An annual festival of free performance, usually dance, given by chashama for established and up-and-coming artists to showcase their work to audiences who might not otherwise be exposed to art in a casual setting in midtown.

At 217 East 42nd Street, OASIS has been programmed as a Window Performance event for the 217 storefront display window. Performances take place indoors on a theater stage adjacent to the window at street level, allowing performances to be viewed from the street and from within the theater simultaneously. Sometimes a performance will take place, in part, outdoors on the sidewalk around the venue as well.

This means that performers on the window stage are performing for TWO audience fronts: one is to the street through the window, and the other is INDOOR, in the theatrical seating area. These audiences are 180 degrees apart. It is important to understand that performances will be seen front-and-back simultaneously, in order to stage it to best advantage under these circumstances.

Passersby can look into the window and see both performers and audience, while the audience can see both performers and passersby. Passersby can go in and become part of the audience, and members of the audience can step outside and watch the performance from the sidewalk.

Performers in OASIS should also take into account that people are encouraged to enter and exit the theater as they like, or view the performance from where they like. It's not a single-focus event like church or Carnegie Hall.

In conjunction with OASIS, this year, chashama is extending the festival through the 3rd annual Site Specific Sundays at Waterside Plaza, located between 25th and 29th Streets on the FDR drive by the East River. Four companies or individual artists will be selected to create site-specific outdoor performance. Each company or artist will be assigned one of the following three Sundays in July: 13, 20 and 27. Performances will take place at 3PM and 5PM. For more information, download the Site Specific Sundays Waterside Plaza guidelines and application (Word format).

(For more information about this event, contact Risa Shoup at 212.391.8151, x26 or risa@chashama.org.)

Weekdays, one to three weeks in July, with lunchtime and/or evening performances to take advantage of peak foot traffic on 42nd Street.

No, but donations are welcome, and all monies go to the artists.

Usually a nominal stipend, like $25 per performance total (not per performer). If chashama receives a grant for OASIS this year, the stipend will be more. The amount also depends on the number of acts performing.

That depends on what venues we have at hand. So far, only 217 is available and it may be programmed during OASIS off-hours for other uses, which may limit the number of free rehearsals for OASIS performers.

217 is a key-access venue, which is to say that it is not staffed by chashama, so performers would 1st have to schedule a rehearsal time with us, then pick up a key from our offices that day.

In general: Only house lights are available for rehearsals in the performance venue;

Also for rehearsals in the venue, artists must provide their own sound by bringing boomboxes or other such equipment independent of chashama's sound system;

Trap drums or other excessively loud live or electronic instruments are NOT permitted for rehearsal or performance as they create a conflict with neighboring businesses and residences;

Artists using video or computer equipment should prepare the piece to be rehearsed at 217 without use of chashama's equipment until tech rehearsals.

Performance is limited to 20 minutes maximum with no more than 5 minutes changeover between acts.

Artists are scheduled for three performances, lunchtime and/or evening over the course of the festival.

There may be anything from 3 to 6 acts per performance slot.

There are no pre-sets except for the 1st act of lunchtime or evening sections.

Unfortunately storage space is limited; artists are encouraged to take their props and sets with them for this series.

For performances, there is a full light and sound package, including sound broadcast to the street for passersby and window viewing.

We can play DVDs, CDs, VHS and cassette tape, in addition to AM and FM radio. Sound effects are possible for live miked or recorded sound.

We provide an audio/visual snakebox and a mixer in the corner of the stage for plug-ins to the tech booth and/or to onstage audio/video equipment. Mics and stands are also available.

There is one stage speaker monitor for the performers.

Tech rehearsals are twenty minutes maximum and are always the day of performance, in reverse order of that day's performance schedule unless otherwise arranged with the tech manager. Artists forgoing tech rehearsals should notify the tech manager for sake of efficiency.

Artists can arrange for photo and video documentation of their work; chashama will try to document as much as possible for our archives. Artists may for a nominal fee of $15 request a CD copy of images taken by us or wait for them to appear on our archives site; the latter is probably a matter of a few months.

Regarding unauthorized documentation: The MC will make an announcement, asking that people recording performances with still or video cameras sign a register with phone and email contact when entering the theater.

If the artist requests that no photos or videos be taken, then none is allowed outside of chashama's documentation and/or that of the artist, if any. Those found violating the "no-click" rule will be asked to leave.

Though we hand out postcards and flyers, they do not list the schedule because it's too much subject to change. There are no programs made for the festival either. At times chashama provides a chalkboard for the day's schedule and incidental info.

Artists may make their own postcards, flyers or programs, subject to approval by chashama.

At or prior to the day of performance, artists should provide the MC with an introduction blurb for their performance including name of artist or group, title of piece (if any), and the names of other performers, if any, or any other information relevant to the piece. A brief note of upcoming performances in other events can also be included.

OASIS is not meant to be tech-heavy. It's meant to be a "hit-and-run" sort of showcase rather than something technically elaborate, though live video feeds, monitors and projections have at times been used in some performances.

The window is NOT to be used to bear weight. It was not designed for that purpose. Do NOT include it in your choreography to lean on or push against. Neither should objects be attached to it or paints or other colors or materials applied without prior consultation and approval of chashama.

Trap drums and other excessively loud live or electronic instruments are not permitted as they create a conflict with neighboring businesses and residences. (OASIS usually takes place partly during business hours.)

That said, performance can take place on the stage, anywhere else in the venue that does not present a hazard or inconvenience to others, or in the street within the limits of local tolerance.

OASIS began as Deli Dances at 111 West 42nd Street in 1998 in a (mostly) raw deli space that was generously donated and produced by the Durst Organization through Anita Durst. Despina Stamos, Julie Atlas Muz and later Tony Silva, decided to make it available to other artists by creating an impromptu downtown dance festival in midtown. It was a way for us to share our space resource with the dance community- creating a barebones series of free performances while reaching out to uninitiated audiences - an opportunity to show some experimental dance in midtown. We wanted people to come in and take a look at what downtown artists were up to- hopefully encouraging a new audience to discover for themselves an art form they might not otherwise know, in a neighborhood not known for it.

For eight years (six as Oasis), this free festival encompassed dance, music, theater, and film and showcased nearly 200 acts and over 275 performers on the east and west sides of 42nd Street.

chashama sends out a Request for Proposal for OASIS in the months prior to the event. Applicants must return the application and make available all support materials by deadline to be considered for inclusion.

The application should include the name of the artist or group, title of the work (if any), the number of performers, the length of the piece, and a brief description of it.

Support materials must include: a bio/resume and samples of performance.

Support materials other than bio/resume may be made available by website or email.

Previous performers are welcome to apply.

In 2005, we included musicians. In 2000 and 2001 we featured theatre, music, comedy nights and film as well as dance. This year will again be dance-oriented, though other disciplines will also be featured in thecourse of the festival, much like in earlier incarnations. This may also be the last OASIS in 217 as chashama may vacate the venue before this time next year. But we hope to acquire another venue for performance in 2008 to continue the tradition of free performance festivals.

We're not above large infusions of cash, but that sort of thing is probably illegal for a non-profit. But you can always contribute to chashama through our online support page where you can use the credit card button found at the top and bottom of the page.