Founded in 2020, in the middle of a global pandemic and racial uprising, a weekly online Zoom call became a heart cry for the Black community that turned into an unstoppable momentum.
Mission
Black Dance Change Makers is a group of Black dancers redefining performance through choreographed movements of change. We unite and uplift our community through leadership, education, and service.
Vision
By intentionally building a community that moves with curiosity, and centers personhood and collective care, we work to honor the legacies of those who have come before us and blaze a safe and inclusive path for those who will change the world after us.
How we (re)define our work:
Performance noun
the execution of an action
using knowledge as distinguished from merely possessing it
the fulfillment of a claim, promise, or request
How can we reconsider what it means to perform, and what actions can we execute that will positively impact our dance community?
Choreography noun
the sequence of steps and movements in dance
planning and arranging the movements, steps, and patterns of dancers.
the technique of representing the various movements in dancing by a system of notation
How can we expand our creativity through organized and coordinated collective actions that improve the material conditions of Black people?
Movement noun
a series of organized activities working toward an objective
a group of people who share the same beliefs, ideas, or aims
How can we reimagine the connection between Black dance and our collective liberation?
Our Values:
Learning, Openness, Curiosity, Creativity
Community, Collective Responsibility, Responsiveness
Patience, Care, Respect
Celebration, Joy
Honoring Legacies and Ancestors
Dignity, Uniqueness, Centering our Personhood