eye.of.redd Photography
ABOUT CURE-8
Produced by Hui Cha Poos
Presenting Sponsor RACE Dance Collective
Cure-8 is presented in partnership with Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center and is made possible through grant funding from OK Let's Dance, an initiative of the Kirkpatrick Family Fund.
2025 Performances | Tickets $25
Thursday, October 30 at 7:30pm
Saturday, November 1 at 7:30pm with Choreographer Talk-Back
Sunday, November 2 at 2:00pm
Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center
11 NW 11th Street, Oklahoma City
Cure-8 is an 8-week creative experience that pairs local dance makers with leading industry experts to produce new original works that will premiere at Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center. Through these mentorships, artists will weave community engagement and advocacy for pressing social issues into their creative process. Choreographers will collaborate with local social service organizations, crafting works informed by topics paramount to the community. By presenting works that call attention to specific social issues, the audience's experience is more than passive observation; it catalyzes active engagement and dialogue for social change.
Cure-8's vision aims to increase networking opportunities, enhance artistic development and community engagement, and drive social impact, ultimately leading to growth in the local dance ecosystem.
CURE-8 MEDIA
“Cure-8 is about using art to make people feel and see the issues that too often remain abstract” - Read Journal Record article.
Click here to watch an interview with choreographer Julianna Straughn and News 9 for its Porch Segment.
Learn more about Ryland Acree and his piece about food insecurity.
Learn more about Kally Jones and her piece about mental health stigmas.
Learn more about Jules Straughn and her piece about generational trauma.
Learn more about Alejandro Gonzalez and his piece about the crisis in Venezuela.
Support CURE-8
Your support helps local dance makers turn vision into impact, fueling mentorships, original works, and community-focused performances that spark dialogue and drive social change. Every gift strengthens the local dance ecosystem and amplifies voices addressing issues that matter most.
Larry Kegwin
Andrea Lodico
LaKeysta Goree (IPAC)
Kevin Jamison
Chanh Le
Ali Pavlich
Nicole Poole
Justin Poos
Scott Reed
Melissa Scaramucci
CURE-8 images courtesy of eye.of.redd photography
cure-8 performance reviews
“I loved it! It was so comforting to be in a space addressing real issues. It was amazing to see these young talented artist[s] get an opportunity to be supported to turn their ideas into reality. It did feel inclusive, loved seeing a mix of gender, ethnicity, and body types. We need more of this hope it continues.”
— ANNONYMOUS
“I loved the diversity of the choreographers as well as their experiences. Making space for multiple disadvantaged communities in dance representation is important. I saw the performance with people who aren't very fluent in the language of dance, and they connected immediately and deeply with the storytelling and thematic nature of the pieces. It made these subjects more tangible to my friends. Some of the subjects pertained to me quite painfully and beautifully, and my friends got to see a visual representation of what those things look and feel like to me. It was wonderful and helpful all around for us as the audience.”
— MEAGAN
“I really appreciated the unique nature of this program, the utilization of dance to articulate concepts that are difficult to express in words was enlightening. I absolutely loved it..”
— ANNONYMOUS
2025
cure-8 selection committee
Miles Yeung-Tieu | Oklahoma City, OK
Jeremy Duvall | Oklahoma City, OK
Cece Farha | Washington D.C.
Devin Hill | Oklahoma City, OK
Brandon Fink | St. Louis, MO
2025
cure-8
artists
Alejandro Gonzalez | @alejandrogonlez
Julianna Straughn | @jules.choreography
Kally Jones | @kallyskreatives
Ryland Acree | @ryland_acree
Z Taylor | @zztaylor_
2025
cure-8
mentors
Johanna Sapakie | Las Vegas, NV
Adam Parson | Los Angeles, CA
Hannah Garner | New York, NY
Glenn Edgerton | Norman, OK
Kirven Douthit-Boyd | St. Louis, MO
2025 cure-8 community PARTNERS
To Be Announced.
2025 cure-8
performers
Adrian Palomino, Aylani Guajardo, Katherine Rosenberg, Rachel Kundzins, Tiarra Koop, Daelon Galindo, Katie Brophy-Chronister, Riley Hall, Ava Conceicao, Joseph Sao, Mayu Nagano, Mia Jensen, Haley Fort, Mackenzie Carron, Emma Palma, Ali Hendrix, Morgan Lingerfelt, Ligia Espinoza Martinez, Olivia Czarniecki, Gannon Duffy
new for 2025: cure-8(ed)
A holistic, artist-centered approach to leadership in community.
Developed by Nicole Poole.
Supported by OK Let’s Dance, an initiative of the Kirkpatrick Family Foundation.
Nicole Poole is an interdisciplinary artist and arts leader rooted in Oklahoma City and engaged in collaborations around the world. As the Founder and Executive Director of SPARK! Creative Lab, she champions the role of artists in fostering individual and collective well-being.
Working closely with Hui Cha Poos and Sheri Hayden, Nicole designed Cure8(Ed) as a professional development initiative for choreographers and movement artists. The program offers a holistic, artist-centered approach to leadership, equipping participants with tools to sustain their creative practice while deepening their impact on the people and places they serve.
Cure-8 is presented in partnership with Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center and is made possible through a grant funding from OK Let's Dance, an initiative of the Kirkpatrick Family Fund,
