early era collective

Collaborative Performance Art

in Austin, Texas

  • lately

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    Austin Community College Dance Film Night

    Early Era was honored to be featured at ACC Dance Film Night on April 11! We are grateful to ACC for showcasing Early Era's body of film works. Lisa Kobdish, thank you for inviting us into this space. We appreciate our longtime and new supporters who attended, and engaged in such a rich Q&A discussion.

     

    Next up: see you this September 13-15 at George Washington Carver Center, for the debut of our new live dance and film hybrid production! More information coming soon.

     

    Picture by Kristine Patrick.

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    Austin Dance Festival

    In March, we performed our original live piece "Gimme Your Hands" at the Rollins Theater for Austin Dance Festival 2024. We are so grateful to have shared the stage with all of the inspiring artists who performed.

     

    "Gimme Your Hands" was choreographed by Stephanie Patrick. Danced by Mia Moi, Kanami Nakabayashi Timpe, and Lilly Thurman. Music arranged by Matt Jackson.

     

    Picture by Anna Bauer.

     

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    Thank You for Attending "Say That!"

    We had an amazing time honoring Black History Month at our February 2024 production "Say That!" This live show brought so many beginnings for us:

    • Our first production in a real theater (Thank you, Dougherty Arts Center!)
    • Our largest cast
    • Our biggest audience yet

    This production was made possible, in part, by the Artist Access Program and the City of Austin Economic Development Department's Cultural Arts Division.

     

    Show art by Greg Burton.

     

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    Watch Us on CBS Austin

    Artistic Director Stephanie Patrick and Spoken Word Collaborator Andre “S.C. Says” Bradford appeared live on We Are Austin this February! They discussed “Say That!” as well as Early Era Collective's mission, and the awesome community work that S.C. Says does as a touring spoken word artist. Thank you, We Are Austin, for having us!

     

    Watch the interview here.

  • Early era collective

    A Bit About Us...

     

    Early Era Collective’s mission is to present multiform art featuring diverse perspectives for diverse audiences. We believe that professional creative work is strongest when collaboratively made by individuals with a variety of training, artistic processes, expertise, lived experience, and world views. Early Era is a nonprofit dance company, comprised of dancers from contemporary, hip-hop, tap, and ballet backgrounds. We also collaborate with filmmakers, spoken word artists, actors, and singers. Many of our productions carry a social justice message folded into their artistry, emphasizing personal stories over politics.

     

    Our company creates:

    • Live shows for Austin audiences.
    • Dance films featured at festivals worldwide.
    • Thoughts That Move - community artist interviews discussing the intersection of race and arts industries in Austin.
    • Embolden Workshop Series - donation-based artist development workshops, created in partnership with Salvage Vanguard Theater and Ground Floor Theatre.

    Awards and honors include:

    • Live piece “Gimme Your Hands” featured at Austin Dance Festival 2024.
    • The City of Austin’s Cultural of Arts Division of the Economic Development Department’s 2023-24 Elevate award.
    • The City of Austin’s Parks and Recreational Department’s 2023-24 Artist Access Program.
    • Dance film "Milez" featured in eleven 2022-2023 film festivals nationwide, including Dance on Camera Festival (New York City) and Dance Camera West (Los Angeles). Received the Virtuosic Editing Award at Capitol D.C. Fest (Washington D.C.) and Local Favorite Award at Austin Dance Festival in 2022.
    • Artistic Director Stephanie Patrick received the 2019 nomination for the Austin Chronicle's Best Choreographer/Dancer.
    • Dance film "They Go Wild" was featured in three national/international film festivals in 2019.

    Early Era was founded in fall 2018, and became a 501(c)3 organization in March 2019. Concepts and Artistic Direction are by Stephanie Patrick, the Founder of Early Era. Previously, the company was called Stephanie Patrick Dance (founded in 2012) of San Francisco, Asheville, and Austin. Stephanie brings a lifelong career in performance, a passion for social justice, and her love for Austin (her hometown) to the company. Early Era is organized as a nonprofit organization to best support its collaborating artists.

     

  • leadership

    Early Era is a small but mighty organization founded by Artistic Director Stephanie Patrick. Our Board Members fundraise, contribute specialized services, and provide valuable expertise for our company. Thanks to the City of Austin, we added a Marketing Coordinator to our team in 2023. Click each picture to learn more about the people who make Early Era happen.

