for the reconstruction of these pieces and their presentation at the 92nd Street Y. To support this project at this critical stage, click on the link below to make a donation via PayPal or credit card. All donations are tax-deductible through our non-profit sponsor, The Free History Project. 

You’re also welcome to share this link directly with other people who you think would like to contribute! (Please share via email only - no social media! I’d like to keep this appeal among “family.”)




Here's a video of our remount of Andy de Groat's Fan Dance at the 92nd Street Y in November 2013, featuring original 1978 cast members Ritty Burchfield and Kathy Ray, longtime red notes company member Makram Hamdan, and first-time performers Paisid Aramphongphan, Racy Brand, Rosalie Elkinton, Edith Freyer, Patrick Gallagher, Olsi Gjeci, Satya Stainton, Julia Vickers and Buck Wanner.

Catherine Galasso and Andy de Groat, August 2014

Andy de Groat, photo by Lois Greenfield