Eligibility Requirements for the
2026 Choreography Pilot Program (CPP26)
1. All CPP26 choreographers and their participating dancers must be professional-level artists with:
a) A minimum of five years professional experience as a choreographer and/or dancer and currently working in the dance field.
b) Or a minimum of two years choreographing in any form of contemporary dance styles professionally performed in theatre, video, streaming, etc.
c) Or a minimum of two years of recreating archival contemporary dance works
(but the piece choreographed for the pilot program must be new, original work.)
2. Contemporary ballet and classical ballet works are not eligible.
3. Applicants must be a current resident in one of the five boroughs of New York City for a minimum of one year prior to applying and while completing the CPP26.
4. Applicants must have the following documents:
a) Social Security Number or Individual Tax ID Number IRS non-profit 501c3 form
b) Green Card (if applicable)
5. And one of the following for their company:
a) Charity registration form
b) IRS non-profit 501c3 form
c) Umbrella registered sponsor for their company6.Funding is for new work only and must
have a laboratory process of choreography and time allotted for coaching by DMF, Inc.’s coaches and staff between January 1st and November 15th, 2026.
Guidelines and Additional Definitions for the CPP26
The Mission of the Choreographic Program Pilot for Danse Mirage Foundation, Inc. is to oversee and encourage choreographers to create new contemporary dance work within the published annual dates and deadlines, remunerating the live participating dancer artists to manifest such work.
Danse Mirage Foundation, Inc. provides funding for research and exploration of the choreographer to create and rehearse a new work with the funding calendar year and mount a performance of that new work also in that calendar year. At this time the calendar year runs January 1 through November 15, 2026.
For further clarity, it is advised that a choreographer does not formally begin choreographic rehearsals with their dancer artists until AFTER the announced date of grant funding, which varies annually with the calendar. Otherwise, the choreographer assumes all of the expenses and financial liability for the duration of the project if it begins before Danse Mirage Foundation, Inc. has announced the grants.
Since a choreographer may work in a laboratory setting before or after the dates described as the formal operating time of Danse Mirage Foundation, Inc., then no more than 20% (twenty percent) of the work may be finalized before January 1st of that funding year. In addition, nor may the final performance take place after November 15th of that funding year.
Danse Mirage Foundation, Inc. has goals to provide creative process time in the studio with the dancer artists; offering coaches for mentoring; and funding of a new choreographic work while in the time frame of the grant.
Danse Mirage Foundation, Inc. grants require that the choreographer remunerate the dancer artists for their work in conjunction with the choreographer to mount/ create the new work within the process of the grant annual yearly dates mentioned above.