    Stephanie Patrick, Director

    Stephanie Patrick, Director

    Mia Moi, Marketing Coordinator

    Mia Moi, Marketing Coordinator

    Lisa del Rosario, Board Member

    Lisa del Rosario, Board Member

    Ketan Patel, Board Member

    Ketan Patel, Board Member

    Krista Robinson, Board Member

    Krista Robinson, Board Member

    Earl McGehee, Board Member

    Earl McGehee, Board Member

  • Support Early Era

     

    We'd be grateful for your support in our sixth season! Early Era is a nonprofit dance company based in Austin, Texas. We collaborate with amazing artists right here in Austin to create exciting, authentic, and meaningful performances, AND strive to pay artists equitable hourly wages in the process. We keep ticket prices low to remain accessible to our local community.

     

    Please consider donating to our company today.

  • Films

    Peep some of our film creations.

  • Milez

    Featuring Austin-based hip-hop duo Magna Carda, eight Early Era dancers inspect the systems by which we abide, and the sameness required of average people to operate within those systems. Our artists must decide whether to stay within the boxes that confine them or break free.
     
    Produced by: Early Era Collective and Stephanie Patrick. Co-Directed by: Stephanie Patrick and Ben Lee. Co-Choreographed by: Daniel Broxton and Stephanie Patrick. Director of Photography and Editor: Ben Lee. Poster design by: Ketan Patel. Featuring Magna Carda and their original song "Milez."


    Danced by: Daniel Broxton, Lauren Parra Faudree, Mia Moi, Michelle Barfield, Jairus Carr, Jaylin Lane, Ciceley Fullylove, and Stephanie Patrick.

     

    "Milez" was featured at the following 2022-23 film festivals: Dance on Camera Festival (New York City, NY), Dance Camera West (Los Angeles, CA), San Francisco Dance Film Festival, Capitol Dance & Cinema Festival (Washington D.C.), Austin Dance Festival, deadCenter Film Festival (Oklahoma City, OK), Hyperreal Film Club (Austin, TX), The Martha's Vineyard Film Festival, Film Fest Petaluma, AV Fest (Healdsburg, CA), The Front Fest (Austin, TX).

    They Go Wild

    Warning: A natural disaster is coming. In "They Go Wild," Early Era Collective parallels wild landscape with the reckless treatment of womxn, and what might happen when they will no longer endure.

    Directed By: Stephanie Patrick
    Director of Photography: Ben Lee
    Danced By: Lauren Parra Faudree and Laura Vazquez
    Spoken Word (Written & Performed) By: Amber Wilson
    Second Camera: Derek Butvin
    Edited By: Ben Lee and Stephanie Patrick

     

    "They Go Wild" was featured in the 2019 Oaxaca Film Festival, Directed by Women: NYC Shorts of All Sorts, and the Tipperary Dance International Film Festival.

    finding home

    A commissioned work by Equality Texas that honors our Black and LGBTQIA loved ones lost to violence in 2020. A big thank you to Equality Texas for including Early Era in their virtual gala, All Eyes on Texas, on October 17th, 2020! We were proud to help fundraise for such an important cause, and to honor Black and LGBTQIA lives lost to violent crimes in 2020 through words and movement.

     

    Words By: Addy Allred and Andre Bradford

    Dancing By: Mia Moi, Kaitlyn Jones, Ciceley Fullylove, Lauren Parra, Stephanie Patrick, and Jairus Carr

    Shot and Edited By: Ben Lee

    Produced, Directed & Choreographed By:

    Stephanie Patrick

    Against Shadows

    Ten performers in five scenes explore racial and gender discrimination against graffiti sites in Austin and San Francisco.

     

    Filmed & Co-Edited By: Justin Kirchhoff

    Produced, Directed, Co-Choreographed & Co-Edited By: Stephanie Patrick

    Danced & Co-Choreographed By: Lauren Parra Faudree, Krista Robinson, Alex Miller, Mahalaya Tintiangco-Cubales, Kyle Limin, Leslie Panitchpakdi, Robin Nariyoshi, Michael Love, Alyssa Myers, Stephanie Patrick

    Assistant Directed By: Maddie Alfaro

     

    View full project at: 

    https://vimeo.com/showcase/7164800

    I Begin

    "I am literally smiling, now. I am really, truly filled with joy watching this. It exudes the joys of coming home. It's not quite like anything I've seen before. It feels like each of the places themselves are Stephanie’s dance partners, with Texas being her final, real partner. I did not see her dancing IN a place, as much as WITH a place." -Kathryn Taylor, viewer

     

    This is a Stephanie Patrick Dance film, which was the pre-cursor company to Early Era Collective. Danced & Edited By Stephanie Patrick. Filmed By Rafael Alba and David Kallison. Music by Diana Gameros.

