ETD New Choreographer Grant: Spotlight on William Ervin

William Ervin is one of three 2022 ETD New Choreographer Grant Recipients and is originally from Franklin Township, New Jersey. During his undergraduate studies at Montclair State University, Ervin was fortunate to show his work in the Dumbo Dance Festival and Brooklyn Ballet Emerging Choreographer Festival, among others. Ervin currently holds the position of Co-Artistic Director of Dance at Brooklyn Center for the Arts and choreographer in Judah International Dance Theater residence.

Ervin grew up with a foundation in street dance, including house, popping, and social dances. Blending his foundation of street dance with his training in contemporary ballet, Ervin describes his movement as quirky and statuesque. "I think it's really beautiful to be able to go from being awkward to tall and elongated and then back to sexy and confident, all within an eight-count phrase," said Ervin. 

Ervin's work for the ETD New Choreographer Grant is rooted in the concept of how human memories transform. "With this project, I want to emphasize how the brain performs a memory," said Ervin. "Your most important memories, whether it's something super traumatic or the happiest moment of your life, form the foundation of who you are," said Ervin. He said his work could evolve in other ways in the memory track, such as Alzheimer's once one gets older and how the future holds or lacks memory.

Ervin emphasizes getting to know dancers as people during his time in the studio with them regarding the choreographic process. Ervin said authenticity in the studio connects him to understanding who the dancers are, making the process of giving them movement that much easier. "I can better understand how their body processes movement," said Ervin. "Being able to talk to the people that I work with to pick their brains and understand their history and see how that history comes out when someone performs is one of the most rewarding things to me."

Ervin says he feels extremely grateful to receive the opportunity to share his work with the support of Eryc Taylor Dance. "It means being able to show my choreography to the world," said Ervin. "This grant provides another opportunity to give dancers the space to perform, to live in the choreography and their truth. This opportunity is another chance to showcase people of color dancing, which is important because representation matters." Ervin says he feels grateful to share this experience with his dancers and his vision with the audience in March. 

Save the date March 26, 2022, for the ETD New Choreography Grant Showcase at The Martha Graham Studio Theater at 55 Bethune St., NYC. To make RSVP please send an email to info@etd.nyc.

Follow Will on social media and check out his website below!