Ngoma Center for Dance Program Guide
“As Founder and Director of Ngoma Center for Dance, I am excited to hear stories from former and present students. Their excitement to become a part of the creative economy as dancers, support staff and administrators drives me to continue the excellance we provide.� Shawn Short MFA, Founder, Ngoma Center for Dance Dissonance Dance Theatre
Founder/Director Shawn Short, MFA Ngoma Center for Dance P.O. Box 2377 Washington, DC 20019 Tel: 202-540-8338 Fax: 202-399-0174 info@ngoma-center-for-dance.org www.ngoma-center-for-dance.org
Ngoma Center for Dance is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization registrered in Washington, DC with tax-exemption in the state of Maryland. All photographs are students, faculty and community partners of Ngoma Center for Dance.
(c) Shawn Short
Dissonance Dance Theatre Dancer Momo Sakai
Contents Welcome to Ngoma Center for Dance 1 About Us 4 A Timeline Through Pictures 5-6 Why Choose Us 7 Which Program is For You 9 Student Journery Through Ngoma 11-12 Program Overviews 13-17 Staff 18-19 Partnership 20 How to Become Apart/Contact Us 21
Equal Opportunities Ngoma Center for Dance aims to create an accessible and inclusive working and learning environment in which all people are treated fairly with dignity and respect and in which they are able to give their best. Ngoma Center for Dance is committed to equality and diversity and has in place policies and procedures to ensure fairness, equality and professionalism.
Safeguarding The protection of children and vulnerable adults is important to Ngoma Center for Dance. Ngoma Center for Dance has a ‘duty of care’ to provide a safe environment that is conducive to ensuring that the children and vulnerable adults with whom Ngoma Center for Dance comes into contact are well protected and that there is a system in place to protect their welfare.
Ngoma Center for Dance continues to maintain academic standards and enhance the quality of student learning opportunities and information about learning opportunities.
(c) Shawn Short
Dissonance Dance Theatre Dancers Moyston Henry Jr. and Coralynn Schiefebein
Welcome To Ngoma Center for Dance
Shawn Short, MFA Founder/Director
Corey McDougle, MBA, CISA Board Chairman
Ngoma is an arts organization with strong undertones of social change at its core. Ngoma refines and strives to develop D.C. area communities: physically, mentally and affectively.
It is my pleasure to speak as the Chairman of such a wonderful organization. Standing tall as an active, emerging “host institution”, Ngoma utilizes its growing capacity to spread the joy of the arts.
Creating “Diverse dance spaces” facilitated by People of Color, we produce dynamic artists, “creatives”, and administrators through our arts and arts administrative programs. In a time where youth of color need a place to grow through dance, Ngoma believes in using dance as a vehicle for higher education preparation, and job placement in the arts. Alum of our programs have danced with Complexions, Garth Fagan Dance , Philadanco, Virginia Ballet Theatre, national touring musicals and more. I look forward to welcoming you as a student or artist at Ngoma Center for Dance.
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Ngoma believes in empowerment, education, and enrichment to outreach and program participants, arts patrons, and our increasing partnerships with local government and non-profit organizations. We recognize the great importance the arts provide as a generator of jobs, wealth and cultural engagement. At the heart of the creative economy are the cultural and creative industries that lie at the crossroads of arts, culture, business and technology. Like others, we define creative industries as, “Those industries that are based on individual creativity, skill and talent with the potential to create wealth and jobs through developing intellectual property”. Stand with us as we create a better tomorrow through dance.
Summer DanceLab Dancers
(c) Shawn Short
www.ngoma-center-for-dance.org
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Professional Artist Entertainment Lawyer Dance Parent Therapist Community Activist Doctor
Dance Instructor/Teacher Director Professor
Videographer
Choreographer
Dancer
Producer Graphic Designer
Government Professional
Stylist Costume Designer Photographer
Fitness Professional
Dream Big Through Dance 3.
About Us Through quality crafted education programming, exciting productions, and enlightening local dance news, Ngoma (N-Go-Mah) Center for Dance (Ngoma) provides theatrical entertainment and dance education for thinkers, arts lovers and people who wiggle their toes. Here are just a few reasons to further your dance education with Ngoma. Program graduates are working and growing Alumni of Ngoma programs are beginning to make their mark in the world through professional opportunities and higher education degree programs. Connecting with the world of dance Through our growing partnerships with nationally-ranked institutions, local government, businesses, higher education programs, and community organizations Ngoma Center for Dance provides advisement and assistance to students seeking careers in dance.
