Season 2024 2025 Season
Fall Forward Oct 19th, 2024
Winter Stories December 8th
Black Kinesphere Jan 18th, 2025
On The Porch Mar 2025 TBA
*Dates subject to change. Contact our website for updates.
Shawn Short, MFA Founding Director
Dissonance Dance Theatre celebrates its 17th season in 2024-2025
“One of the 11 small-butmighty dance companies outside of LA and NYC” by Dance Spirit Magazine, Dissonance Dance Theatre is excited to bring the DC area a diverse theatrical production season.
Nestled in our new Resident Arts partnership at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, DDT brings an international cast of talented dancers to the stage with world premieres from Black choreographers and Black-led dance companies from Washington, DC region, New York, and Philadelphia.
The season begins with Fall Forward featuring a mixed-bill performance to the music of Black Violin, Rapsody Macklemore, Nancy Wilson and more.
Next, DDT provides an alternative production to Nutcracker season with Winter Stories, a community production with special guests Texture Dance Theatre and The Ngoma School.
Thirdly, Black Kinesphere is a mixed-bill performance that celebrates and showcases Black choreographers rooted in African, contemporary ballet, modern, and dance theatre performance styles. Lastly, inspired by the baby boomer generation’s time of people-watching and storytelling, DDT brings you On the Porch, a dance theatre evening-length work surrounding humorous, playful, and soulful human connections from the lens of Black working-class people.
We are excited for another season and the chance to serve our communities. The arts shape lives, and we are so honored to bring you contemporary dance as DC’s only Black-led professional dance company. I look forward to seeing you in the theater.
Yours in Community,
Shawn Short
Cover Image
Maurissa Powell, Company Artist
Left Image: Joel Kioko, Company Artist
Images (c) Shawn Short, Joel Kioko
Dancers: Catherine Casey (Apprentice), Skyy Twyman (Trainee)
Table of Contents
Theatrical Season Pg. 1
World Ballet Day Pg. 5
Ticket Information Pg. 6
Resident Choreographers Pg. 7
Founding Director Pg. 9
Meet The Artists Pg. 11
The Ngoma School Pg. 13
Stay Connected With Us Pg. 14
Give to Ngoma/DDT Pg. 15
Board of Directors Pg. 17
Oct 19th, 2024
Atlas PAC
Fall back in love with dance that excites the eyes, and touches the heart with DDT’s annual Fall Forward.
A mixed-bill of contemporary ballet, to the works of award-winning Principal Choreographer and Founding Director Shawn Short. This year’s program features the music of Mikael Karlsson, Black Violin, John Legend, Rapsody Macklemore, Nancy Wilson, and more.
* Three World Premieres (see website)
Dancer: Kassi Tiedjens, Company Artist
During a time when many enjoy The Nutcracker, Dissonance Dance Theatre presents Winter Stories. Winter Stories is an intimate evening of dance surrounding stories inspired by the cold of winter. From tales of longing, family, and determination, Winter Stories brings a theatrical presentation to “everyday feelings” most of us experience in our lives. Winter Stories features performances by The Ngoma School. Principal Choreographer Shawn Short brings new works inspired by the music of Bernard Herman, Vivaldi, Billie Eillish, Joni Mitchell, Daniel Caeser, and more. * Five World Premieres
Dancer: Maurissa Powell, Company Artist
2024-2025 Black Kinesphere
Jan 18th, 2025
Atlas PAC
3. Dancer: Skyy Twyman, Trainee (Ngoma School Alumnae)
Kinesphere means the movement space or the space surrounding the body in stillness and in motion, which includes all directions and levels - both close to the body and as far as the person can reach with limbs or torso. Black Kinesphere presents an evening of dance works showcasing Black choreographers Shawn Short, DDT Resident Choreographer Kareem B. Goodwin, Kameron N. Saunders, Kevin McEwen of Kafago NYC, and Shawn Rawls of Emotional Physical Theatre NYC, culminating in a show featuring contemporary and classical dance forms. * One World Premiere
2024-2025
Mar 2025 - TBA
INTERSECTION FESTIVAL - Atlas PAC
World Premeire - Inspired by the Baby Boomer pastime of people watching and storytelling, DDT Principal Choreographer/Founding Director presents a new work inspired by humorous, playful, and soulful human connection. A full evening work, performed in two works (New Surroundings, Frustrations of the Mind) to the compositions of Black American Composer Florence Price, and South African Cellist Abel Selaocoe, On the Porch intertwines contemporary ballet with percussive sound, theater, and storytelling.
World Ballet Day 2024
In observance of World Ballet Day, Dissonance Dance Theatre will premiere an inside-look video presentation of life in the company, along with footage of its new repertorie on World Ballet 2024.
Stay tuned on our Facebook and Instagram pages for more information.
