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