(c) Shawn Short
Quality education at an affordable price We make our tuition-based programs as accessible as possible to all students and we are committed to delivering a great education at an affordable price through our financial assistance program. Qualified teaching staff Over 75% of our teaching staff hold a BFA in Dance, the highest bachelor’s degree attainable in dance; 5% hold a MFA in dance. All staff have past performance experience with professional dance companies. Student satisfaction Our students are satisfied with their study experience, with most of our programs gaining over 90% in surveys.
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Dissonance Dance Theatre is introduced to D.C.’s theater community through “Episodic Traces” produced by Artists’ Bloc.
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2008
2009 Dissonance Dance Theatre
Dissonance Dance Theatre world-premeires in the 2nd annual Capital Fringe Festival.
2011
gains its first performance commission and education partnership with Catholic University’s Rome School of Music/Composition Department. Dissonance becomes a fiscally-sponsored project with New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA)
2012
2013
(c) Shawn Short
(c) PBS
2007
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(c) Shawn Short
Dissonance Dance Theatre emerges as D.C.’s newest contemporary ballet company.
Ngoma Center for Dance is founded. DIssonance Dance Theatre becomes a program of Ngoma.
DIssonance Dance Theatre is video recorded for Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)’s National Trailer. Dissonance Dance Theatre Director Shawn Short and Soloist Caitlin Cooley are featured in Dance Magazine (February issue)
A Timeline Through Pictures
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(c ) N Brewer
2010
Dissonance Dance Theatre makes New York City debut at Brooklyn Arts Exchange (BAX).
2016
2015 (c) Shawn Short
2014
Ngoma Center for Dance Dawn and Next Steps program alumni become members of Dissonance Dance Theatre. Ngoma Center for Dance self-produces D.C.’s first bi-monthly Dance Magazine: Ngoma Reader Magazine.
Adam Sage becomes DDT’s first classical ballet choreographer; mounting his work Baroque Fantasy.
(c) Jeremiah Jones
(c) Shawn Short
Ngoma Center for Dance exapnds its youth programs to Prince George’s County, MD through University of Maryland College Park site.
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Why choose us?
Award-Winning Affordable
Awards and nominations from Dance Magazine, DanceMetroDC, DC Mayor Arts Awards, Princess Grace Awards, MD Theatre Guide
Diversity From a diverse range of dance repertoire to students spanning from across the Greater Baltimore-Washington, D.C. area, Ngoma Center for Dance trully values difference in artistic perspective and community inclusion.
Over 50% of our students receive financial assistance in our programs; providing over $25,000 and growing
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Founder Shawn Short (Center) Eddise Sanders (Left) and Dave Domzalski (Right) at Ngoma Bar Tenly fundraiser.
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What program is for you? Ngoma Center for Dance offers a range of programs for those interested in dance. Our programs offer instructions attainable by a variety of learning styles. You can choose from short-term programs and annual programs. Our programs follow curriculum based on the Vaganonava ballet method and the National Core Arts Standards. Curriculum is designed by Ngoma’s curriculum committee.
