GERMINATE

Germinate – Space Residency Opportunity

APPLY

Germinate invests in the San Diego creative economy by offering space grants to local choreographers.  Germinate provides rehearsal space and a supportive environment for artists to deeply engage with their work and creative process. The development of this space grant program is in direct response to the need for uninterrupted time and space to experiment and innovate that has been articulated by our peers in multiple Town Hall gatherings Malashock Dance has held over the past few years.

Germinate is part of Malashock Dance’s mission to foster a hub where artists come together to create new work.

Malashock Dance will grant up to three space grants to choreographers/ companies/ collectives based in the San Diego region. In alignment with our values of passion, excellence, equity, and inclusivity, Malashock Dance is committed to uplifting artistic voices that reflect our diverse San Diego community. 

When and Where

Awardees will receive up to 40 hours of rehearsal time in the Malashock Dance Studios between the hours of 9:30am and 3:30pm, Monday through Friday, within the two week grant period.

  • Space Grant Period #1: Nov 10-14 and Nov 17-21, 2025
  • Space Grant Period #2: Dec 1-5 and Dec 8-12, 2025
  • Space Grant Period #3: Jan 12-16 and Jan 19-23, 2026

 

Scope of Work and Terms 

  • Germinate Space Grant Awardees will be given up to 40  hours of rehearsal time in the Malashock Dance Studios between the hours of 9:30am and 3:30pm, Monday through Friday, within the two week grant period.
  • Germinate Space Grant Awardees will receive a $500 honoraria.
  • While there is no pressure for a product to be created during the residency, Space Grant Awardees will be offered the opportunity to have a one hour informal (no tech) studio showing open to the public. Should an Awardee choose to have an informal showing, Malashock Dance will provide front of house and marketing support for this event.
  • Space Grant Awardees will receive a Professional Development consultation session with Malashock Dance leadership.
  • Space Grant Awardees will be able to attend the Greenhouse Professional Development series for free.
  • Space Grant Awardees are responsible for leaving the rehearsal space empty and clean at the end of each rehearsal. Limited storage space is available to keep props or small scenic elements on site during the residency
  • As Germinate is for local San Diego choreographers, travel and accommodations are not provided. 

Eligibility

  • Germinate is intended to support the work of choreographers/companies/collectives of varied perspectives and all experience levels. 
  • Choreographers must be able to provide proof to legally work in the United States.
  • Choreographers must be residents of the greater San Diego area. 

Application is here.

For your application you will need to submit the following: 

  • CV and/or Resumé
  • Please provide a brief description of how you would like to utilize the space grant. 
  • Are you developing a new work? Are you researching a particular theme or developing a new movement vocabulary? Why is this a meaningful opportunity at this time in your career? Applicants do not have to have a specific production in mind, but should demonstrate in this description how this opportunity will support their work as a creative dance artist.
  • A brief statement about your artistic philosophy and process. This might include describing what inspires your work, recurring themes in your body of work, who you make work for, and/or what your creative process entails.
  • Two work samples of your choreography that represent your aesthetic and artistic interests. 
    • Please provide information about the work samples including title, date created, and where it was performed.
    • Work samples from 2022 to the present are preferred.
    • No more than five minutes of any work sample will be viewed and evaluated. 

 

Timeline

Applications open: Aug 15, 2025
Applications are due: Sept 15, 2025
Applications reviewed and responses sent by: Oct 1, 2025

 

Decision-making Process

Evaluation of all proposals will be conducted by Malashock Dance Leadership, based on a matrix that includes the following criteria:

 

ARTIST SELECTION CRITERIA

Evaluation of all proposals will be conducted by Malashock Dance Leadership, based on a matrix that includes the following criteria:

