Small Plates Choreography Festival is a dance performance series advancing the work of dance makers. Small Plates is dedicated to creating a growth environment for artists by producing curated showcase-style performances in several cities each year, and by facilitating guided dialogue between the audience and the choreographers after each performance. The artist/audience interface is what makes Small Plates truly special.

Small Plates Choreography Festival is a platform for artist promotion, an incubator for creative community, an entry point for emerging choreographers and curious observers into the world of concert dance, and a sounding board for established artists and their audiences to engage in the art of performance with one another. Small Plates creates a touring opportunity for small dance companies and independent makers, allowing them to experience how their creative work will be received in communities outside of their own.

Small Plates Choreography Festival was created in 2012 by Beth McKee Elliott with the intention to create meaningful performance opportunities for choreographers and dancers, and to cultivate a zoetic interface between movement artists and their audiences. The festival provides a venue for the presentation of short dance works to a shared audience, building community through performance, dialogue, and professional networking.

We invite you to be part of the Small Plates community experience by APPLYING for one of our shows, or by coming to experience one of our PERFORMANCES where you can meet and talk with the ARTISTS, or MAKING A DONATION to support our efforts.

The Dance Maker Podcast was created to extend the mission of Small Plates Choreography Festival in amplifying the voices of artists featured in our performances.

Producers interested in hosting Small Plates Choreography Festival in their community should contact the director Beth Elliott.

smallplatesdance.com

Dance Maker host Beth McKee Elliott reflects on closing the 2025 performance season and wrapping up season two of the Dance Maker podcast, announcing a short break before returning in the spring with new artist interviews.

She highlights the success of the year’s performances in Duck, NC and Austin, TX, featuring over 30 works from 20+ artists nationwide.

Looking ahead, she outlines the 2026 Small Plates seasons in Northern Virginia, Duck, and New York City, where the festival returns for its first NYC performance since 2018.

The episode also emphasizes goals for podcast monetization and encourages listeners to subscribe, share, and support Small Plates through donations.

Finally, she offers gratitude to the artists, staff, and community before wishing everyone a peaceful end to 2025.

Visit www.smallplatesdance.com⁠ for open applications, links to purchase tickets and to donate. 

Small Plates NOVA applications are being accepted until December 1 at midnight.

Join our email list at https://tinyurl.com/spcfjoin to receive notices about new podcast episodes, application deadline reminders, and announcements about new shows and events.

Photos: Brian Wolfe www.instagram.com/brianarmoured212

Matt Bradfort www.instagram.com/hankntank

Beth McKee Elliott www.instagram.com/embodiedthreads www.instagram.com/smallplatesdance

Music: Foundations, Shimmer, Matthew Wigton, A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION

In this episode of the Dance Maker podcast, host Carlye Eckert interviews choreographer Meghan Frederick about her work, practice, and artistic evolution. They dive into the creative process behind Frederick’s score-based piece After Yes, discussing the intentional disruption of flow, the impact of motherhood on her art, and the vulnerability and trust involved in live performance. The conversation also explores audience perception, compositional structures, and how abstraction in dance can serve as a mirror for discomfort and self-reflection. This rich dialogue offers both personal insight and broader commentary on the power of contemporary dance.

Visit www.smallplatesdance.com⁠ for open applications, links to purchase tickets and to donate. 

IG: @⁠carlyeeckert⁠

IG: @meghanfrederick5

Join our email list at https://tinyurl.com/spcfjoin to receive notices about new podcast episodes, application deadline reminders, and announcements about new shows and events.

Photos: Jim Coleman (Emily Green) and Brian Wolfe www.instagram.com/brianarmoured212

Music: Foundations, Shimmer, Matthew Wigton, A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION

In this episode of the Dance Maker Podcast, host Michele Painter sits down with choreographer and performer Emily Green to discuss her piece Blue, first created in college and recently revived for the Small Plates Choreography Festival in Newburgh, NY. Emily reflects on her evolution as an artist over the past decade, sharing how her relationship with her body, performance, and audience connection has shifted with time. The conversation explores themes of collaboration, vulnerability, and the fleeting yet powerful nature of live dance. Emily also offers insight into her current projects and her passion for creating work that embraces intimacy, playfulness, and human connection.

IG: @emi_greenn

IG for current collaborative full-length choreographic work:

@macho_huzzah_dance

Visit www.smallplatesdance.com⁠ for open applications, links to purchase tickets and to donate. 

Join our email list at https://tinyurl.com/spcfjoin to receive notices about new podcast episodes, application deadline reminders, and announcements about new shows and events.

Photos: Jim Coleman (Emily Green) and Brian Wolfe www.instagram.com/brianarmoured212

Music: Foundations, Shimmer, Matthew Wigton, A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION

@michele1981plie

In this moving episode of the Dance Maker podcast, host Michele Painter speaks with choreographer and movement educator Judy Kurjan-Frank about her deeply personal solo work, Birth Plan / Dear Child, performed at the 2024 Small Plates Choreography Festival. Judy shares how becoming a mother of three—especially the birth of her third child—inspired the movement, themes, and emotional layers of her choreography. Through collaborative creation, recorded poetry, and embodied memory, she explores how dance can serve as both expression and healing during transformative life experiences. The conversation touches on unlearning ballet habits, reconnecting with selfhood in postpartum life, and the universality of love conveyed through movement.

You can find out more about Judy on IG @judeschmoods.

The recorded poetry was written by Claire Taylor.

Visit www.smallplatesdance.com⁠ for open applications, links to purchase tickets and to donate. 

Join our email list at https://tinyurl.com/spcfjoin to receive notices about new podcast episodes, application deadline reminders, and announcements about new shows and events.

