Ngoma Center for Dance Shawn Short MFA, Founding Director
Annual Report FY2015
Founding Director/CEO Shawn Short Communication Manager Damon Foster Technical Director Chris Holland Webmaster/Graphic Designer Elizabeth Renomeron Finance Associate Fran Twyman
More From Ngoma Year Highlights 3-8 Ngoma News 9-10 Program 11-12 Dissonance Dance Theatre 13-22 Special Event: Chads 23-24 Catholic University Collaboration 25-28
Interns Annie Fortenberry Devin Hamilton Moyston Henry Jr. William Willson Emily Sobieski Board of Trustees Chairman Corey McDougle, MBA CISA Vice Chairman Tyler Lewis Secretary Josie Hoover Shell Benjamin
In The Community 29-32 Dawn: A Black Men’s Initiative 33-34 Education 35-36 Emabarking Into Prince George’s County 37 Ngoma Reader Magazine 38 Development 39 Financial Review 40 1
Tisa Huff President Shawn Short Photography Jeremiah Jones Shawn Short Ngoma Center for Dance P.O. Box 2377 Washington, DC 20013 info@ngoma-center-for-dance.org 202-540-8338 (o) 202-399-0174 (f) www.ngoma-center-for-dance.org
Founding Director’s Message
anchored in the best-practice of the national dance market. Everybody wins, when we work together. Ngoma has begun to foster relationships with D.C. government and local businesses. Essential connections with grantors have undergirded our budding development and fundraising efforts as we build relationships with them and other key non-profits. This report outlines just some of the many highlights of 2015, made possible by the generosity of our donors, and the passion for great dance shared by our artists, staff, board, audience and students.
Great organizations get great results, and Ngoma is great at getting results to deliver exceptional services through the lens of the performing arts. Our annual youth-training programs are dedicated to stimulating new energy in aspiring dancers. We develop our programs to produce performers, art writers, community stakeholders that enter and support D.C.’s ever-growing creative economy and beyond. As a rising platform for dance entertainment, education and dance self-publishing, Ngoma is producing new works with Dissonance Dance Theatre; producing through innovation and artistic collaborations. In the community we are creating a much needed “footprint”, providing arts access to communities with minimal pre-professional dance training exposure. Offering more than just “outreach,” Ngoma champions in imparting an optimal plan for arts employment success for our participants through contstant evaluation of our programs, steady professional development for students and staff;
Shawn Short MFA Founding Director Ngoma’s Mission: (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. Our vision is to present a performing dance company known locally, nationally and internationally for its brilliance in contemporary ballet and innovative dance works; train all students with the utmost refinement and education best practices; and to enrich the lives of communities through our love of dance and theatre.
3
Yearly Snapshot
Youth & Young Adults
150
In 2015, we served more dance youth. *Washington, D.C. *Maryland *Prince’s George’s County *Montgomery County *Anne Arundel County *Charles County
Young dancers (left image) participating in Summer DanceLab Classes. 4
5
Yearly Snapshot
Internships Ngoma provided paid/non-paid internships for students from: *Goucher College *Catholic University of America *Palm Beach Atlantic University *Howard University Many of our delightful interns continued developing through annual programs.
Interns (left) Juan and Katie signing in students during program. 6
7
Yearly Snapshot
Community Founder Shawn Short, MFA, was presented with the Founder’s Award by local health service nonprofit Us Helping Us for his educational programming and conscientious productions that use dance to enlighten audiences about African Americans living with HIV/AIDS.
Left: Plaque presented to Mr. Shawn Short. 8
Ngoma News
Ngoma Board Day Seminar Saturday, February 28th, 2015 Ngoma Center for Dance held its first board development workshop on Saturday, February 28th at the Flashpoint Gallery in Washington, D.C. (Chinatown) facilitated by non-profit specialist Dr. Imani Woody, Ph.D. Overarching goals of the day were to: 1) provide an opportunity for Board members and Executive Volunteers to identify and match strengths and passions to the needs of Ngoma Center for Dance; and, 2) to begin strategic planning for 2015 and beyond. Board members, executive volunteers and staff were in attendance and provided vital information to create a strategy for short, medium and long term goals and vision. Through diligent teamwork and community fellowship, Ngoma stakeholders devised a strategic plan from 2015 to 2020. This plan will Ngoma a “working blueprint� to deliver current and future programming.
Community Through Vision Determination And Drive 9
Dr. Imani Woody, Ph.D.(left) with Founding Director Shawn Short (above right).
10
11
Ngoma Programs: Dissonance Dance Theatre Yo u t h P r o g r a m D D T Tr a i n e e P r o g r a m Dawn: A Blk Mens’ Initiative Internship Program Ngoma Reader Magazine Next Steps
Images on the left: Dissonance Dance Theatre dancers in Short’s Vampire Suite (top). Actor/ Community Activist Michael Saint-Andress in collaboration rehearsal with DDT (middle). Composition Chair of Catholic University of America’s Rome School of Music Dr. Andrew Simpson with graduate composition students in new music/choreographer collaboration with DDT dancers. (bottom) images (c) Shawn Short
12
13
Ngoma is a competitive dance institution, founded in 2012, that provides emerging artists with a platform that professionally connects dancers to Dissonance Dance Theatre (DDT), the performing arts industry and beyond; Dissonance Dance Theatre (2007) became Ngoma’s resident dance company in 2012. 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.
14
69
DISSONANCE DANCE THEATRE 2015 Year In Review
Youtube Subscribers
IN 2015 DISSONANCE DANCE THEATRE
3
DELIVERED 13 PERFORMANCES TO 1,690 PEOPLE
Number of Free Public Performances
14
Number of New Works and World Premeires
*30,188
PEOPLE VIEWED DDT CONTENT VIA OUR FACEBOOK PAGE *53,784 PEOPLE VIEWED TOTAL NGOMA CONTENT SHARED VIA FACEBOOK 15
Image: Shannon Evans, Company Member (c) Shawn Short
5 400
Commissioned Choreographers
$11,244 $685 Total Box-Office Revenue
Number of people who watched a free performance
Dance Artists Developed Artistically & Professionally
67% Percentage Of Dance Artists Received Paid Performance Stipends
FY2015 Dissonance Dance Theatre Dance Company Members and Apprentices
22,154
1.5 Million 4,763 Number of video views on Youtbe
People reached through our Facebook Page marketing efforts
Number of likes on Facebook Fan Page
16
Performance Impact
3 Self-Produced Productions 1 Festival Engagement 6 Theatrical Performances 3 Free Community Performances
17
4 Special Engagement Performances
1,690 Total number of people who saw Dissonance Dance Theatre in total 13 performances Image: Devin Hamilton, Apprentice (c) Shawn Short
Tony Thomas Spent most of his life performing on stages and teaching across the nation and abroad. He graced the stage for the first time at the tender age of 8 and has been gracing the globe with his artistic fervor ever since. Tony most recently played the role of Richie in A Chorus Line at Olney Theatre Center. In national tours (West Side 2013), guest appearances, television, and film, Tony has performed and developed
his craft under the wings of Joey McKneely, Debbie Allen, Stephen Nachamie, David Saint, Tony Powell, Christopher Huggins, Joyce Mosso, and Mike Malone. He has performance associations with members of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Philadanco, The Dance Theatre of Harlem, Dancarate’, Inc., and many others. With an amazing tenacity for focus, an unparalleled understanding of fluidity and a remarkable eye for precision, Tony Thomas is soon to be one of the most sought after artists in the global industry. He is a member of Actor’s Equity Association (AEA).
Michelle Sloan performed professionally with Dance Theatre of Harlem and Ballet Theatre in Boston, from 1997-2007. Ms. Sloan joined Jones-Haywood Dance School in 1997 where she teaches upper level ballet students, and she has also taught at The Washington Ballet and for its DanceDC program in the DC public Schools, and at Dance Institute of Washington, High Point Ballet, Ballet Theatre and Topf Center for Dance. Ms. Sloane trained at North Carolina School of the Arts, Kirov Ballet Academy and at National Hungarian Ballet’s summer program, 1987-1992.
Johnnie Mercer, a VCU BFA in Dance alum, has had the privilege of performing in works while in school by numerous artists including: Martha Curtis, Reggie Wilson, Kate Weare, Scott Putman, Christian von Howard, Twyla Tharp, Shen Wei, Paul Taylor, William Forstyhe, and most recently Bill T. Jones. He has trained and studied on scholarship in numerous environments including; The Ailey School, The American Dance Festival, and The School of the Richmond Ballet of Virginia. He has also trained under Paul Matteson, Gerri Houlihan, Jeffrey Bullock, Pam Pietro
and Leah Cox, Sidra Bell, and Kyle Abraham. Mr. Mercer’s choreographic work has been seen and presented at The American Dance Festival, The Appomattox Regional Governor School, the High School Dance Festival, Henrico High School, Virginia Commonwealth University’s Student Concert series and most recently at Dogtown Dance Theater’s, “Looking Forward”. In the coming year, Mr. Mercer performed as an apprentice with Dance Theater X, led by Artistic Director Charles O. Anderson. He is also the artistic director of the project based collective, The Mercer Project based in NYC.
Ryan Tuerk hails from Quakertown, PA and holds a BFA in Dance from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. He has performed for Brian Sanders Junk and as a soloist in the featured piece in the Philadelphia Live Arts Fringe Festival in 2005 titled Patio Plastico. Tuerk is an alumnus of Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Celebrity Cruise Lines. Ryan has performed for various ballet companies throughout the Philly/NJ area, for roles in the Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty and performed pas de deux in The Flower Festival of Genzzano, Raymonda, Grand Pas Classique and the peasant pas de deux from Giselle. While Living in Fort Lauderdale, FL, Ryan co-founded a Hip-Hop company called ImPulz alongside Hip Hop mogul Pablo Malco of Fuzion Dance Co. Since 2009, Ryan has begun writing and producing his own original Ballets: “The Chosen Child,” “Emerald Fantasia,” and “The Other Side of Eden.” Dissonance Dance Theatre has commissioned three works from Tuerk: Rapture, Scars On My Memory, and 13th Hour. Ryan is a 2016 MFA in Dance candidate at Temple University.
Commissioned Choreographers (continued on next page) 18
Dancers William Wilson and Chanel Smith rehearsing Adam Sage’s Baroque Fantasy. (c) Shawn Short 19
Commissioned Choreographers Recognition
2015 marked the beginning of a new age for Dissonance Dance Theatre; it’s first classical ballet. Dissonance Dance Theatre (DDT) has long been a contemporary space with a history of Afro-modern, and contemporary modern repertorie. A vision of Founding Producing Artistic Director Shawn Short, DDT braced for its first classical ballet work choreographed by Adam Sage, former Director of Nashville School of Ballet and now Artistic Director of Missouri Ballet Theatre.
Adam Sage is the Artistic Director of Missouri Ballet Theatre and has served as artistic director of Virginia School of the Arts, school director and ballet master for Nashville Ballet and interim artistic director of the National Dance Company of Bophuthatswana in Southern Africa. Adam has performed principal roles in all the great classics, including Romeo & Juliet, Swan Lake, Giselle, Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, La Bayadere, and Cinderella, and in works by dance luminaries such as John Cranko, Kenneth McMillan, George Balanchine, Ninnette de Valois and Frederick Ashton. Left Image: Dancers William Wilson and Chanel Smith rehearsing Adam Sage’s Baroque Fantasy. (c) Shawn Short Adam rehearsing dancers in partnering. (c) D. Foster
5
New Works Commissioned
20
Woman (2015) Choreography By Michelle Sloan Lighting by Shawn Short
House of Adisa (2015) Choreography & Costumes By Johnnie Mercer Lighting by Shawn Short
(Clockwise) Dancer Shannon Evans in Woman. Dancers Moyston “Randy” Henry Jr. and Coralynn Schiefelbein in 13th Hour. Dancers Damon Foster, Shannon Evans and Moyston “Randy” Henry Jr. in House of Adisa.
21
13th Hour (2015) Choreography By Ryan Tuerk Lighting & Costumes by: Shawn Short
Baroque Fantasy (2015) Choreography By: Adam Sage Lighting By: Brian Allard Costumes By: Shawn Short
22
Dancers Demetria Charles and Dominique Atwood enjoying a conversation over food.
Founder/Producing Artistic Director Shawn Short with dancer Mackenzie Rawls.
Dancer Shaila Isham with family and friends.
Special Event: Chads - Friendship Heights 23
Dancer Moyston “Randy” Henry Jr. with Ngoma’s Vice-Chairman Tyler Lewis.
Dancer Mackenzie Rawls enjoying a picture with family.
Dancer Momo Sakai with friend.
Dancer Shannon Evans with mom and dad.
Dancer Devin Hamilton with Michael Bradford
Dancer William Wilson taking a picture with the Henry’s. 24
Catholic University of America Rome School of Music Dancer/Choreographer Collaboration
Dancer Momo Sakai looks on with CUA Grad Students.
25
In Fall 2015
, past Dissonance Dance Theatre collaborator and Chair of CUA Rome School of Music’s Composition graduate program Dr. Andrew Simpson reached out to Dissonance Dance Theatre (DDT) Founding Producing Artistic Director Shawn Short to discuss a wonderful music education experience that would be great for dancers as well. Dr. Simpson spoke about how he enjoyed several past collaborations they both worked on at CUA. As a former CUA Professor of Dance for seven years and an educator for more than 15 years, Short saw this opportunity to give DDT dancers the chance to explore choreography, and a way for Short to cultivate new relationships with budding musical talent. Three composers and six dancers teamed up with the quick tasks of creating 1-2 minute musical scores and dances that complement. Teams had several weeks to discuss, recreate and present their work. On November 22nd, 2015 dancers and musicians gathered at Coors Dance Studio at Flashpoint in Chinatown, Washington, D.C. to present their work and discuss the process.
26
“Creativity Is The Power To Connect The Seemingly Unconnected” - William Plomer
27
Large image: Shaila Isham and Moyston “Randy� Henry Jr. performing. Top right image: Katie Norton-Bliss performing. Bottom right: WIlliam Wilson dancing.
Graduate Composition Majors Dalton Fitzgerald (in glasses), Johanny Navarro, and Joseph Kaz with Ngoma/DDT Director Shawn Short
Dr. Andrew Simpson with Ngoma/ DDT Director Shawn Short 28
Urban+Out Director Kenrick Ross and Ngoma Founding DIrector Shawn Short representing the arts at Mandate Conference - Washington, D.C.
Dancers William Wilson and Devin Hamilton performing at the United States Conference on Aids
29
In The Community
Ngoma Director Shawn Short with board Vice-Chair Tyler Lewis at the Us Helping US Awards
Top Left (Clockwise): Cover from Black AIds Institute’s BTAN conference. Dancer preparing for performance. Devin Hamilton and Damon Foster performing Zero a work around HIV and male to male interaction. Ngoma Director Shawn Short with performers and William WIlson discussing HIV stigma and how dance can help. 30
Top Left (Clockwise): Community Activist/ Talkshow Host Rayceen Pendavis posing with DDT dancers William Wilson and Moyston “Randy� Henry after their community performance. Dancer Damon Foster with Howard University Alumni Association President Christopher Washington after performing at HU Homecoming. Metropolitan Community Church member Dr. Imani Woody with former DC Mayor Vincent Gray after Damon Fosters performance of the Ostrich Dance at Kwanza MCC.
31
Damon with Dance/NYC staff Damon with Juan Pablo Lopez Otero
Damon with Andrea Snyder and Carolelinda Dickey
Ngoma in New York City Dance/NYC and American Dance Abroad conducted a town hall discussion on Sunday, November 22, with 10 international dance presenters and producers participating in the fourth edition of American Dance Recon/New York. Ngoma Center for Dance sent Dancer/Company Administrator Damon Foster to learn about curatorial styles and trends in dance abroad from programmers from around the world including representatives from Brazil, China, Mexico, Norway, Denmark, France, and more. 32
Dawn: A Black Men’s Initiative
33
Now in its fourth year, Dawn has developed in to a much-needed “bridge” for minoirity male dancers interested in pursuing dance as a career. With the birth of Ngoma’s education programs, Dawn has since been redesigned into a financial assistance program aligned with supportive systems; mentorship, career counseling and therapy services through our mental health partnership. Rest in Peace Hellvon Williams. We lost a gifted and warm soul late Fall due to liver failure. Hellvon was 16 and a student Eastern High School. Top image: Hellvon Williams Background Image: Hellovon in Class with William Wilson
2015 Highlights Picture Left: Kafago Founding Director Kevin McKwen (white shirt) with former Dawn participants now DDT dancers and Dawn member Adohm Morris.
In the summer of 2015, Kafago Founding Director Kevin McKwen was looking for male dancers to take part in a dance fellowship that he was creating and contacted Ngoma due to the highcaliber male dancers in DDT. Ngoma, always looking for opportunities to help its male dancers grow, allowed select Dawn dancers to perform with McKwen. The dancers performed a one-night only engagement, participated in a photo shoot and a four-week rehearsal process. Picture Left: Kafago performing at UMFUNDALAI Streams. June 27, 2015 at CityDance Studio Theater at Strathmore. Kafago images courtesy of Kevin McKwen.
34
Education Programs 2015 Year In Review
150
Children and young people served through education programs.
75
10%
Number of students accepted into second year of Summer DanceLab Program
Number of Summer DanceLab students accpeted into Fall programs
16%
$28K
Of program participants are male
Amount of funding provided in financial assistance to families
90%
30%
Number of student receiving financial assistance
Students passed Fall Ballet Literacy Exam (Pilot Program)
4
1
Dancers gained contracts for dance employment
35
5
# of regions, that students resided; Washington, DC; Prince George’s, Charles, Montgomery and Howard counties (Maryland)
Dancer gained professional union card with (AGMA)
In 2015, Ngoma Center for Dance expanded its programs to include services for students. With this exciting development, Ngoma has established programs with sites in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in addition to its main programs Washington, DC. Standing tall as an active, emerging “host institution,” Ngoma utilizes its growing capacity to excavate and celebrate the truth, power, and visibility of dancers in Washington, D.C. communities. This is achieved through empowerment, education, and enrichment to outreach and program participants, arts patrons, and our increasing partnerships with local government and non-profit organizations. Ngoma’s underlying goal is to help facilitate the re-establishment of a local D.C. performing arts infrastructure that enhances job placement and develops emerging and seasons artists. We believe this to be an achievable goal through art-informing social justice dialogue and action; competitive dance training; mentorship and counseling; arts media and publications; and community learning exchanges. Youth Programs include: Saturday Program Sunday Program DDT Trainee Program
Dancer auditioning for summer program (c) Shawn Short
36
Embarking into Prince George’s County With the support of University of Maryland’s Dance department, Ngoma has begun programming in Prince George’s County. Currently providing a Saturday program serving up to 30 talented dancers beginner dancers between 8-17 years old.
37
Students in ballet class (c) Shawn Short
Educating The DC Area on Dance Since 2013, Ngoma Center for Dance has been committed to celebrating dancers and dance companies; becoming the first dance magazine in Washington, D.C.
2015 Statistics 4,710 Reads 44,180 Impressions 24 Dancers Interviewed 12 Contributing Writers
38
Development The Year in Review Thanks to the generosity of many alumni and friends who have invested through charitable giving, Ngoma Center for Dance has begun stabilizing programs and providing job opportunity for local dance artists in the Washington, D.C. area!
$98,188
In addition, we received in non-cash service donations. This was a tremendous gift that secured our operation. Thanks to all of our executive volunteers for your round-the-clock dedication and commitment. We want to also thank the DC Commission on Arts and Humanities, DanceMetroDC and Actionsprout for their provided funds. Building on this initial success, Ngoma has set an ambitious goal of reaching even greater prominence nationally and globally as a nationally recognized arts organization by 2020. It is a lofty goal, and not one that will be achieved easily. With your continued support, we can make this and all of our goals a reality. Key ingredients for becoming a nationally recognized arts organization are facilities with state-of-the-art technology that attract world-class faculty. Working dance professionals with a desire for innovative teaching and building top students.
39
Thank You Thank you Thank you
Financial Review Expenses
FY13
FY14
FY15
Programs: $30,824 $38,822 $56,922 General Operations: $5,928 $8,864 $15,352 Outreach: $2,000 $1,731 $1,494 Total Expenses $38,752 $49,417 $73,768 Income Earned Revenue: $19,880 $28,390 $61,779 Individual Contributions: $22,366 $22,751 $11,438 Board Contributions: $1,043 $1,000 $1,600 Total Income $43,289 $52,141 $74,817
40
Students in Sunday Program (c) Shawn Short
Ngoma Center for Dance P.O. Box 2377 Washington, DC 20013 (202) 540-8338 (o) (202) 399-0174 (f) www.ngoma-for-dance.org