  • Work samples include a clear and distinct choreographic style
  • Work samples demonstrate a level of complexity and depth that expresses a clear and authentic choreographic point of view
  • Work samples demonstrate an ability to compose work that is visually stimulating
  • Provides a compelling artist statement that defines their point of view as a dance maker
  • A group of Awardees that represent a variety of races, ethnicities, ages, genders, and experiences as choreographers from newer dance makers to more established experienced choreographers.
  • Balancing access to choreographers who may have historically experienced a lack of financial support or in-kind resources to produce their own work

 

 

 

 

 

Meet Our Germinate Artists from 2024-2025

Patrick Li (he/him) and Lauren Lee (she/her)

Lauren Lee is a movement artist currently based in San Diego. She recently graduated with a B.S. in Public Health and a minor in Dance from UC San Diego, where she was awarded the Colleen Kendall Scholarship Endowment. Growing up in Singapore, Lauren discovered her love for movement through modern and contemporary forms. She has since supplemented her training through programs with A.I.M, San Diego Dance Theater, CONTRA-TIEMPO, and the American Dance Festival. In San Diego, she has been fortunate to work with San Diego Dance Theater, LITVAKdance, and the La Jolla Playhouse. Her choreography has been presented at UC San Diego and at the Emerging Choreographer’s Showcase & Awards. ​​​​Lauren strives to create work that explores authentic narratives and celebrates our common humanity.

Lauren is participating in GERMINATE as a part of DANSE PLUS, an interdisciplinary movement-based collective established in partnership with her artistic collaborator, Patrick Li.

 

 

Patrick (he/him) is an emerging dance artist who integrates movement with other disciplines. A graduate of UC San Diego with dual degrees in Dance and Biology, he was honored with the Theatre & Dance Undergraduate Scholarship Award and the Global Service Award. Growing up abroad, he trained in ballet, Peking opera, and traditional Chinese dance. Immersed in the San Diego dance community, Patrick has the privilege to work with La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego Dance Theater, LITVAKdance, MAVERiC Studio, and DISCO RIOT. His choreographic works and dance films have been showcased at the American Dance Festival Movies By Movers, California Center for the Arts in Escondido, and DISCO RIOT Choreographic Residency. Patrick envisions uniting people across diverse backgrounds through the universal language of dance.

Patrick is participating in GERMINATE as a part of DANSE PLUS, an interdisciplinary movement-based collective established in partnership with his artistic collaborator, Lauren Lee.

 

 

Eric Geiger (he/him)

 I dance and make dances in an attempt to make sense of the world around me. Early on, I received a full merit scholarship to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. I was a member of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company where I also taught and served as choreographic assistant to Bill. As a member of The Lyon Opera Ballet, I performed in works by William Forsythe, Stephen Petronio, Susan Marshall, Maguy Marin, and Angelin Preljocaj. I recently left my faculty position of 14 years at UCSD. Contact Improvisation, Trisha Brown-like qualities, and performing Deborah Hay’s choreography has transformed and expanded my movement capacities. I am also a certified Feldenkrais Method practitioner. As a dancemaker I am a collaborator. I’ve made dances with Anya Cloud, Karen Schaffman, Liam Clancy, Leslie Seiters, and Jess Humphrey. I live in San Diego.

Tina Carreras (she/her)

Tina Carreras is a Dancer, Choreographer, Teaching Artist, and Certified Personal Fitness Instructor living in the Fairmount Park area of San Diego. Her passion is movement as a form of creative expression, exercise, therapy, self-care, and community-building. She has performed, choreographed, and volunteered in the San Diego dance community for the past 5 years, working with organizations such as San Diego Dance Theater, Disco Riot, Malashock, H2O Dance, Accipiter Dance, and Ballet Counterpointe. Tina recently graduated from San Diego City College with her AA in Visual and Performing Arts in Dance. She currently teaches an Aging Creatively Modern class with San Diego Dance Theater. She also teaches Movement Therapy Dance classes to seniors living in Memory Care, Assisted Living, and Retirement facilities with Grey Matters. Tina loves to experiment in dance film and editing and is looking to further her creativity and experience in this area as well.