  • Shows

    Glimpse some of our recent live works.

  • Of Thee I Swing

    It was a joy to honor Veterans Day and the legacy of our beautiful interview subjects Albert & Virginia Sanders, Alfred Dotson, and Bob & Jewell Goolsby in "Of Thee I Swing" in November 2023.

     

    “Of Thee I Swing” was produced by Early Era and Stephanie Patrick. Choreographed by Stephanie Patrick, Daniel Broxton, Mia Moi and the dancers. Documentary segments were filmed, edited, and animated by Ben Lee, captioned by Maddy Leitner, and directed by Stephanie Patrick. Second camera by Andreina Byrne.

     

    Technical direction for the live production by Natalie George Productions. Costumes by Lindsey Gerson.

     

    Our fantastic cast: Lauren Parra Faudree, Mia Moi, Jack Dunlap, Matthew Sommers, Bradi Nelson, Taylor Conaler, Lilly Thurman, and Olivia Howell.

    Whirligig

    Sponsored by Bacardi, this April 2023 live production at Factory On 5th showcased the creativity, fun, and professionalism of Austin's dance community through six brand new works by Lisa del Rosario, Daniel Broxton, Mia Moi, Jairus Carr, and Stephanie Patrick.  
     
    16 dancers brought this production to life: Cara Cook, Lisa Schreck, Veronica DeWitt, Fay Leonard, Clay Moore, Angelina de Leon, Aubrey Turner, Amelia Bachofen, Matthew Sommers, Bradi Nelson, Sanchita Sharma, Rachel Culver, Mia Moi, Kanami Nakabayashi Timpe, Amanda Anstey, and Katie Lowen.
     
    Lighting Design by Natalie George Productions. Footage by Earl McGehee. Edit by Clare Schweitzer. Music by UNCOMMEN, Gareth Donkin.
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    Smorg

    Produced by Emily Rushing and Carissa Topham, "Smorg" showcased some of the variety that Austin's contemporary dance community has to offer. Early Era Collective premiered "Doubts & Dreams" for this April 2023 show at Cafe Dance.

     

    Choreographed by Stephanie Patrick and the dancers. Danced by Matthew Sommers, Cara Cook, Rachel Culver, Sanchita Sharma, and Bradi Nelson. Picture by Earl McGehee.

    Shift

    "Shift" took place at ElectrikCITY Dance Movement in June 2022. Featuring multiple forms of dance styles, spoken word, and dance film, "Shift" was about the life transitions and change that come for all of us.

     

    Performed by Mia Moi, Michelle Barfield, Lauren Parra Faudree, Jaylin Lane, Jairus Carr, Becky Nam, and Stephanie Patrick. Spoken word by Andre Bradford. Choreography by Stephanie Patrick, Daniel Broxton and the dancers.

     

    "Proceed With Caution" was choreographed by Stephanie Patrick + the dancers. Footage by Earl McGehee and Stephanie Patrick. Edited by Stephanie Patrick.

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    Lookout fest

    Early Era Collective performed at The Long Center's LookOUT Fest in September 2022.

     

    Performed by Mia Moi, Michelle Barfield, Lauren Parra Faudree, Jaylin Lane, Jairus Carr and Taylor Conaler. Choreography by Stephanie Patrick, Daniel Broxton and the dancers. Pictures by Heather Arnos and Earl McGehee.

    Blurred on All Sides

    "Blurred on All Sides" was our first show back from the pandemic lockdown in December 2021, at The Gift. This show was our most mulitform yet, combining multiple styles of dance, spoken word, acting, singing, film, and photography.

     

    Danced by Lauren Parra Faudree, Mia Moi, Jaylin Lane, and Michelle Barfield. Spoken word by S.C. Says (Andre Bradford). Acting by S.C. Says (Andre Bradford) and Stephanie Patrick. Singing & Direction by Stephanie Patrick. Choreogaphy by Stephanie Patrick and the dancers.

