It Has Been Home For Me

“It Has Been Home for Me” premieres at 7:30pm on Friday, October 22, 2021 at the Takoma Park Community Center as part of the Takoma Park Arts Series.

As part of our Dance On creative aging program, Dance Exchange commissioned Resident Artist Corina Iona Dalzell and Arts for the Aging’s Nancy Havlik to create a new performance work in partnership with longtime Takoma Park residents. The two artists been exploring the area and listening to stories and memories from local residents, including Arthur, Jackie, Esther, Sherri, and Silvia, as inspiration. The artists are also inviting local residents to participate in the project by picking up, filling out, and sending in one of many postcards that have been distributed around Takoma Park with questions for reflection, including:

What have you seen change in Takoma Park?
How have you changed while living here?
Tell us a story about you and dance.

The interviews, stories, and postcards collected will become part of the music for the final performance, “It Has Been Home for Me.” Part dance film screening, visual art installation, and audience engagement, the commissioned work will premiere in October 2021.

This commissioned work is generously supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the City of Takoma Park.

Woman with stern expression walks through grass with 1 finger held out as others around her do the same.

Check out Executive Artistic Director Cassie Meador’s recent interview with Nancy and Corina about the project.

Mail a Postcard

Click on any of the images below to download a postcard to send back to Corina and Nancy. We can’t wait to hear your stories!

Postcard reads, "What have you seen change in Takoma Park?"

Postcard reads, "How have you changed while living here in Takoma Park, Maryland?"

Postcard reads, "Tell us a story about you dancing."

Postcard reads in Spanish, "Que ha visto que ha cambiado en Takoma Park?"

Postcard reads in Spanish, "Come ha cambiado usted mientras ha estada viviende aqui en Takoma Park?"

Postcard reads in Spanish, "Cuentenos una experiencia personal, una historia acerca de usted bailando."

Postcard reads in Amharic, "What have you seen change in Takoma Park?"

Postcard reads in Amharic, "How have you changed while living here in Takoma Park, Maryland?"

Postcard reads in Amharic, "Tell us a story about you dancing."

Submit an Online Postcard

Click on any of the buttons below to submit an online postcard to Corina and Nancy. We can’t wait to hear your stories!

Submit a postcard in English

Enviar una postal en español

በአማርኛው ፖስትካርድ ያስገቡ

Corina Iona Dalzell

Based in Washington, District of Columbia, Corina Iona Dalzell (They/Them) is a dance maker and performer focusing on inclusion and community.

Corina‘s original performance work has been produced in Ohio, New York, Washington, and Maine. For more info visit corinadalzell.com.

As a performer, Corina has worked with Bodywise Dance Company, Dance Exchange, Fox Whitney of Gender Tender, Vanessa DeWolf, Rachael Lincoln, PE|Mo, Veronica Lee Baik of The Three Yells Performance Company, and Noelle Chun.

Corina supports inclusive arts communities as a creative movement educator serving individuals with cognitive and developmental disabilities. They have partnered with Dance Exchange, Bodywise Dance Company, The Washington State Therapeutic Recreation Association, PROVAIL, The City of Seattle, The City of Shoreline, Costello Syndrome Family Support Network, and CFC International.

Nancy Havlik

Nancy Havlik has been directing and choreographing for 30 years. She formed Dance Performance Group as a vehicle to realize her choreographic vision with a small group of dancers and musicians. Dance Performance group has performed extensively in the Washington area at venues including Dance Place, Shakespeare Theater and Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. Havlik’s work has been shown in New York at Joyce Soho, WAX and Construction Company and in Eastern Europe. Nancy has directed site work at The National Portrait Gallery, Josephine Butler Parks Center and Sonic Circuits among others. Nancy has been a teaching artist, director of senior improvisation company, Quicksilver and Board member of Arts for the Aging for over 20 years.