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Program
Level
Location Site
Dissonance Dance Theatre
Professional
Flashpoint/ATMTC
Youth Program
Beg - Adv
UMCP/Flashpoint
DDT Trainee Program
Pre-Professional UMCP/Flashpoint
Dawn: A Blk Mens’ Initiative Community
UMCP/Flashpoint
Internships
Telecommute
Community
www.ngoma-center-for-dance.org
Term
Duration
Page
Fall - Spring
9 months
13
Annual
12 month
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Fall - Spring
9 month
15
Fall - Spring
9 month
16
Annual
12 month
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Thank you so much for allowing my daughter to be part of your program. Dedication, discipline and determination are key for our youth. Please continue to keep us in mind for future workshops.” — LaShawn Lewis, Proud Parent of Jakai’la Lewis, Student of Dissonance’s Youth Program
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A Student Journey Through Ngoma
Mid-Training
Early Training
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Professional
Pre-Professional
“We look for the student who WANTS it. Yes, dance enthusiats are ALWAYS welcome. With quality training not a constant in most communities, particularly of color, Ngoma strives to change and improve the lives of people using dance as a community builder, a vocational skill and healer of the community spirit.� Shawn Short, BFA, MFA, AFAA Certified Founder/Director
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All Images (C) Shawn Short
Program Overview
Dissonance Dance Theatre Dissonance Dance Theatre is the flagship and resident, award-winning professional dance company of Ngoma Center for Dance. Dissonance brings with it professional dancers who inspire, interact with, educate and entertain Ngoma Center for Dance students — as well as the Washington, D.C., community-at-large. The company facilitates an apprenticeship and trainee program for college bound and emerging artists eager to continue their professional careers. * Employes 14-18 dance artists annual. * Hires guest choreographers from NYC, Philadelphia, and Chicago for artistic development of dancers. * Provides a 3-5-production season; training staff and artists in a professional company setting. *Past trainee participants received summer scholarships to Dance Theatre of Harlem, and London arts program at Rose Brudford College.
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Program Overview
Youth Program Youth Program provides training for young dancers from the age of nine to young adults. Crafted from past community dance project assessments and our desire to provide pre-professional dance education programming to underserved communities. Through our holistic approach of mind, body and spirit, Ngoma’s Youth Program not only teaches dance classes, we fully educate participating communities about dance. Participants gain a more in-depth awareness of local dance opportunities and news through our self-published online dance magazine Ngoma Reader Magazine, dancers obtain better self-care during dance screenings/one-on-one evaluation sessions with physical therapists from our PT partners (Kesler Physical & Massage Therapy & Performance Plus), and program “report cards” from program faculty to track personal progress. We believe that dance can promote positive community change and stir creative economy. At Ngoma, we view dance as a vocational skill that can transfix and inspire youth, a great recipe for success. To better serve the community annually, Ngoma’s Youth program is comprised of the following components.
The Saturday Program provides extensive training to beginning/advance beginning dancers 9 to 18 years old. Classes are at the worldclass Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center on University of Maryland’s campus. The goal of the program is to provide dance training with a body conditioning component to strengthen aspiring dancers. Dances progress at a slow and gradual pace with a parent observation culminating fall/spring term. Summer DanceLab provides an opportunity for aspiring dancers to train in a pre-professional dance environment training eight hours a day, for two - four weeks during the summer. Students learn from world class guest artists and Dissonance Dance Theatre faculty. Sunday Program provides dancers with technique class in classical and contemporary ballet and master classes with guest choreographers . Program dancers may have the opportunity to perform in selected performances depending on availability and ability. Selected dancers have the opportunity to perform at community engagements, artistic events and Dissonance Dance Theatre productions. Trainees are provided scholarships for Ngoma Center for Dance drop-in classes and workshops.
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Coaching Mentorship The Trainee Program nurtured and developed dancers up to 24-years-old interested in contemporary and classical ballet forms of dance. Since its beginnings, Trainee dancers have received scholarships to nationally-ranked schools, college dance programs and dance company apprenticeships. Dancers receive contemporary ballet technique classes four days a week. In addition, these emerging work with Dissonance Dance Theatre dancers gaining valuable work experience and the chance to work with guest choreographers and artists during DDT’s theatrical season. Selected trainees have the opportunity to perform at community engagements, artistic events and Dissonance Dance Theatre productions. Trainees are provided scholarships for Ngoma Center for Dance drop-in classes and workshops.
Trainee Program 15.
All Images (C) Shawn Short
Program Overview
Training
Program Overview
www.ngoma-center-for-dance.org
Dawn: A Black Mens’ Initiative
Dawn: A Black Mens’ Initiative (Dawn), is Ngoma’s program for aspiring at-risk Black male youth (18-24 years old) who wish to utilize their innate creative ability to pursue a career in dance or arts administration. Focusing on mentorship and positive expression, Dawn: A Black Men’s Initiative (Dawn) gives rise to a new crop of male dancers eager to enter
the professional dance arena. Dawn participants take weekly dance classes intermixed with enrichment workshops with fitness, dance, mental health, and arts administration African-American professionals; providing them enhanced college readiness, a raise in community spirit, and a deepened education into the prospects of arts employment.
Secondly, participants build self-confidence and self-actualization through the program. Participants have reported the realization that dance is an integral part of their community and lives. Participants gain a “place of departure” that allows for self-expression. Students obtain better fitness and eating habits through class workshops with Ngoma’s physical therapy and fitness partners Performance Plus and RH Fitness. Moreover, students pass along new eating and fitness habits to families; making them more bodily aware, which ultimately increases their life vitality. Finally, the arts can be fleeting to many who are not verse in them. The arts can provide many opportunities for employment. The Dawn program provides career counseling to for young male artists who are interested in the arts; from performing to behind the scenes. In turn, f amilies are informed of possible job opportunities through literature sent home with participants, and emails on latest issues of our self-published dance magazine Ngoma Reader.
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(C)Moyston Henry
Program Overview
Internship Program Experience the thrill and rewards of interning with Ngoma Center for Dance. Whether you’re a high school student looking for summer employment, or a college or graduate student seeking a substantive internship supporting the arts in D.C., there’s no limit as to how far our opportunities can take you. At Ngoma Center for Dance, you’ll have the opportunity to gain insight into a budding dance organization, explore new career avenues and acquire lifelong skills. Our two programs, (1) Production, and (2) Administration, enable students to obtain job experience in the theatre and in the back office.
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The opportunities are endless- and they all start right here. Our internship program is year-round; Fall internships, summer internships, semester interships, and quarter internships. We offer paid and non-paid interships. We also work with colleges to possibly offer credit course for work done with us. "I enjoyed my internship with Ngoma. The diversity in programming, staff, and community really gave me perspective on what I wanted to do after college." Hasani Allen, Former Intern
Primary Faculty Shawn Short, BFA, MFA, AFAA certified Shawn is the founder, producing artistic director and principal choreographer of Dissonance Dance Theatre. In addition to his role as producing artistic director and principal choreographer of Dissonance Dance Theatre, Shawn is the founder and director of Ngoma Center for Dance (Ngoma). For Shawn, 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, DC 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. Growing up in the Washington, DC area. Shawn has studied with nationally and internation-
ally acclaimed artists including faculty and dancers from Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Lines Ballet, Washington Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Dance Institute of Washington, Dance Alloy, Philadanco, Towson University, Baltimore and Duke Ellington School of Performing Arts. As a student of ballet pedagogy, Shawn studied with John White, Margarita De Saa and the Washington School of Ballet Director Kee Juan Han. 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 a MFA in Dance at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a focus on dance history, arts administration and somatics. Presently, he is Professor of Ballet at Catholic University of America. Shawn is a former fiscally sponsored artist through the New York Foundation for the Arts. Shawn has choreographed for The Dance Institute of Washington and The Washington Ballet School of Ballet at THEARC. His has presented his works at the Capital Fringe Festival, Greater Washington Urban League National Conference, Southeastern University, Artists' Bloc 12X6 Series, Harke Theatre, Jack Guidone Theatre Space, Lang Theatre, Atlas Theatre Complex Lab II Theatre, 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. Shawn was the Resident Choreographer for the Kelsey Collie Children's Theatre for six years. In education, Shawn has developed and implemented dance curriculum and programs for: Catholic University of America's Musical Theatre program, Adventure Theatre-MTS, Imagination Stage Dance Division, Kelsey Collie Children's Theatre Experience, PG County Schools, Dance Institute of Washington, Washington Ballet @THEARC. His performance credits include work with K2 Dance, Adrian Bolton Dance, El Tearto de Danza Contemporeanea El Salvador, and Bolton/Smith. He has also served as a guest artist with Dance Alloy in Pennsylvania. 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).
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Danelle Dickson, PT,DPT, OCS,
Danelle Dickson is a graduate of University of Delaware, and has over 6 years of clinical, research, and administrative experience in physical therapy sports and orthopedic fields. Danelle has a manual osteopathic approach to patient treatments, with an emphasis on bio- mechanical analysis, correction and return to function. She has been trained in manual based courses such as Institute of Physical Arts and St. Augustine courses and received her Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist certification in 2012.Ms. Dickson also has an extensive Dance background. She started dancing at age three, where she was formally trained in classical ballet, modern, and jazz. She later became involved in traditional African dance, and performed continually in a variety of local dance and theater productions in her native Trinidad and Tobago. Danelle continued to dance in the US, becoming an active member of the Morgan State Dance Ensemble at Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD. She later joined the Rod Rodgers Dance Company in New York City, Dissonance Dance Theatre, and guest with several dance companies in the DC and MD area. She has been the recipient of scholarships to attend summer intensives at Ballet Hispanico and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT), both based in NYC, and has fused her passion for dance with her career as an orthopedic physical therapist.