Dancer: Sarah Phillips (Apprentice)
Season & Tickets
Dissonance Dance Theatre hopes you will join us for a world of dance that awaits you as part of our season. DDT is pleased to announce its 2024-2025 season, presenting another exciting line-up of programs. Group sales are encouraged to purchase online where they will see discount in cart balance.
Production Ticket Prices:
Fall Forward
Atlas Performing Arts Center
Regular - $45.00
Senior Citizen - $35.00
Child - $25.00
Winter Stories
Atlas Performing Arts Center
Regular - $40.00
Senior Citizen - $35.00
Child - $25.00
Black Kinesphere
Atlas Performing Arts Center
Regular - $45.00
Senior Citizen - $35.00
Child - $25.00
On The Porch
Atlas Performing Arts Center
$35 General Admission
$25 Students/Seniors
Theatre Address:
Atlas Performing Arts Center 1333 H Street NE Washington, DC 20002
Discounts? Join our mailing list for updates on show ticket discounts! www.ngcfddt.org
*Dates and times subject to change. Please contact our website for current details.
Purchase tickets in person:
Tickets for all performances are available for purchase starting one hour prior to performances.
Purchase tickets online
Online ticket sales are available for all shows - visit our website www.ngcfddt.org.
Resident Choreographer
Kareem B. Goodwin
Kareem B. Goodwin, a Philadelphia native, began his dance training at the Point Breeze Performing Arts Center under the guidance of Charon Mapp, Wayne St. David, Anthony Burrell, and Faye Snow. He furthered his education at The University of the Arts, focusing on Jazz Dance with an emphasis on Choreography, and was honored with the Choreography prize at graduation.
Throughout his career, Kareem has had the privilege of working with renowned choreographers, including Christopher L. Huggins, Louis Johnson, Ronen Koresh, Gary W. Jeter II, Tommie-Waheed Evans, Dara Meredith, Kirven Douhit-Boyd, Zane Booker, and Arthur Mitchell. He currently teaches dance in Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Delaware.
Kareem has choreographed for Six O’Clock Dance Theatre, West Chester University, State University of New York at Oneonta, and Eleone Dance Theatre, among others. He serves as the Director of Grace Dance Theater 2 in Philadelphia and is the Resident Choreographer and company instructor for Dissonance Dance Theatre. In this role, he co-choreographed the film MUTE: Dance Silenced by COVID, which won “Best Dance Film” at the 2021 Cannes World Film Festival.
Kareem is a recipient of the Ellen Forman Memorial Award for choreography from Drexel University and the Philadelphia Foundation. Most recently, he was nominated for the 2024 Princess Grace Award for Choreography.
Shawn Short, MFA, PGC in Business
Leadership
In addition to his role as Founding Producing Artistic Director in 2007, Shawn is the Founder and Director of Ngoma Center for Dance (Ngoma). For Black Enterprise (BE)”Modern Man 100 List of Extraordinary Men” awardee (2016) Shawn Short, Ngoma is central to the life and development of Dissonance Dance Theatre. Just as he expects the finest dancing and most meticulous attention to detail from his dancers, he demands the highest standards for training at Ngoma.
Under Mr. Short, Dissonance has evolved from a project-based entity into an exciting dance entertainment venture in the Washington, D.C. area. As a choreographer, teacher, and coach, Short has fostered a love of the classical and contemporary ballet lexicon that has become the bedrock of the Company’s training. The dancers are energized and inspired by this rigorous training and continue to rise to new heights with each passing year. Through Ngoma’s programs, dance artists have grace stages locally, nationally and internationally. Furthermore, many students have gained scholarships in NYC institutions, acceptance into college/university dance programs. Exchange, Alliance for New Music-Theatre and Fox 5 television.
He has been commissioned by Catholic University of America’s Benjamin T. Rome School of Music to choreograph Mother’s Blood (2008), VF Dance Theater for their Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts to choreograph Genotype Called Love for their Terrace Theatre production of Futurology (2012). 9.
Artistic Achievements
Shawn is a Pointe Magazine’s Video of the Month Editors’ Choice award recipient for his contemporary ballet work, Caught in 2013. A 2014 Princess Grace Award (NYC) in Choreography nominee, Shawn holds a BFA in Musical Theatre with a minor in Theatre Management from Howard University and an MFA in Dance at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a focus on dance history, arts administration and somatic.
