Mission Statement
Hixon Dance seeks to create evocative, compelling, and entertaining dance works of the highest artistic caliber. Under the direction of Sarah Hixon, the company consistently presents modern dance pieces that receive high audience and critical acclaim. The artists who collaborate with Hixon Dance are many of the best working in the Columbus area. The primary goal of Hixon Dance is to create and present works of fine art that touch and enrich the lives and experiences of audiences. Hixon Dance believes that modern dance can belong to the realm of high art while still engaging and entertaining audiences of any background.
Organization History
Hixon Dance is a Columbus-based modern dance company, founded in 2007 by artistic director Sarah Hixon. The company has been active in the local performing arts community through showcases, concerts, fund-raisers, and festivals. The company has been chosen four times by adjudicated panel to present work in the Columbus Movement Movement showcase series, “Columbus Dances.” During their first season, the company was chosen as a semi-finalist in the BalletMet/Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC) New Choreography Project in 2008. That spring, the company presented “Sketches by Two” – an evening of new dance works at Columbus Dance Theatre. For this production, the company received funding support through the GCAC Franklin County Neighborhood Arts grant. Hixon Dance was also invited to present work in the first Columbus Summer Dance Festival hosted by the Ohio State University (OSU).
During the 2008-2009 season, Hixon Dance was artist-in-residence at the Dublin Dance Center, working with high school dance students to explore choreography, improvisation, and create a new work. The students were special guest performers at the company’s annual spring concert, which featured all new dance works by Sarah Hixon and live music, including original compositions by local composer and music director Jacob Reed. The company was featured on LifeLine Columbus on WDEM-TV. Hixon Dance received support for this season through the GCAC’s Project Support grant. The company was again invited to perform at the Columbus Summer Dance Festival, and to participate in the Dance Compassion Project, a fund-raiser to combat AIDS.
In the fall of 2009, Hixon Dance was selected to choreograph and present two sections of “60×60” – a production by Vox Novus that features sixty 1-minute new music compositions and sixty 1-minute new dance pieces, creating an hour of collaborative art. The company has received funding through a GCAC Franklin County Neighborhood Arts Grant to again produce their spring concert, again featuring all live music and new dance works. The company has also been selected by adjudicated panel to perform at the OhioDance Festival—a state-wide professional dance festival. Sarah Hixon’s choreography has been selected twice as a “season highlight” by Jay Weitz of the Columbus Alive!
For more information, please visit Hixon Dance.