Photos: Matt Kelley (Judy Kurjan-Frank) and Brian Wolfe www.instagram.com/brianarmoured212

Music: Foundations, Shimmer, Matthew Wigton, A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION

Creating Through Impasse: Meredith Barnes on Dance, Friendship, and Healing | Ep 22

In this episode of the Dance Maker podcast, host Beth McKee Elliott speaks with choreographer Meredith Barnes about her journey as a dance artist, educator, and founder of DanceArtTheater. They explore the origins and emotional depth of Meredith's duet Relationship Impasse, a piece born from personal grief and social upheaval during the pandemic. The conversation dives into the creative process, collaboration with dancers, and the power of dance to express complex, often unspoken feelings. Meredith also shares upcoming projects and her continued commitment to nurturing the dance community through performance and mentorship. It's an inspiring and heartfelt look at the intersection of art, life, and healing.

Learn more about Meredith and DanceArtTheater at www.dancearttheater.com

Meredith will be presenting work at Small Plates Duck, OBX on Duck Amphitheater 1200 Duck Road, Kitty Hawk, NC at on July 30, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. 

The performances are free and open to the public.

Visit www.smallplatesdance.com more information.

Join our email list at https://tinyurl.com/spcfjoin to receive notices about new podcast episodes, application deadline reminders, and announcements about new shows and events.

Photo: Brian Wolfe www.instagram.com/brianarmoured212

Music: Foundations, Shimmer, Matthew Wigton, A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION

In this episode of the Dance Maker Podcast, host ⁠Michele Painter⁠ engages with Audrey Baran, a Filipina-American dance maker, performer, educator and director of Baran Dance. Her work has been featured at the ⁠⁠Small Plates Choreography Festival⁠⁠s in North Carolina and New York. In this episode, we explore her artistic journey and the personal experiences that have influenced her creative process in choreography. Audrey speaks on her collaborative process, which involves working and choreographing with a diverse community of dancers. This episode provides a compelling look at how choreographers can use personal life experiences and human relationships to create dances that are emotionally accessible to community audiences.

Learn more about Audrey Baran and Baran Dance by visiting https://baran.dance/ and following their IG account @barandance.

You can also visit our website www.smallplatesdance.com⁠ for open applications, links to purchase tickets and to donate. Join our email list at https://tinyurl.com/spcfjoin to receive notices about new podcast episodes, application deadline reminders, and announcements about new shows and events.

Photos: Butch Delatina (Audrey Baran) and Brian Wolfe www.instagram.com/brianarmoured212

Music: Foundations, Shimmer, Matthew Wigton, A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION

In this episode of the Dance Maker Podcast, host Jennifer Williams engages with Austin-based choreographer Emily Rushing, whose work was featured at the ⁠Small Plates Choreography Festival⁠. In this powerful episode, we explore her artistic journey and the personal experiences that have influenced her creative process in choreography. Rushing reveals how her recent personal encounters with grief and her fascination with certain aspects of nature documentaries inspired her poignant work, Spore. This intimate conversation delves into the complexities and healing aspects of creating art that is deeply rooted in vulnerability and community. This episode provides a compelling look at how choreographers transform life experiences into movement, using dance as a powerful tool for healing and connection.

Learn more about Emily Rushing at https://emily-rushing.com/

Please visit our website, ⁠www.smallplatesdance.com⁠ for open applications, links to purchase tickets and to donate.

Join our email list at https://tinyurl.com/spcfjoin to receive notices about new podcast episodes, application deadline reminders, and announcements about new shows and events.

Photo: Sarah Annie Navarrete

Music: Foundations, Shimmer, Matthew Wigton, A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION

In this heartfelt episode of the Dance Maker podcast, host Beth McKee Elliott speaks with Jeanna Vance, executive director of Open Sky Arts Collective, about her choreographic work A Distant Welcome. Jeanna shares her journey from classical ballet to community-centered dance, and how faith, vulnerability, and dreams shape her creative process. They discuss the emotional and spiritual depth behind her piece, the power of collaborative rehearsal, and the importance of authenticity in both dance and life. This episode is a rich exploration of how choreography becomes a vessel for connection, longing, and transformation.

Learn more about Jeanna Vance and Open Sky Arts Collective at https://www.openskyarts.com/

Please visit our website, ⁠www.smallplatesdance.com⁠ for open applications, links to purchase tickets and to donate.

Join our email list at https://tinyurl.com/spcfjoin to receive notices about new podcast episodes, application deadline reminders, and announcements about new shows and events.

Photo: Brian Wolfe www.instagram.com/brianarmoured212

Music: Foundations, Shimmer, Matthew Wigton, A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION

In Episode 18 of the Dance Maker podcast, host Jennifer Williams interviews emerging choreographer Reisa DiNatale, whose work was featured at the Small Plates Choreography Festival. Reisa reflects on her journey in dance, detailing the experiences that have shaped her into the choreographer and performer she is today. She delves into her creative process and the inspiration behind her large ensemble work, In Cold Blood, which examines themes of betrayal and the intricacies of human relationships. The episode reveals how DiNatale's commitment and vision infused the piece with emotional resonance and unity, leaving a lasting impact on both the audience and the dancers. Throughout the discussion, Reisa's fervor for choreography shines through, along with her ambition to continue crafting and showcasing significant dance pieces.

Please visit our website, ⁠www.smallplatesdance.com⁠ for open applications, links to purchase tickets and to donate. 

Join our email list at https://tinyurl.com/spcfjoin to receive notices about new podcast episodes, application deadline reminders, and announcements about new shows and events.

Photo: Brian Wolfe www.instagram.com/brianarmoured212

Music: Foundations, Shimmer, Matthew Wigton, A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION