Ngoma Center for Dance Annual Report 2017

2017 Annual Report Ngoma Center for 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.

More From Ngoma Letter of Reflection Pg 1 Dissonance Dance Theatre Pg 2 International Voices Pg 4 Education Pg 6 Community Pg 8 Finances Pg 11

Ngoma Center for Dance P.O. Box 2377 Washington, DC 20013 info@ngcfddt.org 202-540-8338 (o) 202-399-0174 (f) www.ngcfddt.org

Dancer: Emma Button (c) Shawn Short

Letter of Reflection

As we say goodbye to 2017, we say hello to new opportunities. With many Black-managed dance organizations closing their doors, we are excited and humbled to still serve our diverse communities.

Washington, D.C. has a long dance history that traces back to the 1930’s, with a vast range of artistic styles that range from classical to folkloric to contemporary. With classical ballet-based companies making the minority of dance entities, Ngoma Center for Dance emerges as a new host institution for dance education, entertainment, and enlightenment.

Many organizations experience arts funding uncertainty. However, Ngoma Center for Dance had a remarkable year - humbly receiving funding from DC Commission on Arts and Humanities and the Eugene M. Lang Foundation. Furthermore we saw an increase in individual donations and board giving.

2017 brought Ngoma an increase in operational capacity, educational program expansion, and new artistic staff. In addition, Ngoma celebrated a successful DDT performance season, the development of the Ngoma School, and many community engagements.

I encourage you to read on and explore what we accomplished together on the pages to follow.

Best Regards,

Shawn Short, MFA Founding Producing Artistic Director Principal Choreographer

Annual Report ‘17 - Ngoma Center for Dance

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Dissonance Dance Theatre (DDT) turned 10 years old. DDT presented a full season of 6 productions and performed in over various cities in the Washington D.C. area.

DDT continues to provide a home for contemporary exploration of classical ballet and modern dance styles. In addition, we continue to be a space for emerging dance artists locally, nationally and internationally.

DDT presented new works from our emerging choreographer program New Voices of Dance.

New Voices of Dance 2017 Selectees: Kareem B. Goodwin, Philadelphia, PA Rafael Gomes, Brazil Maleek Washington, New York City, NY 2017 Season WINTERSTEPS - Washington, D.C. Jack Guidone Theater Jan 21st - 22nd, 2017 Mahogany Strings - Washington, D.C. Atlas Performing Arts Center Feb 25th, 2017 Buscando La Melodia - Washington, D.C. Jack Guidone Theater Mar 19th, 2017 Black to Silver - Washington, D.C. Jack Guidone Theater April 22nd - 23rd, 2017 Rewind to Fast Forward - Annandale, VA Ernst Theater Oct 7th, 2017 Habibi - Washington, D.C. Dance Place December 9 - 10, 2017

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Image: DDT in Jamie Thompson work Journey. (c) Shawn Short Ngoma Center for Dance - Annual Report ‘17

Dissonance Dance Theatre 3 International Choreographers

5 World Premieres

20 Dancers

15 New Works Ticket Sales Increased by 66% Annual Report ‘17 - Ngoma Center for Dance

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International Voices Grace DDT’s Stages Dissonance Dance Theatre (DDT) pushes new artistic boundaries in 2017.

DDT presented the works of Davy Brun (Lyon, France), Jamie Thompson (Belize), Rafael Gomes (Brazil), Kjara Staric Wurst (Ljublijana, Slovenia).

Davy Brun, Concursus, Jan 2017 WINTERSTEPS, Jack Guidone Theatre, D.C. Rafael Gomes, Gira, Feb 2017 Mahogany Strings, Lang Theater, D.C. Jamie Thompson, Journey, Oct 2017 Rewind 2 Fast Forward, Ernst Theater, D.C. Kjara Staric Wurst, Be Human, 2017 Rewind 2 Fast Forward, Ernst Theater, D.C.

Image: DDT dancers Phillip Fobbs and Christine Motta (c) Shawn Short Pg 4 Ngoma Center for Dance - Annual Report ‘17

Image: Kjara Staric Wurst

Image: DDT dancers in Concursus

Image: DDT dancers in Gomes’s work Gira Image: Davy Brun

Image: Jamie Thompson in rehearsal

Image: DDT dancers in Wurst

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Education 200 Children and young people served through education programs.

76

# Of students accepted into fourth year of Summer DanceLab.

10%

Of program participants are male.

86% # of students receiving financial assistance.

$40K Amount of funding provided in financial assistance to families.

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Ngoma Center for Dance - Annual Report ‘17

Providing Opportunity

*

Creating Artistic Citizens In 2014, Ngoma began its education programs with more consistent offerings. At the time, most offerings were just Dissonance Dance Theatre’s Trainee program, masterclasses, and one-time workshops.

In 2017, Ngoma Center for Dance launched its second phase of education program, The Ngoma School. Now serving 200 students annually through our fall, winter/spring and summer.

The Ngoma School is emerging as P.G. County’s flagship dance school for students interested in a professional concert dance career.

Currently serving students as young as 5 years old, to young adults who received a late start to their professional dance training. Dance classes, workshops, masterclasses, and auditions are facilitated at Univ of Maryland College Park.

We offer levels I - 3, a summer, men’s and trainee program.

We provide pre-professional dance training that informs and encourages the pursuit of a post-secondary education, healthy living, mentorship, self-care, and life skill mastery.

Right Image: Ngoma Students in classes Above Image: Ngoma Student JaKylah Lewis in pose All images (c) Shawn Short Annual Report ‘17 - Ngoma Center for Dance

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Image: Community dancers participating in a free hip-hop class

Community Throughout the Washington, D.C. area, Ngoma Center for Dance brought programming to Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. With assistance from Dissonance Dance Theatre dancers, Ngoma Center for Dance provided free class opportunity to 50 registered participants.

In addition, Ngoma Center for Dance participated in social empowerment discussions, as well as, health and wellness events throughout the DC area.

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Ngoma Center for Dance - Annual Report ‘17

Events: Civil Rights Explored in One Minute Plays - Mar 2nd, 2017 Embassy of Cote d’Ivoire An evening of theater around African-American injustice with police, Ngoma Center for Dance Founding Director, Shawn Short, spoke on post-performance panel about the intersectionality of art and social justice.

Grown Folks Speak Out 2017 - May 27, 2017 Grand Hyatt, Washington D.C. Collective conversations around Black Lives Matter. Speak Out provided a safe space for discussion and reflection from the perspective of ageism.

Director Shawn Short spoke on the panel about empowerment and minority business start-up.

United States Conference on AIDS - Sept 7th, 2017 Marriott Marquis, Washington D.C. USCA brings together over 3,000 HIV professionals, community leaders and supporters to educate them on the latest cutting-edge information and science - hosted by NMAC. NMAC (formerly known as the National Minority AIDS Council) is a 501(c)3 organization. NMAC leads with race to urgently fight for health equity and racial justice to end the HIV epidemic in America.

Dissonance Dance Theatre performed as a part of its capstone leadership luncheon to a crowd of approx. 1500 attendees - working with an artistic team of professionals from NYC, LA and the Super Bowl!

Annual Report ‘17 - Ngoma Center for Dance

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Image: Momo Sakai (leaping), Samuel St Juste, Phillip Fobbs, Shannon Evans

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Ngoma Center for Dance - Annual Report ‘17

Finances 2016-2017 Expenses

Artistic Staffing Facilities Production General Operations: Total Expenses

Income

Individual Contributions: Funding - Gov Ticket Sales The Ngoma School Special Events Board Contributions Total Income

$31,353.00 $43,918.00 $39,413.00 $52,243.00 $166,927.00 $22,438.00 $17,900.00 $15,014.00 $91,952.00 $2553.00 $18,695.00 $168,552.00

Multiple strategic initiatives have been implemented by Ngoma Center for Dance over the past two years, driving improved financial results organization-wide. Revenue from ticket sales grew as we build new audience and increase performance offerings through concert and corporate venues.

We increased artistic staff to better streamline DDT rehearsals, productions, and production logistics.

Furthermore, dance artists increased income opportunities by partaking in Ngoma’s teacher trainings increasing the educational offerings to students in school and outreach programs.

Ngoma Center for Dance, again, humbly received over $200k in gift-in-kind services. We like to thank also DC Commission on Arts & Humanities, The Eugene M. Lang Foundation, and the P.G. County Arts & Cultural Heritage Division for their generous support.

Annual Report ‘17 - Ngoma Center for Dance

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Founding Director/CEO Shawn Short, MFA Communication Manager Damon Foster Technical Director Chris Holland Webmaster/Graphic Designer Elizabeth Renomeron Finance Associate Fran Twyman Interns Hasani Allen Blake Caple Allison Eguchi Dani Ebbin Phillip Fobbs Moyston Henry Jr Madeleleine Hobbs Christine Motta Jessica Potts Anthony Spivey Samuel Saint Juste Jeremiah Welch Feather Weldon William Wilson

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Ngoma Center for Dance - Annual Report ‘17

Board of Trustees Chairman Corey McDougle, MBA CISA Vice Chairman Tyler Lewis, BA Secretary Josie Hoover, Mdiv Member Tisa Huff, BFA President Shawn Short, MFA

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Ngoma Center for Dance - Annual Report ‘17 Center for Dance (c) 2017 Ngoma