Dance Troupe to Showcase at Veterans-and-Arts Event

New York-based Exit 12 Dance Company also performed at the inaugural Military Experience & the Arts Symposium held 2012 in Richmond, Ky. PHOTO: Military Experience & the Arts

Telling stories with military themes through the art of ballet, New York-based Exit 12 Dance Company will be showcased at the Military Experience & the Arts Symposium (M.E.A.S.) to be held at Cameron University, Lawton, Okla., May 14-17, 2015.

The dance company was also featured at the first such symposium, conducted in July 2012 in Richmond, Ky., and will appear at the 2015 event thanks to a recent grant from the low-residency Red Earth Creative Writing MFA program at Oklahoma City University.

"It's essential that veterans’ stories are heard," says Jeanetta Calhoun Mish, director of the Red Earth MFA program. "Writing serves as one kind of emotional therapy to help with after effects of service. The stories themselves are part of the American story. New stories add to the ancient genre of veterans' and soldiers' writings, which include parts of the Old Testament, trench poetry from World War I, writings by Kurt Vonnegut (among others) on World War II, and Vietnam stories and poems."

Military Experience & the Arts is a Kentucky-based 501(c)3 non-profit that seeks to gather and empower military veterans, advocates, arts practitioners, and others interested in exploring healing, history, and communication through the expressive arts. The organization's inaugural 3-day symposium  comprised workshops, demonstrations, and performances by an engaged and diverse group of veterans, advocates, and artists. This year's event promises to be a similarly empowering environment.

Iraq War veteran Jason Poudrier, author of the poetry collection "Red Fields," is the local coordinator of the MEA symposium in Lawton, as well as an instructor of writing at Cameron. The MEA continues to seek corporate and organizational sponsors for the 2015 event, in addition to individual donations.

Proposals for workshop presenters and facilitators are also welcomed. The group is also seeking volunteers to assist with activities at the event. Direct queries via e-mail to David P. Ervin: president AT militaryexperience.org.

For a non-refundable $20 fee, military veterans and spouses can register via Submittable for the May event. At minimum, the event will provide:

• Daily workshops and classes in the creative, healing arts.

• Breakfast bar and at least one hot meal per day.

• Mightly events. performances, and speakers.

• Accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

• Booths and tables from veteran service organizations.

• Free writing and art supplies.

Other information about meals, lodging, and other accommodations is still pending.

Past "Red Bull Rising" blog coverage of the MEA organization and its related literary journals is collected here. A blog post reflecting on the 2012 symposium is here.

Disclosure: The Red Earth MFA in Creative Writing program is also a past sponsor of the Red Bull Rising blog.