     

    Choreographed by Stephanie Patrick and the dancers, "Back At It" celebrates the return to gathering, celebrating, and sharing art together. Footage by Tori Nunn.

  • Thoughts That Move

    Created by Daniel Broxton, Lauren Parra Faudree, and Stephanie Patrick during the pandemic, Thoughts That Move is an artist discussion series that reveals how the arts and race intersect in Austin. Over 50 artists have been featured across three seasons of interviews. View our Season Three episodes below.

     

    Episode flyers designed by Ketan Patel. Theme music by Magna Carda.

  • Creativity & Social Justice

    Featured guests engage in a poignant talk about artists’ roles in social justice-themed art, and challenge the expectation for Black and African American artists to explore racism in their work.

     

    Host: Stephanie Patrick

    Featured Guests: Alyssa Dillard, Amber Wilson, Andre Bradford and Chinwe Okorie

    Edited by: Daniel Broxton and Chinwe Okorie

    equity in arts funding: what is 'reputable?'

    Four guests discuss fair pay for artists, whether college degrees are necessities, what they wish they had learned while training, and the cycle of big companies receiving funding over emerging artists.

     

    Host: Daniel Broxton

    Featured Artists: Will Walker, Lucy Wilson, Alisa Guardiola, and Marina DeYoe-Pedraza

    Edited By: Daniel Broxton

    creating in a white world

    Five artists discuss what it’s like to train and create in white-centered arts industries, and the change they'd like to see in Austin and the larger arts world.

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    Host: Lauren Parra Faudree

    Featured Artists: Alexa Capareda, Andreina Byrne, Becky Nam, Mia Moi, and Anna Reyes

    Edited by: Daniel Broxton

    Race & Ethnicity in arts education

    Current and former teachers discuss the necessity of aligning racial and ethnic studies with arts education for students of all ages, both in the public and private sectors.

     

    Host: Daniel Broxton

    Featured Artists: Jordyn Marsh, Toni Neal, Krista Robinson, Rebeca Gamborino, and Kathleen Fletcher.

    Edited By: Daniel Broxton

    Triple Threat: Black, Female & Creative

    An intimate conversation between Kaitlyn Jones and Leah Tubbs that covers topics like self-care, lineage, energizing artistic communities of color, and when to say “no.”

     

    Host: Kaitlyn Jones

    Featured Artist: Leah Tubbs

    Edited by: Daniel Broxton

    Captioned by: Lauren Parra Faudree

    tap: a thriving black american art form

    Four professional tap artists discuss the history of rhythm tap, the responsibility of white artists in a Black art form, and discovering your authentic artistic identity.

     

    Host: Michael Love

    Featured Artists: Karissa Royster, Ginnifer Joe, Alisa Guardiola

    Edited by: Daniel Broxton

    Caption by: Lauren Parra Faudree

  • Embolden Workshop Series

    Created in partnership with Salvage Vanguard Theater and Ground Floor Theatre, Embolden Workshops are donation-based professional development for artists. Featured speakers are local nonprofit/arts business owners, artists from multiple mediums, and professional fundraisers. Through Embolden, we strive to help Austin artists empower themselves to gain the business skills that we were never taught, prevent burnout, and build community. We hope to reimagine and resume this program in 2024.

     

    Flyer design by Embolden Co-Creator Marina DeYoe-Pedraza.

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  • Black lives matter

    Black Lives Matter

     

    In light of the murders of George Floyd, Mike Ramos, and so many other Black and African Americans lost to police brutality, our company acknowledges and joins the fight for justice for our Black brothers and sisters.

    In a country that claims to be one nation and touts justice for all, this tradition of violence is simply unacceptable. It is clear that the roots of racism need to be examined and swiftly removed. Our art form, local community, and company would not be what they are without the innovations and talents of Black dancers, musicians, and spoken word artists.

    In one of the most segregated cities, we recognize the disparities young Black dancers face in accessing training, and the factors that hinder Black professionals from producing work. As part of this community we are advocating for change, and we welcome feedback from Austin’s artists and citizens of color.

    Black lives matter. We see you, we stand with you, and we are in this ongoing and important fight for justice.

     

  • Photos

    Films + Shows

  • Contact

    We'd love to hear from you! Please reach out for booking inquiries, questions about Early Era Collective, or if you'd like to receive updates about our events.

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