Damon Foster
Joining Dissonance Dance Theatre in 2013, Damon has become a favorite to watch performing DDT’s remount of Asadata Dafora’s solo classic The Ostrich Dance. Damon is the original cast for Short’s works My Intimate Friend, First Time, Zero, and Torens Johnson’s all-male ensemble work, Lockdown. Raised in Arlington, TX, Damon studied dance at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville where he majored in journalism with dance as a minor. His dance studies continued at University of Texas-Arlington. In Dallas, Foster performed as a principle artist with Mahogany Dance Theatre of Texas, under Artistic Director Vann J. Gilbert, and with HappyNia Dance Theatre, under Alvin Ailey veteran Dereque Whiturs; Friends of Tyme Dancer, Mary Kay Cosmetics Seminar. He is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
Tisa Huff, BFA
Tisa joined Dissonance Dance Theatre in 2008 through 2013. A solid perform-er with beautiful stage sensability, Tisa was pillar in DDT’s ranks. She is the original female soloist in Short’s spiritual inspired work Utopia Fallen in 2008. She performed Short’s solo in his legato themed work in Reflect Movement #1 recored by PBS in 2012. A native Washingtonian, her prefessional training started at Duke Ellington School of the Arts, a pre-professional arts training program in Washington, D.C. Tisa trained under the direction of Charles Augins, Sandra Fourtune-Green, Katherine Smith, Treanna Alexander, and Kikki Sutton. Mrs. Huff has worked with notable choreographers such as Louis Johnson, Christopher Huggins, Kevin Malone, Bill Evans and Garth Fagan. She Received her Bachelors in Fine Arts from New World School of the Arts.
Tony Thomas, BS, MFA, AEA
New York based artist, Tony has spent most of his life performing on stages and teaching across the nation and abroad. He graced the stage for the frst 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, guest appearances, television, and film, Tony has per-formed 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, Danca-rate’, 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. Member of AEA - Actor’s Equity Association
Ryan Tuerk BFA, MFA
In 2005 Ryan graduated from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia with a BFA in jazz dance. While in college he had the pleasure of working with such companies as Koresh, Philadanco and Pennsylvania Ballet. Ryan was a soloist in the 2005 Philadelphia “Live Arts” Fringe Festival dancing in a piece titled, “Patio Plastico” directed by Brian Sanders (of Momix). He has also performed with Carnival and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. While living in Florida, he co-founded (with hip-hop mogul Pablo Malco) a pre-professional hip- hop company called “Imputz”. Currently Ryan dances as a principal dancer for “Spiritoso Ballet”. Teaching and choreography are his passion; his free time is spent coming up with new and innovative movement combining fundamentals of jazz with the “Vagonava” Ballet Syllabus, and exploring texture, rhythm, and multi-directional fow of energy. He is faculty at Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet in Philadelphia.
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(C) Shawn Short
Partnerships
We grow You grow
Above image: Ralph Henderson of RHBodywork working on DDT dancer Momo Sakai.
It takes a community to develop an individual. Ngoma Center for Dance diligently works with local businesses, government and organization to expand services to student and artists.
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How to Apply/Contact US
For audition notifications and more, please join our email mailing list by visiting our website www.ngoma-center-for-dance.org. For information about Dissonance Dance Theatre, visit www.ddtdc.org.
Keep up with us: Instagram: Ngoma_ddtdc
Twitter:
Dissonancedance
Fb:
Dissonance Dance Theatre/Ngoma Center for Dance Mailing Address: Ngoma Center for Dance/DDT P.O. Box 2377 Washington, D.C. 20013 Phone #: 202-540-8338 Fax #: 202-399-0174 www.ngoma-center-for-dance.org www.ddtdc.org
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(C)Shawn Short
Ngoma Center for Dance programs are accessible through audition. Most cases involve a physical audition; video submission are expectable if student is outside of a 100 mile radius of the Washington, D.C. area.