2024 plunge development grant Recipient

Congratulations Damonique ballou

Our judges were enamored with DaMonique’s vision for fostering conversation between theological communities and mental health professionals. She aims to facilitate discussion through her playwriting that deconstruct stereotypes of mental illness within faith-based communities and ideate ways support those specifically impacted by bipolar disorder.

Her heart, along with her fellow collaborator Camille Thomas, focuses on providing language and connection as communities seek to heal from radical assumptions around those experiencing or supporting those with mental illness.

We look forward to featuring more of DaMonique’s latest readings and staging productions during her year of impact with funds provided by the 2024 Plunge Development Grant.

ABOUT the PLunge development grant

The Plunge Development Grant is a one-time, $500 grant given to an artist (or collaborative collective) who seeks to use their creative medium(s) as a conduit for cultivating empathy, sparking curiosity, gathering community, and molding ingenuity. Our Dive & Dine community advocates for plunging into deep conversation and reflection through respectful listening and encouraged vulnerability. We believe that creators are apt to further this rare forum of conversation by celebrating diverse thought and experience through their work. Through the Plunge Development Grant, Dive & Dine hopes to support a new wave of artists who are working to preserve the malleable identity of the maker and use their art as an invitation for genuine connection.

All artists, from emerging to established innovators, whether a vocational or dabbling creative, are encouraged to apply. Dive & Dine is dedicated to supporting individuals from every background and at any stage in their journey pursuing innovation.

In addition to providing the Plunge Development Grant Recipient with the $500 of financial support, Dive & Dine is thrilled to feature the selected artist and their work at our annual Open Swim event in addition to leading one of our monthly community gatherings next year. We strongly encourage all applicants to consider the ways they will engage with the Dive & Dine community through these means as well.

In our efforts to ensure an equitable selection process, all applications will be reviewed by a prestigious judges panel of interdisciplinary artists and creators. In this way, Dive & Dine aims to expand the financial resources and creative opportunities for artists of all fields and passions.

ELIGIBILITY requirements

  • Applicants must be at least 16 years old and have a rigorous passion for making art that leads to conversation and reflection.

  • Individual artists or collaborative collectives may apply, but each applicant/application will be considered as a single entity.

  • Applicants must currently be a resident, or active member, of the New York City community (or in one of the city’s surrounding areas).

  • No previous Dive & Dine attendance is required.

  • Please note, the grant does not fund artist living expenses (ie. rent or healthcare).

2024 PDG judging panelists

Jonathan Girma, Yuki Ishiguro, nat wilson, & abigail yun

PAST Plunge development grant RECIPIENTS

Photography by Jon Marquez

hannah newman-pan (2022)

The Plunge Development Grant provided the support and impetus I needed to realize a project I'd been wanting to undertake for months, both in public workshops and private choreographic process.

Through the [pregnancy movement] workshops, I had the freedom to explore how movement can be a valuable outlet and processing vehicle for pregnant women. It was an honor to watch [workshop participants] — at various points in pregnancy and with different levels of dance experience — connect with their babies and with one another during the workshops.

I was surprised how quickly camaraderie could form in this kind of space, sharing art and life, and look forward to exploring the possibilities for this community in future workshops; I hope to host more workshops not only for those currently pregnant, but also for new moms in the postpartum period and beyond. I hope these inaugural workshops were just the beginning.

 

yuki ishiguro (2023)

“After receiving the 2023 PDG, I used the funds to create a dance production "Memories of the Moon" inspired by Japanese camps during World War II and other stories about discrimination in the U.S. In the show, I used dancers in my New York company and invited Yoshito Sakuraba as a guest choreographer from New York. I also formed a Pennsylvania company by casting former students and collaborating with local dance schools to spread word in the dance community. These artists performed the production at The TANK NYC, Joseph Marie High School in Bucks County and Icebox Project Space in Philadelphia, PA.”

After this production, Yuki moved his company base to PA and kept gathering the dance community in Bucks County by educating young dancers, creating professional dance works and inviting guest choreographers from the major dance communities there to teach his students.