IABD Supports Five Dance Companies across the U.S.
through multi-year funding totaling more than $750,000 in Awards
The
International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD) announces the INFLUENCERS Cohort for the 2021 COHI | MOVE program.
The five companies that comprise the cohort will each receive a total of $150,000
over the next three years: Collage
Dance Collective, Memphis, TN; Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Chicago,
IL; Emerge 125, New York, NY; KanKouran West African Dance Company, Washington,
DC; and StepAfrika!, Washington, DC.
“IABD is pleased to support these
dance companies through our partnership with Nonprofit Finance Fund,” said
Denise Saunders Thompson, president and CEO of IABD. “These times remain
challenging as dance organizations approach over a year and half of being shut
down. The next three to four years are critical, as this cohort will continue
the capacity building and capital deployment methodologies used
to strengthen Black Dance companies, with the goal of creating more adaptable
organizations that carry on vibrant artistic programming. We are extremely excited
to work with this next cohort and remain committed to their organizational and
financial health.”
The
organizations were selected based on several key considerations for
participation:
· commitment to collaborative participation
and engagement with IABD, NFF, program consultants, and cohort companies,
· the depth of community relationships,
· demand for local based programming
greater than the organization’s ability to provide,
· engagement and demonstrated support
of local artists and the local arts community,
· demonstrated loss for the community
if this organization no longer existed.
The Comprehensive Organizational Health
Initiative (COHI) | Managing Organizational
Vitality and Endurance (MOVE) is a multi-phase and
collaborative program in partnership with the Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF) designed
to improve the structural and financial health of dance companies. The
program has a strong emphasis on peer learning and evaluation
that delivers methodology and resources to strengthen the financial
and organizational health of the IABD Membership. NFF provides the
analytic basis, requisite data, training, and planning for a comprehensive
initiative that addresses the financial capacity and capitalization needs for
long-term stability of these critical dance organizations. In partnership
with NFF, IABD will offer access to financial coaching so that companies may
receive strategic feedback and guidance as they seek to apply the learnings to
their organizations. IABD will also underwrite access to discrete consulting
engagements over the course of the four-year period.
Gifts from The Andrew W. Mellon
Foundation and the Ford Foundation support the Comprehensive Organizational
Health Initiative | Managing Organizational Vitality and Endurance (COHI |
MOVE) program.
About The International Association of Blacks in Dance
For 30 years, The
International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD) has preserved and promoted
dance by people of African ancestry or origin and has assisted and increased
opportunities for artists in advocacy, audience development, education,
funding, networking, performance, philosophical dialogue, and touring. IABD
serves a diverse, national and international membership of agents and managers,
dance companies and studios, educators and educational institutions, individual
artists, researchers, and supporters of the Dance field.
About Collage
Dance Collective: Collage Dance Collective works to inspire the growth
of ballet by showcasing a repertoire of relevant choreography and world-class
dancers representative of our community. Founded in New York City in 2006,
Collage Dance Collective received rave reviews for its 2007 national debut at
the Lyric Opera House in Kansas City, Missouri. The company relocated to
Memphis in 2007 to take part in the city’s exciting artistic renaissance and to
fulfill its mission of extending the reach of outstanding classical ballet training.
Since its move, the professional company has presented nine full-length seasons
in Memphis, plus national and international touring. collagedance.org/
About Deeply
Rooted Dance Theater: Deeply Rooted Dance Theater reimagines and
diversifies the aesthetics of contemporary dance by uniting modern, classical,
American, and African-American traditions in dance and storytelling. Through
its uncompromising pursuit of excellence, Deeply Rooted demonstrates the transformative
power of art and beauty through dance education, performance, and cultural
enrichment in Chicago and on the world stage. Deeply Rooted is rooted in
traditions of American and African-American dance, storytelling, and universal
themes that spark a visceral experience and ignite an emotional response in
diverse audiences worldwide. Deeply Rooted collaborates with nationally
renowned choreographers, across the spectrum of modern, ballet, and African
dance, to reflect contemporary voices. deeplyrooteddancetheater.org/
About
Emerge 125: Founded in 1981, EMERGE125
(formerly Elisa Monte Dance), bridges cultural barriers through the universal
language of dance. The company’s work emphasizes three main objectives: CREATE
with and for a corps of professional dancers; EDUCATE individuals in the art of
movement and in appreciation of live dance performance; and COLLABORATE with
distinguished artists across other disciplines to bring dance to new audiences
and new platforms. In 2021, the company debuted a new name: EMERGE125 (E125), a
shift that signals a new era for the organization. “125” celebrates our Harlem
neighborhood, historically centered around 125th Street, and our commitment to
build, lead, and center our local community in our work. “Emerge” conjures the
dynamic, athletic energy that pervades our performance work, and embodies our
dedication to continued re-envisioning: never emerged but instead always
in the process of present tense, active evolution. emerge125.org/
About KanKouran
West African Dance Company: KanKouran’s mission is to preserve and
promote traditional West African culture by providing quality entertainment and
educational programs to local and national audiences in an effort to facilitate
cross-cultural enrichment. KanKouran’s immediate future is devoted to the
establishment of an African Cultural Center. This Center will serve as a model
to educate the community in order to foster a greater understanding of and
appreciation for pan-African and cross-cultural artistic cooperative endeavors.
Patrons and visitors alike will have the opportunity to learn about African culture
and other cultures throughout the African Diaspora through the study of dance,
music, drum making, language, drama, history, culinary and textile arts, and
other aspects of culture. kankouran.org/
About StepAfrika!:
Step Afrika! blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically African
American fraternities and sororities; traditional African dances; and an array
of contemporary dance and art forms into a cohesive, compelling artistic
experience. Performances are much more than dance shows; they integrate songs,
storytelling, humor and audience participation. The blend of technique,
agility, and pure energy makes each performance unique and leaves the audience
with their hearts pounding. Step Afrika! promotes stepping as an educational
tool for young people, focusing on teamwork, academic achievement and
cross-cultural understanding. www.stepafrika.org/
About The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation: Founded
in 1969, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation believes that the arts and humanities are where we express
our complex humanity, and we believe that everyone deserves the beauty,
transcendence, and freedom to be found there. Through our grants, we seek to
build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking,
where ideas and imagination can thrive. Additional information is
available at mellon.org.
About Nonprofit Finance Fund: Founded in
1980, the Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF) is a nonprofit lender, consultant, and
advocate for putting money to work in better ways for social good. NFF believes
that improving the flow of money to community-centered organizations led by and
serving people of color that have historically been denied it, begins by
correcting the legacy of systemic underfunding restricting money and resources
to organizations. We envision a
society where money and knowledge come together to support just and
vibrant communities and proudly help mission-driven
organizations achieve their communities' aspirations through tailored capital,
strategic advice, and accessible insights. For more
information on NFF visit www.nff.org.
