Pentacle and The Space/Movement Project (TSMP) are excited to announce they are partnering to further develop and produce Pentacle’s Help Desk® and Back Office programs in Chicago. As of August 1st, TSMP has joined Pentacle as the Program Coordinator for these two programs that address Chicago-based dance companies’ and project-based artists’ infrastructure needs. Aligning both organizations’ missions to serve the dance community, especially small and mid-sized organizations and independent choreographers, TSMP and Pentacle will work together to solidify and grow Help Desk® and Back Office as core resources.

Sara Zalek, as TSMP’s representative, will serve as the contact Program Coordinator for the programs, and TSMP’s OuterSpace Studios will provide a home for Help Desk®/Back Office meetings, workshops and other community convenings. Help Desk® is Pentacle’s unique mentoring program focusing on dance companies’ and independent choreographers’ infrastructure stability and growth. The program challenges participants to explore whether textbook solutions work, or can serve as springboards to generate new systems designed for their own particular needs. Back Office addresses head on the critical lack of direct administrative and executive support and staffing in small and mid-sized dance organizations. Back Office supplies direct affordable support from supervised, dedicated individuals on an on-going basis to dance and project-based performing artists.

The Space/Movement Project is an innovative female dance group dedicated to nurturing the collective female lens in contemporary dance movement; inspiring an experimental collaborative inquiry in the creative dance process; and cultivating the Chicago dance community through its platforms for discussion. Currently in its tenth season, TSMP has performed work across Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, New York and Puebla, Mexico. Locally the company has appeared at The Dance Center of Columbia College, Ruth Page Center for the Arts and many others independent venues. TSMP has operated OuterSpace Studios offering low cost rehearsal space rental to the independent performing artist community since 2010. Pentacle is not-for-profit management support organization for dance and theater organizations and artists. Pentacle’s provides these communities with flexible and affordable infrastructure support in a sustainable way, on an expert level, and at an affordable price. Pentacle grounds services and programming in the creative work of each artist/group, responding to the ever-changing needs of the community, so artists have more time to create, perform and engage with the world. For more information, contact Sara Zalek at helpdeskchicago@pentacle.org.