Choreography
Mr. Short is the Principal Choreographer of DDT. Shawn was the only fiscally-sponsored artist through the New York Foundation for the Arts from 2009-2013. In 2017, Shawn produced his 100th work for Dissonance Dance Theatre. Shawn has choreographed for The Dance Institute of Washington, The Washington Ballet School of Ballet @THEARC. His work has been presented at the Capital Fringe Festival, Greater Washington Urban League National Conference, Southeastern University, Artists’ Bloc 12X6 Series, Harke Theatre, Jack Guidone Theatre Space, Atlas Performing Arts Center, THEARC Theatre, Joe’s Movement Emporium, DC Parks and Recreation, Sidney Harman Hall, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, PBS Broadcasting, VelocityDC, and Brooklyn Arts Exchange, Alliance for New Music-Theatre and Fox 5 television.
He has been commissioned by Catholic University of America’s Benjamin T. Rome School of Music to choreograph Mother’s Blood (2008), VF Dance Theater for their Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts to choreograph Genotype Called Love for their Terrace Theatre production of Futurology (2012).
Leadership/Administrators
Kassi Tiedjens
Joel Kioko Company Artist
Catherine Casey Apprentice
Skyy Twyman Trainee
Sarah Phillips
The Ngoma School
More than 2,000 students have trained within Ngoma School’s programming since 2014.
They have come from across Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, and Tennessee.
They have learned from professionals from Bill T. Jones, Momix, Stuttgart Ballet, Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Ohio Ballet, Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Milwaukee Ballet, Ballet Chicago, Ballet Metropolitano de Caracas, National Tour of West Side Story, National Tour of Dolly, Washington Ballet, Dissonance Dance Theatre, El Teatro De Danza Contemporeana El Salvador, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Kankouran West African Dance Company.
Students have graduated and begun their careers at Dissonance Dance Theatre, Norwegian Cruise Ships, Broadway (Matilda, Spamalot), International Tour of Dream Girls, Fivetwodance (NYC), Carolyn Dorfman Dance. 13.
YOUR GIFTS MAKES
HAPPEN AT
WE CELEBRATE EXCELLENCE
Ngoma Center for Dance believes in creating quality programs that build community, create jobs and enhance the arts industry of the Washington, D.C. area and beyond.
WE CELEBRATE COMMUNITY
WE TRAIN DANCERS
Since Dissonance Dance Theatre’s start in 2007, we have alum dancing in Complexions, Garth Fagan, Virginia Ballet Theatre, Philadanco Dance Company, Adieum Dance, Carolyn Dorfman Dance and Deeply Rooted Dance, Universoul Circus, Cruiseships, and Broadway. 15.
Ngoma Center for Dance is building community from “East of The River” to across the Potomac, and into welcoming Prince George’s County, MD. Since our inception in 2012, we have impacted the lives of over 5,000 patrons/ students/arts enthusiasts through dance training, workshops increasing opportunities for dancers 18 to 26 years old; particularly in Ward 7 DC. We are the only DC organization to work with Netflix, and the Super Halftime Show staff.
NGOMA IT
The NGOMA Circle
Starting this fall, we are launching our “The Ngoma Circle” (TNC) program. Participants in the TNC will receive discounts on shows and classes, private viewings of new works in studio, and online access to interviews and previews. Starting at $100 a year!
For more information, visit our website: www.ngcfddt.org
WE ARE GROWING WITH YOUR CONTINUED HELP
With an ambitious upcoming season, an increase in dancers entertaining, more dance programming for the general public and goals for more and more community development projects Ngoma wants to help reach your dance training goals, and enjoy great dance entertainment.
Board of Directors
David Domzalski, Chairman
Tyler Lewis, Vice Chair
Shawn Short MFA, President
Anthony Spivey, Treasurer
Jessica Potts, Secretary
Dissonance Dance Theatre is a Washington, D.C.-based professional dance company founded in 2007 by Shawn Short. Since its inception, Dissonance Dance Theatre has performed for local and national audiences on the east coast and in the midwest states. Starting as a project of dear friends, Dissonance has grown to house artists from across the U.S. and beyond. A contemporary ballet that blends “classic” modern styles such as Horton, Graham, Limon with nuances of classical ballet, Dissonance is becoming known for its theatrical presence and exceptional artistry. Evoking emotional experiences in the audiences we touch, Dissonance’s cutting-edge repertoire features works that are socially and visually appealing to audiences while remaining true to its mission; challenging audience’s assumptions about the human experience through dance.
Ngoma Center for Dance (N-Go-mah) is a 501(c)3 arts organization whose mission is to provide a conduit between multicultural dance artists and their enthusiasts across generations and social classes with a deeper understanding of the art of dance through intense community integration, inspirational performance, competitive training, and artist development. 17.
Dancer: Sarah Phillips (c) Shawn Short
Dissonance Dance Theatre is a program of Ngoma Center for Dance. Ngoma Center for Dance is a registered non-profit of Washington, D.C. The information contained in this brochure is correct at the time of printing.
Dissonance Dance Theatre reserves the right to make alterations where necessary without prior notice.
(c) 2024 Ngoma Center for Dance