Metro DC Dance Awards
The Metro DC Dance Awards was founded in 2000 by Cheles Rhynes and Mason/Rhynes Productions as a means of recognizing excellence in local dance and building community among DC-area dance artists and organizations. Since its inception, the MDCDA has produced annual awards ceremonies and developed an online calendar of dance performances by local artists. The organization is operated by volunteers who serve on an Advisory Board and a Selection Committee.

For the first awards ceremony in 2001, artists were nominated for awards by a panel of local dance experts and selected by popular vote. The following year, MDCDA designed and implemented a three-step voting process which maintains the involvement of the community, increases the role of artists in the selection of award winners, and gives dance professionals the last vote in the process. Categories continue to be added and refined as decided by the Advisory Board.

Dance/MetroDC , a branch office of Dance/USA , the national service organization for nonprofit professional dance, became the lead organization for MDCDA in 2006. Dance/MetroDC works in conjunction with The Kennedy Center and Mason/Rhynes Productions to produce the awards ceremony, and other events associated with MDCDA. MDCDA continues to evolve as an organization which both serves and celebrates the metropolitan DC/MD/VA dance community.

For more on the Metro DC Dance Awards, visit www.mdcda.org

Human Landscape Dance
Human Landscape Dance uses touch as a means of communication. The  aggressive grab of a partner's ankle, sensual tuck of chin against  shoulder, reckless winding of elbow around neck…the human dance of love, hate, parting and supporting are played out on our skins. Each  partner writes herself into the fabric of the other. www.hldance.org